Top 15 Lakes around Orp-Jauche

The exploitation of the Opprebais quarry began during the construction of the Namur-Louvain road around 1755, under the impetus of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria: quartzite was extracted there, a very hard stone mainly used for making paving stones but still present in its natural state in certain areas of the municipality. Some parts of the Opprebais castle-farm are built with quartzite rubble stones. Production stopped for the first time and, in 1935, the quarry was flooded. Activity resumed from 1958 to 1975. The lake, fed by groundwater, is surrounded by rock faces and vegetation. Owned by the Société Wallonne Des Eaux, the quarry is closed to the public: access to the water and swimming are prohibited: the site had to be fenced off to prevent any intrusion as the place is dangerous due to its depth (up to 30m), the water temperature (risk of thermal shock) and the presence of rocks. The place is also known to diving clubs. A path, enhanced by a fitness trail, allows you to walk around it.

The ponds were created in the 1960s and small willow groves spontaneously emerged between the ponds, where woodpeckers and the golden oriole, among others, build their nests. The relatively pure groundwater in the ponds allows for a very diverse aquatic life, ranging from dragonflies, fish, kingfishers, cormorants, to even yellow-bellied turtles. Around the ponds, the white willows are particularly striking. They grow quickly, but their branches break easily. Because they do not contain hard heartwood, birds such as the green woodpecker and the great spotted woodpecker use them to carve out their nests. The branches hanging close to the water offer ideal resting or lookout spots for mallards and grey herons.

Probably already in the Middle Ages and certainly from the 17th century onwards, the wet valley of the Dormaalbeek and the Zeyp was used by the villagers of Attenhoven and Rumsdorp as hay meadows, hence the name 'Beemden'. After WWII, land use changed. The wet areas became unprofitable for agriculture and were abandoned. The hay meadows were drained and used as pasture for cattle or sheep. Certain parts were planted with poplars. Here and there you can still find remnants of former hay meadows, but from the 1960s onwards, the appearance of the Beemden changed drastically, and currently there are about seven distinct biotopes. This rich variety ensures a great diversity of wild species. Organisms from both wet and dry soils, from running and stagnant water, from forest and hay meadow feel at home there.

Meldertbos is actually more than a forest; it's a nature reserve consisting of forest, including wet areas (with the Mene), open spaces with hay meadows, ponds, and here and there remnants of the former castle garden. Even in early spring, you immediately notice that this could be an ideal place to find orchids. And it is, as you can read on the Natuurpunt website. Among the inhabitants, we find the grass snake. The scarlet elf cup can also be found here. From some of the diverse boardwalks, be sure to also look at the faded glory of the castle, including remnants of the swimming pool and even the changing room. This entire area is actually what the people from the Inventory of Immovable Heritage call a "sleeping garden". But sleeping doesn't mean dead. And as you can read on an information board from Natuurpunt: "Park awakens after 60 years of sleep". Be sure to combine it with the immediate surroundings of the castle, preferably outside of school days. There are more than enough remarkable trees. For those interested in garden architecture, there is also history to be found here. About Meldertbos at Natuurpunt: https://www.natuurpunt.be/natuurgebieden/meldertbos About the forest and the domain (with garden history and list of remarkable trees): https://inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be/erfgoedobjecten/134188

The description is very accurate. Thank you.

The most beautiful part. You can also go around some ponds. I was surprised to see so many water birds on such a relatively short and small part and to see two kingfishers sitting. A path to take some time when it is quiet and observe well.

In the midst of the large-scale cultural landscape, this area is one of the last refuges for wild animals and plants in Landen. Small willow groves spontaneously developed between the ponds, where woodpeckers and golden orioles, among others, make their nests. The relatively pure groundwater in the ponds makes a very varied aquatic life possible, ranging from the large yellow-edged water beetle to dragonflies, fish and kingfishers. The pussy willows around the ponds are particularly striking. They grow quickly, but their branches break off easily. Because they do not contain any hard heartwood, birds such as the green and the great spotted woodpecker use them to carve out their nests. The branches that hang close to the water offer ideal resting or viewing places for wild ducks and blue herons. They are especially vital for the kingfisher. Sitting on a lookout post, it hunts for rudd, sticklebacks and other aquatic animals in the water. In early summer, white foam drops sometimes fall from the pussy willows: cuckoo spit. It comes from the larvae of the foam cicada, which produce foam and hide in it. Many other insects live on the pussy willows. They are eagerly eaten by insectivorous birds such as the chiffchaff, the willow warbler and the spotted flycatcher. The bankside vegetation with bulrush, hairy willowherb and marsh sedge offers nesting opportunities for the moorhen and the coot. In summer, many dragonflies and damselflies float above and around the ponds, the most striking of which is the large emperor dragonfly. Swallows hunt for mosquitoes above the ponds. This is therefore the ideal place for a hobby to catch both a swallow and a large dragonfly. In addition to the various types of grass, you will find plants here that feel at home in a dry, calcareous environment. Striking features include the box pod, the cinquefoil and the wild marjoram. Here you can observe numerous species of butterflies in the summer. From the piled-up area you have a good view of the reed field, the breeding area of the reed warbler, the sedge warbler, the reed bunting and many other marsh birds. Wood edges screen the hayfield and the berry or nut-bearing shrubs offer shelter and food to birds such as the garden warbler, chiffchaff and jay. On the darkest parts you can sometimes find glowworms in the evening. Source: https://www.natuurpunt.be/natuurgebieden/beemden-landen

Always very pleasant to walk/run in this beautiful park