Cycling on the Beerzelberg

Appointment at the former town hall of Beerzel, now library, in the Diepestraat (V). Cross the crossroads at the white chapel and leave for KP 19. Climb further, past Beerzelberg (1), towards KP 18. On the right side of the mountain is the highest point of the province of Antwerp. At the end of the road turn right and then with a bend to the Mechelbaan. Turn right for a while and then cross the busy road and continue cycling through the Molenstraat. Follow this winding concrete road between the fields to the end. • Turn left here, on a narrow asphalt road, ignore a street on the right and keep left at the fork afterwards. You pass Estaminet Iverans and cross a crossroads. Then take the first street on the left. It has two street signs: Steenstraat and Kattegracht. At the end you follow a wide concrete road to the right, on a narrow cycle path. On KP 18 you continue cycling straight ahead, towards KP 52. Cross the busy Aarschotsebaan further on and continue cycling through the agricultural landscape until you reach the next priority road. There, make a sharp right turn and continue cycling along a red tile path. • At the intersection with a white chapel on the right, turn left into Heidestraat and follow it to the end, at the obligatory stop and the agglomeration sign of Heikant. Cycle left on the cycle path behind the hedges and a road with trees in the middle, until on KP 52 at the railway crossing at Melkouwen station, actually no more than a stop. Diamond cutters Cycle straight ahead, direction KP 32, through a residential area until you can turn right into Venushoek, direction ARTrouvé. After the last houses you drive between meadows and fields and along a grove. Don't worry about side roads and continue cycling to the Tjunction. Turn left until you can turn right into Hertstraat just after Eethuis 't Hertenhof. On the left corner is a beautiful white chapel. Turn further on, left, into Kijfbossen. Now there is a blissful bit of cycling between fields, meadows and along the edge of the forest. At a Tjunction you follow a gravel road to the left. It turns into a narrow concrete road. At the end, cross the priority road and follow it to the left on the bike path. Take a little further, on the right, the road to Gestel. You cycle along the Rameyenhof (2) and arrive at KP 32, at the chapel of Our Lady Consolation of the Imprinted. Cycle right into the lane next to the rameyenhof domain until KP 41 on the Grote Nete. Cross the bridge and follow the river to the right, direction KP34. • Keep following the meanders on the comfortable cycle path on the dike to the Hellebrug. For FP 41 you have to turn left. Choose the unpaved variant, straight ahead, towards KP 33. On the left is Kruiskensberg (3). You can read more about it on an information board. You are now driving on a dirt road with a lot of grass. But cyclists have provided a natural single track here over time. This takes you to 't Schipke (4), at the pedestrian bridge. Take the lane on the left and cycle away from the Grote Nete. Turn left and then right and you will arrive at KP 33. You are now in No Man's Corner. Follow the street of the same name to the left, direction KP 34. Ignore the side roads and continue cycling to the Tjunction with KP 34. Turn left and at the first fork turn right, direction Nijlen, Bevel and KP 23. • You will pass tavern Diamant. The name refers to the many diamond cutters who used to be active in this region. You cycle through a dark beech forest and past the name sign of Bevel and then turn right into the Steynehofweg. You drive along the edge of the forest, ignore the Herdersstraat on the left, pass the IJshoeve, cross a bridge and continue cycling on a narrow asphalt road through the forest. Blue tree chapel When you come out of the forest, you cycle between fields and meadows to a priority road. Cross it and continue cycling to FP 23. Then turn left, through the Looystraat towards KP 24. You come back to the priority road you just crossed. Turn right and then left into the Legebaan, on a narrow concrete road between two canals. At the intersection with a blue tree chapel you cycle straight ahead. Keep enjoying the agricultural landscape until you get to FP 24. • Cross the priority road and you will arrive at a KP 24 again. Cycle left into Hemelweg, direction KP 14. You are already driving on a narrow concrete road between two canals. At the end of the Hemelweg turn left and immediately after turn right into the Helleweg. You meander along a grove and come further on a cobblestone road. Cross it and keep following the Helleweg. After a bend, take a gravel road on the right and cycle to KP 14 on the Grote Nete. Follow it to the right until KP 16. Cross the bridge and continue on the other bank, past a large fishing pond to KP 28. Turn left and immediately right over a bridge and continue over a wide concrete path for cyclists, direction KP 72. The cycle path ends in a street and at the end you follow the wide road to Lier. Don't worry about side streets until you can turn left into the Molenlei. At the end turn right until berlaar station with KP 72. Cross the railway and continue towards KP 39. Then turn left into Welvaartstraat. • You cycle along a cycle path behind hedges and turn right after the barracks, further on, into the Brandestraat. Follow this narrow rural road and turn left at the first intersection. This is still the Brandestraat. Follow them to the busy Aarschotsesteenweg. Cross it carefully and cycle to the Tjunction. Make a left-hand nod and continue cycling to the first intersection. Turn left over Gangelberg, a narrow asphalt road between fields and meadows. Ignore the side streets and turn right at the Tjunction. You now cycle on a wide concrete road between the fields to KP 39. Continue straight ahead, direction KP 17. Immediately afterwards, turn left onto the first street, Stompaarshoek. You meander between meadows, fields and a tree nursery and arrive at a Tsplit. Turn left until KP 17 and then right into Sikkelstraat, direction KP 02. Follow it to the end and turn right until the traffic lights. Here too you have to turn right, direction Mechelen, and then left into the Augustijnenlei. Follow it to the end and cycle right, past the putte name sign to KP 02, just before café De Vogelstraat. Turn left Zag, direction KP 19. • You cycle along a large fishing pond and come back to a KP 02. Also turn left, direction KP 19 and you still follow Zag. At the end, make a right-left nod and cycle past the Beerzel agglomeration sign. Then turn left into Turkey Street and follow it to the end. Turn right through the Kattestraat until you reach the priority road. On the right you see the church of Beerzel, right in front of you the starting point.