The best dog-friendly hikes and walks in South Limburg

On the border of the poor Kempen and the fertile Haspengouw lies the Munsterbos. Northeast of the village center of Munsterbilzen, 450 hectares of forests, ponds, marshes, and grasslands stretch out. Here and there, even a patch of purple heather peeks through. The area is so special due to its location on the transition from the sandy Kempen Plateau to the loess region of Haspengouw.

The chapel of the Secret Army in the Munsterbos forest commemorates the former hiding place and execution site of members of the resistance movement. This location along the Weerstandspad (Resistance Path) was the shelter of approximately 800 resistance fighters from the Bilzen - Genk – Kortessem region. Three of these resistance fighters from Bilzen were executed here in the vicinity on September 5 and 7, 1944, just a few days before the liberation. The annual commemoration takes place every second Sunday of September.

This small castle is actually a neoclassical manor house with accompanying service buildings and a farm complex from the 19th century, situated in a wooded park in a landscape style with remarkable old oaks and beeches.

Children can let loose to their heart's content at the petting zoo, the play forest, and on the adventurous (board) paths. Those who are a bit older can recharge their batteries in the five gardens. Or learn something about fauna and flora during one of the many workshops. Taverne Koe-Vert will take care of the snacks and drinks, with a focus on organic, local, and fair trade.

Geographically, the Kiewit nature reserve belongs to the Limburg Kempen, where nutrient-poor pools or fens occur in shallow depressions. These small, usually saucer-shaped depressions are found primarily on sandy soils formed during the last ice ages. Fens are natural pools with fluctuating water levels. They are not fed by a stream. The fen water is usually very clear and full of insects such as dragonflies and other aquatic life.

Since 2020, efforts have been underway here to combat an invasive alien species, the watercress (Crassula sylvestris), a small plant that can multiply explosively in bare areas and outpaces all native seedlings. Keeping this alien species under control requires intensive and costly management. Moreover, the alien species suffocates all other native aquatic plants. Attempts are being made here to combat this alien species in a natural way. First, the watercress was removed from the pond bottom. Subsequently, native natural enemies of the invasive plant were planted. This reduces the watercress's chances of spreading to the surrounding nature. This is an experiment by the City of Hasselt and the Bio-Research research center at PXL University of Applied Sciences, but to date, it does not appear to be sufficient.

In 1992, the last mine in the Benelux closed its doors in Zolder. Yet, it was the first place where the protected buildings were given a new purpose. Along with the winding tower, the Monnoyer chimney, and the mortuary, they remain visible relics of "black gold." The "Watt 17" power station has been expertly restored. The multifunctional building "De Verdieping" houses a passive school and the CVO (Cultural Education Centre), and in the restored winding engine building, you can take the ZLDR LUCHTFABRIEK heritage walk for free. The Market Square comes alive every second and fourth Wednesday of the month with the multicultural market "MijnMarkt" (My Market).

The Munsterbos Bridge is situated in a place where infrastructure almost automatically blends in with the landscape. It forms the transition between the open area around Munsterbilzen and the dense greenery of the Munsterbos, a bridge that not only leads you over a watercourse or passageway but also from one landscape into another. As soon as you cross, the atmosphere changes noticeably: the open view gives way to shade, trees join together, and the forest takes over the rhythm. The bridge fits into a larger context of slow roads, stream valleys, and forest edges. Below and around it, the water flows peacefully, lined with reeds, shrubs, and trees that reach an almost jungle-like density in summer. It's a place where you slow down for a moment, where walkers and cyclists naturally adjust their pace, and the sound of traffic fades into leaves and birdsong. What makes the Munsterbos Bridge special is that it's not an end point, but an invitation. It marks the beginning of the forest, with its longer paths and quiet natural areas, thus connecting the village, abbey landscape, and wilder greenery. A simple crossing but with the feeling of a clear threshold: here you leave the open country behind you and enter the forest.