The best cycling routes in Visbeekvallei

The Grotenhoutbos, also known as the Gierlese Bos, is a forest in Flanders, southwest of Turnhout, on the border of the municipalities of Vosselaar and Gierle. It covers an area of 375 hectares and is part of the Natura 2000 area "Forest and heathland areas east of Antwerp." https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grotenhoutbos

Kilometers of gravel roads through the woods. Wonderful cycling.

with drinking fountain!

Generations of castle lords and the village community have cared for the magnificent heritage we have today. We must cherish this legacy with care. Everyone has a responsibility in this regard: the government, the owners, and certainly also the visitors. We all want to safeguard this for future generations. VORSELAAR: Proposal to protect the castle "de Borrekens", the rectory, the immediate surroundings of the castle, and the linden avenue as a village landmark. The castle was built in the thirteenth century as a military fortification for the Duke of Brabant, granted as a fief to the Lord Van Rotselaer. The latter gave the fortification, which had the character of a moated castle, the ground plan that can still largely be seen today. Little is known about its evolution since the thirteenth century. The castle is depicted in a print by Ertinger in the second half of the seventeenth century and published by Jacques Le Roy. This shows that the current castle's core still largely reflects this condition. The building's military character was lost in the eighteenth century, and it was converted into a "house of pleasure." This involved the demolition of several surrounding walls and defensive towers, and the moat separating the forecourt from the castle was filled in. Simultaneously or shortly before, several embellishments were carried out on the castle, with J.P. van Baurscheit as the architect. The buildings in the forecourt were constructed during the same period. In the 1850s and 1860s, restoration work was carried out in keeping with the fashion of the time. Several dormers, stepped gables, fireplaces, turrets, and battlements were added in the Neo-Gothic style. The interior was also altered during this period and in the same style. Although this renovation significantly altered the castle's appearance, the renovation itself is remarkable as a testament to the Neo-Gothic style that emerged in our region around 1850.

During dry spells, walking becomes more difficult due to the amount of loose sand. But that's just the nature of sand dunes.

This tree was once magnificent. Now it seems to be dying... 😟

This neo-Gothic church was built in 1877 to a design by Pieter Jozef Taeymans. The old church tower was preserved and dates from 1430. The church and the organ were recognized as a protected monument in 1975. In the church we find the miraculous statue of Our Lady, carved from pear tree and then gilded. According to legend, the statue was found around 1220 and has been venerated for many hundreds of years by the population of Vosselaar and pilgrims from the surrounding area. What we can say with certainty is that the statue dates from the 13th century. Even today, devout worshippers come to ask for help from the "Consoler of the Afflicted". The veneration of Mary declined sharply in the second half of the 20th century, but remained alive in the many neighborhood chapels. To the left of the entrance to the Church of Our Lady you will find the memorial stone of Adriaen Ghys. The church houses the restored Jacobus Verbuecken organ from 1739. Unique in this organ is the Voix Humaine 8v, it is the only example that has been preserved. More information about this can be found on the website of the Vosselaar Organ Committee. The devotion to Our Lady became known mainly through the interest and involvement of Mary of Hungary. She stimulated, among other things, the arrival of pilgrims from Turnhout. The importance of Vosselaar can also be deduced from the fact that she is mentioned in the ‘Brabantia Mariana’ by Wichmans (1632) and in the ‘Diva Virgo Candida’ by Gerardus Van Herdegom (1650). Source: https://www.vosselaar.be/onze-lieve-vrouwkerk Duplicate: https://www.komoot.com/nl-nl/highlight/7440248

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