Bicycle loop Weerde Schoten Herentals Aarschot

The GPX of this loop starts and stops at the station in Weerde. You can of course start this loop in any other place.

Starting from this starting point, this cycle route goes through the following details:
1. large parts of the Fiets-o-strae between Mechelen and Antwerp;

2. The Nete bank of Duffel to the Provincial Institute for Environmental Education (just before the Nete-Netekannaal junction in Lier);

3. Rural north direction to the Mortsel-Lier railway;
In Boechout back north along rural roads, via Fort 2, and the Provincial Domain Rivierenhof;

4. Then continue northwards, across the Albert Canal, and follow the right bank of the Dessel-Turnhout-Schoten Canal to the beautiful old and narrow tilting bridge. This is also the northernmost point of the loop.

5. Via long roads we go to the Albert Canal, which we follow southwestwards on its right bank (= north side) to Herentals;

6. There we cross the Albert Canal southwards and follow the old railway station in a southerly direction (Oude Spoorwegzate (Line 29): http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoorlijn_29 ) towards Aarschot, and cross the Grote Nete;

7. There we have a connection with the Demer via the nature area Meetshoven and the Grote Laak east of Aarschot;

8. We continue to follow the strongly meandering right bank of the Demer to its mouth in the Dijle in Werchter,

9. There we follow the left bank of the Dijle, then go through Wakkerzeel (cobblestone strip!), and via a rural road we arrive in Tildonk on the Leuvensevaart.

10. There we take the left bank, past Kampenhout-Sas, past the Sas van Boortmeerbeek. Continue straight over the bridge and then turn left through the Steentjesbos and over the Zwarte Beek.

11.At the Kampenhoutsebaan turn right and the 2nd left Vinnestraat. on the Driesstraat we take some footpaths where we come to the rear of kasteek Diependaal, as well as follow the Barebeek and an old Heirweg.
At the Schumanlaan we take a cross to get over the E19 via the right side.

12. Finally, we take the Ketelveldweg at the Glasbaken to enjoy water (the Weerdse visvijver) one last time. Via the railway line and an underpass we arrive at our departure prunt: Station Weerde, where it is wonderful to relax in Café de Rut.

Wonderful in nature (a few small pieces are unpaved, the majority asphalted), wonderful along a lot of water (canals, natural watercourses, water and ponds), wonderful along an old Spoorwegzate, wonderfully along a Fiets-o-strade, wonderfully quiet in nature: All tasty ingredients on a tray! And here and there you pass an opportunity for a nap and a drink.

Is 130km too long? Then do it in pieces. There are many railway stations along the way where you can connect (Weerde, Mechelen, Nekkerspoel, Katelijne-Waver. And close to the stations Duffel, Lier, Boechout, Berchem, Zurenberg, Borgerhout, Nijlen, Bouwel, Herentals, Aarschot, Gelrode, Wezemaal, Rotselaar, Wespelaar, Haacht, Boortmeerbeek, and Hofstade (Zemst)).

Lots of peace and enjoyment!