The best dog-friendly hikes and walks around Tongeren

Beautifully quiet surroundings with dense forests, once an open plain and beautiful paths.

An enormously long climb OR just as long descent if you hike it from the other side

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.

A gem in the Munsterbos is undoubtedly the ancient pond area in the valley of the Bezoensbeek. Open water alternates with reed beds, bog-myrtle thickets, and willow copses. The area exerts a great attraction on birds. Typical reed birds such as the Eurasian reed warbler, the bluethroat, and the shy water rail breed there.

The Bilzermolen is a grist watermill with an undershot wheel on the Demer, at Kattebroekstraat 11, on the eastern side of Haffmans Park or Demer Park, owned by the city of Bilzen. This watermill already existed in the 13th century (first mention: 1301) and was rebuilt several times. It was one of the four Bilzen compulsory or ban mills from the Ancien Régime. It was operated by private individuals who paid an annual rent to the Princely Episcopal Audit Office. It was also mentioned in 1569 as Bouchoutmolen. After 1600, the following miller families worked here: Castermans, Maurissen, Martens and Withofs. The building was considerably damaged in 1893, but was soon repaired. The watermill remained in professional operation until around the Second World War. Above the water wheel, the facade still has a wooden cladding. The mill is equipped with a metal undershot wheel and is still capable of grinding. The mill house has been restored. The last professional miller was Gaston Goffin (°Rijkhoven 1921 - +Hasselt 2010), married to Maria Jans. In the end, he only let the mill run for visitors. After the floods of 1998, the embankments on the mill side were heavily damaged. In 2001, a bypass with a fish ladder was built around the mill. This bypass primarily serves to prevent flooding in case of blockages of the mill sluice. In this bypass, about eight pool steps between 10 and 15 cm high were built.

Nature as far as the eye can see

Groenendaal Castle is a historic country house and heritage site in Waltwilder (municipality of Bilzen-Hoeselt), Limburg, Belgium. It is part of a protected cultural-historical landscape and a striking example of classical residential heritage in the Flemish landscape. The castle has a long history and was built on a site originally known as Croenendael or Croonendael, a name later incorrectly spelled Groenendaal. The estate's origins date back to the 17th century, and in the Middle Ages it was part of a large fief of the Lords of Jonckholt. The current building is U-shaped and partially moated, with the oldest core dating from the mid-17th century. Later, in 1761, the classical main building was renovated and given its current classical form, with features of the Meuse style (typical of Limburg castles) visible in the facade ornaments, wall anchors, and brickwork details. In addition to the castle, the estate also includes a castle farm from the same period, originally a farmhouse and service building that was later adapted and expanded. Both the castle and the farm are situated in a landscaped setting with ponds and parks that together contribute to the estate's heritage value. The estate now called Groenendaal was originally known as Croenendael and belonged to noble family lines that governed the region for centuries. Around 1757, the property became the property of the de Grady family, who extensively modified the old 17th-century castle to its classicist form. Later owners, such as Baron Emile de Rosen de Borgharen in the 19th century, contributed to the maintenance and management of the estate. Although the interior is generally privately owned and not open to the public, the building's exterior remains well-preserved and recognizable as a representative example of 18th-century country house architecture in Limburg. Groenendaal Castle is situated in a peaceful rural setting of meadows and water features, between cycling junctions, making it an attractive stop for cyclists and hikers in the region. Its location between cycling junctions 67 and 504 makes it an ideal spot for a picnic or a short break, and there are hiking trails and cycling routes leading to the castle from the surrounding area. Although the castle's interior isn't normally accessible, the exterior offers a beautiful example of Limburg's classical heritage and makes an interesting stop on a tour through the countryside and countryside around Bilzen and Hoeselt.