No problem. Unpolluted air and abovementioned species of fauna, as well as an impressive population of roe deers, you will discover all this in the National park of Flanders - Hoge Kempen.
Significant territory of the park is occupied by heather fields, peat bogs and coniferous forests. Evidence of the distant historical roots of the unique natural object are huge boulders - the legacy of the ice age.
The park was opened to the public in March 2006, the reserve in the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium stretches over an area of 5,750 hectares between the city of Genk and the Meuse valley.
Today in the park there are several hiking trails with a length of 3 to 14 kilometers. And for "marathoners" it even provides a distance of 75 kilometers.
We will walk along one of the hiking trails with a difficulty level of two points out of five and a length of 11 kilometers, which you overcome in three hours.
The route starts from the abandoned Waterschei mine, where coal was mined in the mid-19th century. One of the buildings of the mine, the reserve administration plans to transform into a visitor center.
Passing through an area of wasteland, stretching from the monument of the industrial past of the region, you get into a wooded area. "If you are afraid of getting lost and prefer to take a guided walk, every first and third Sunday of the month a ranger will be waiting for you at one of the six entrances to the park. In addition, in the information kiosks you can buy maps of hiking and cycling paths and even make your own itinerary. The main thing is to follow the directions indicated in blue on the signposts, " EcoTourism Expert was told by a representative of the Hodge Kempen.
According to him, the territory of the reserve has gained special popularity among fans of mountain biking and horse riding.
There are six zonal entrances located around the perimeter of the protected area to receive tourists in the Hodge Kempen park.
