Aarschot-Wijngaardberg 19.6 km

From: Statieplein, Aarschot, Vlaams-Brabant, Flanders
To: Fabriekstraat, Aerschot, Vlaams-Brabant, Flanders

Route guidance: Walking - the most beautiful

Description of the circular walk Aarschot 19, 6 km:

The walk is partially defined by walking junctions in a clockwise direction. However, using a walking GPS is advantageous. Without GPS, you can also navigate this problem with good map material.

The starting and ending point of this walk was deliberately chosen at the train station in Aarschot. Seniors can travel across the country on a weekday from nine in the morning with a senior ticket (€6.80), round trip. There is no time restriction on the use of a senior day ticket on weekends.

For more information, search for NMBS/Senior ticket and use the ‘free NMBS app’ to calculate your journey and pay via Bancontact and have your ticket sent via email. Leaving the door with everything in hand at the right time makes the train ride a bit more of a journey….

Aarschot is one of many gateways for an excursion into the beautiful Brabant Hageland.

Start: Statieplein at the entrance of Aarschot train station. We walk in a northern direction along the tracks to the Demer and turn right, following the Demerstraat. A historical eye-catcher sets the tone immediately: the Hertogenmühlen of Aarschot bridge the Demer. Unique as a mill building and at the same time as a bridge over the Demer, it has a lock function and was part of the old defense structures of the city. It also houses a hotel and restaurant. The mills originally date back to the 12th to 14th centuries.

We cross the Demer over the mill bridge and follow it to the right. At the next bridge, we turn right again and traverse the 'quiet' open space of the Begijnhof.

Further, the second street on the left, we turn left into Albertlaan and at the height of Pieter Verhaeghenlaan we return to the walking junction route and follow the walking junctions: - 708-702-701-76. We reach the Aureliaanstoren (mid-14th century). Also known as Orleanstoren, it is a remnant of the old city walls. Due to its height and its location on a hill (52 m), it offers a beautiful view over the Brabant Hageland. Unfortunately, there is no access to the observation platform due to the roof's decay.

We walk through the heathland of ’s Hertogenheide and discover an unexpected jewel in its seclusion as a forest-heath area. At KP 76, we turn left into the agricultural path – walking path Groenenweg (midway between two beautiful oaks as a signpost) and after a few bends to the south, we reach the dog cemetery at Donkerstraat.

We follow the Gemeentebosweg south of the cemetery and the unpaved Cleerenboschvoetweg, leading to Waterloosstraat. …!!! Dangerous crossing due to the rapid descent of cyclists! who may suddenly appear around the corner. We keep left and are rewarded with extensive views of the iron-sandstone ridges typical for this part of the Hageland. The Wijngaardberg (72 m) is one of them. On its southern slope, there are still vineyards today. Fruit cultivation occupies more of the ridges and northern slopes.

We follow Waterloosstraat left until-74- and straight across the stenenmuurstraat to -66-65-.-63-61-direction 605 until past the ‘Devil's Peak’ and then turn the first street on the right to -64-71-7- here in the Brasserie de Moedermeule of Gelrode, one finds a welcome resting spot before embarking on the last five kilometers of the tour -705- with views from Eikelberg-73-79-direction 704 to Liedeberg-Papenakkerstraat. We follow Papenakkerstraat (asphalt road) down to the left and take the first right: Gijzelaarstraat. This continues under the bridge and then the first left until we reach Leuvensesteenweg. We cross this 30 m to the left to Gaston Geenslaan. We follow over the viaduct to the first right: Nieuwland and stay until the end of the street. From there, the bike path leads us over the bridge over the tracks to Statieplein of Aarschot.