#230710 - Neerijse, idyllic nature in nature reserve Doode Bemde****

Attention! Potentially difficult due to mud and marshy ground. Walking shoes are a must. Hiking poles are highly recommended. Inaccessible for strollers. Regulated traffic in the protected zone.

This walk under the sign of water takes you successively along the IJse* and the Dijle***. A true wonder! It is an original alternative to the many circuits that can be found from Neerijse (subentity of Huldenberg).

We quickly leave the village via the dead-end road opposite the cemetery. The first paths between fields and the edge of the village are already enjoyable. We go up and down, left and right. Navigation requires some attention. At the point where the IJse flows into the Dijle, we enter the nature reserve Doode Bemde****. Doode refers to land that is unsuitable for agriculture and Bemde (beemd) refers to a moist meadow. However, the Doode Bemde is anything but a dead zone. This wet area is an ideal habitat for many animals and plants. The forested areas that close off the circle of winding meanders of the Dijle*** ahead and to the right greatly contribute to the charm of this place.

In the second half, the circuit runs along the ballast bed of an old neighborhood tram. A long, overhanging, straight line that offers a magical perspective***. This tram line, which was called "Zwette Jean" at the time, connected Vossem with Tienen between 1905 and 1959. For more information about this line, see here the website of the municipality of Huldenberg.

Last updated, 30/03/2024

Photo credits: Sophie Vemote, Corinne van Aubel, Béatrice Wallsdorff, Yvette Lallemand.