Even in summer, Haspengouw is a beautiful hiking destination. Along the way, you can stop at Hoeve Picard for handmade ice cream.

Text and photo Eddy Vlyminck

In one of the many landscape folds of Droog-Haspengouw lies the tiny Vechmaal. It is located on the border between Droog- and Vochtig-Haspengouw, where the rich clay soil is excellent for growing wheat and sugar beets. Fruit cultivation (apple, pear, and cherry) is also typical for this region. The quality of this area was already known to the Romans, who introduced agriculture here. Imposing villas dominated the landscape at that time, which was crossed by the main road between Tongeren and Bavay. The wealthy Roman landowners were buried in striking burial mounds (tumuli) near their villas, which still adorn the landscape today.

The Route

Start at the Sint-Martinuskerk in Suskesstraat in Vechmaal (V). With your back to the entrance of the church, turn left. A little further, at the T-junction, turn right onto Brugstraat. At house number 12, turn left into O.L.Vrouwstraat. You pass Chiro Harlekijn and a football field. Follow the road to the left until a T-junction. Turn right. You will pass Hoeve Picard, where handmade ice cream is produced. Shortly after the Hoeve, opposite a chapel, turn right. This is Tongersestraat. After a short stretch of cobblestones, follow the FKP 157 markings. You walk through an open agricultural landscape. Ignore the first side road to the left. Just before the next Hoeve, turn left. This road gently bends to the right and you walk towards a small woodland. At the wooded area, turn right into a sunken path. Ignore a path to the left a little further on and continue along the same road. Again, ignore some side streets on the left and right. Continue along the same road and you will reach the Tumulus of Vechmaal, a prominent landscape element (1). Shortly after the tumulus, turn left. For the shortcut, turn right here. At the chapel of O.L.Vrouw Altijddurende Bijstand (2) and the resting bench, turn right. Upon arriving in Horpmaal, turn right and about 50 m further, at the chapel, diagonally left onto Oreyebergstraat. At the T-junction, turn left and a little further on, turn right onto Horpmaalstraat. At the end, turn right onto Donkerstraat. Go up a bit and at the end of the street, turn left towards FKP 537. 50 m further, in a left curve, turn right. You continue to follow FKP 537. At the end of this long straight road, turn right. Again, a straight road. At the T-junction, turn right and 50 m further, just before the town sign Heers-Horpmaal (3), turn left. From this road, you have a nice view of Heks with its castle to the left. At the first side road to the right, the shortened route rejoins. Continue straight towards FKP 157. At FKP 157 (4), opposite a castle farmhouse, turn left. Pass by the Sint-Pieterskapel of Horne. Shortly afterwards, turn right. At the T, turn left towards FKP 156. At the end of Heurnestraat, at a triangular square with some didactic panels, turn right. You walk into Brugstraat. A few dozen meters after the Chiro location, turn left. At the end of the street, turn right to the church.