Monastery forest, Park forest and Hasselt forest

Starting point: intersection Spende-Pijperzele-Langestraat in Lierde.
Alternative starting point: Vossenholstraat Sint-Maria-Oudenhove.

8-shaped loop walk of more than 20 km between the Kloosterbos in Sint-Maria-Oudenhove via the Parkbos-Uilenbroek to the Hasseltbos near Ophasselt. These recognized nature reserves are located in 3 municipalities: Zottegem, Lierde, and Herzele. The Parkbos-Uilenbroek reserve consists of a mosaic of small landscape elements. Besides the forests, there are stream valleys amidst a hilly landscape of grasslands, groves, and meadows, bordered by a network of hedges and wood edges.

The area forms a patchwork of forests, ponds, wet thickets, grasslands, and meadows, orchards,... This small-scale and undulating bocage landscape is typical of the Flemish Ardennes in South-East Flanders.

This walking route in a lesser-known area of the Flemish Ardennes has no signage and there are almost no walking junctions. A GPS (-app) is better suited here to find your way. I have tested it multiple times in winter, both in good weather and in freezing weather. It is a varied route with both forest sections and expansive views. There are also quite a few breeders of some special hoofed animals between the Parkbos and the Hasseltbos.