Heirbaan 137, 9500 Geraardsbergen
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Preview waypointsAs the name suggests, on this circuit on the border with the province of Flemish Brabant, you'll hike between the Helix, the Flemish Knowledge and Training Centre for Nature and the Environment, and the final climb of the Tour of Flanders. Walking in slow-motion through an often fairytale-like part of the Flemish Ardennes!
Cycling fans know the Bosberg, of course, as the final climb of the Tour of Flanders. The cobblestones are protected as monuments. Nicknamed Edwig Van Hooydonck-berg, the slope owes its name to the rider's two splitting breakaways here in 1989 and 1991. Here you're surrounded by the Raspaille Forest, a jewel in the crown of the Flemish Ardennes.
This nature education centre in the tranquil area has a dual mission: bringing us closer to nature and encouraging sustainability in a creative way. Besides visiting a permanent exhibition about nature in the region, you can also walk through an educational garden with a bee house and insect hotel. The name 'De Helix' refers to the structure of DNA, the carrier of hereditary information in all living things. That's why the symbol of the centre is the blue helix that you can already see in the car park.
What name should you give to your restaurant in a region where the sport of finching is still popular? 'Suskewiet', of course, after the distinctive sound finches make at the end of their song, and which allows players to put a mark on their stick each time. Grilled meat is the speciality at this cozy eatery on the Grimmingeplein, but you can also sit down for a delicious fish dish or a Belgian classic, which changes with the seasons.
This 'monument to quiet' between the rivers Dender and Mark is situated partly in East Flanders, partly in Flemish Brabant. In 2018, the East Flanders part of the area, on the territory of the towns of Geraardsbergen and Ninove, was recognised as the tenth quiet area in Flanders: a place where silence and tranquillity predominate and where the natural sounds of fauna and flora are the only ones you will hear.
On the flanks of the Bosberg, wedged between the valleys of the Dender and the Mark, you'll go through the fairytale Raspaille Forest. The landscape combines the steep features of the Flemish Ardennes with the gentle slopes of the Pajottenland. The countless trails - sometimes meandering among dense forests or in wide, flowery passages, at other times in the open countryside - invite you to enjoy the colourful surroundings all year round.
In the 18th century, Jan de Lichte and his dreaded gang of highwaymen lurked in this area. You won't find any bandits here these days, but you will see deer, hawks, fire salamanders and white admirals. The panoramas across the Dender and Mark valleys are stunning!