The best walks and hikes around Landen

Roadside chapel on the corner of Bortombestraat and Wezerenstraat

The Dormaelbeek originates at an altitude of 95 meters in Walshoutem and meanders through various sub-municipalities of Landen before finally merging with the Kleine Gete in Zoutleeuw.

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.

Late 19th-century Holy Cross Chapel or Walho Chapel with a white horse chestnut as the chapel tree. The chapel is located on a small square formed by the intersection of Bormansstraat and Walhostraat. The chapel dates from 1899 and was reportedly built on the remains of the old walls of a former field chapel from 1780. The maintenance of the chapel has been carried out for more than half a century by the Muls-Menten-Petré family, see earlier plaque with thanks from 1924. A white horse chestnut has been planted on the southern choir side as the chapel tree. Source: INVENTARIS ONROEREND ERFGOED 2026: Heilige Kruiskapel met witte paardenkastanje als kapelboom [online], https://id.erfgoed.net/erfgoedobjecten/307449

The mill is known by several names, including Jeancour Mill, Janshoven Mill, and Grégoire Mill. Take a walk to the building, even if the mill itself is unused. You'll see the stream meandering beautifully, the buildings are all worth a visit, and you can greet the goats and other horses. It's worth the detour.

Tuff stone building, almost entirely constructed during the second half of the 13th century; massive tower, three naves of three bays each, and a rectangular choir flanked by sacristies. A closed tower with three stories, later fitted with strong corner buttresses; an inaccessible ground floor, covered with ribbed vaults featuring a beautiful keystone with a relief depicting the Paschal lamb; the upper floors are accessible via stairs in the east and south walls. The nave is connected to the aisles by distinctive round arches, the profile of which continues uniformly down to the floor; small, off-axis basket-arch windows under the flat ceiling. The aisles were rebuilt in 1925 on the foundations of the earlier ones, which were destroyed at the end of the 18th century; a Neo-Romanesque entrance portal. A two-bay deep choir in Gothic style, on a rectangular plan similar to that of Walsbets, with five simple two- or three-light windows. Restoration by architect Dehaies in 1925 (facade stone in the choir). Furniture. Two paintings in the choir (17th or 18th century); on the south side altar, a folkloric statue of Saint Amand (17th century). Block altar of sandstone decorated with geometric motifs, supposedly Merovingian but probably from the 10th century (?), baptismal font in Romanesque tradition (13th or 14th century). Inventory of Immovable Heritage: Parish Church of Saint Amand, https://id.erfgoed.net/erfgoedobjecten/43469

Also visible is the private driveway that begins on Wezerenstraat, near the former municipal school and teacher's residence. It is enclosed by a gate and can be seen between the photos.

There wasn't much to be found about this farm, but enough to warrant a comment. Because I think it's worth a highlight. One of the things that immediately stands out is that there's a chapel next to it. And thanks to the Lourdes Grotten website, we know who maintains it, that it's being renovated bit by bit, and that you can light a novena candle there—but you could find out for yourself. More at https://lourdesgrotten.com/2016/08/03/landen-wezeren-wezerenstraat-rechts-van-huis-nr-335-3-8-16/comment-page-1/ And what about the farm itself? That turned out to be a different story, even though it's still the most interesting one to me. Well, we know it's the Vandevelde enclosed square farm, and we know this because its ground plan was used as an illustration of "the enclosed square farm" in the extensive publication "Proud of the Farm from Here - Historical Farms in South Hageland" by the Center for Agricultural History at https://www.rlzh.be/assets/afbeeldingen/rl-zuidhageland/Publicaties/Fier%20op%20de%20hoeve%20van%20hier%20-%20Wetenschappelijk%20rapport.pdf This same drawing is also mentioned in other documents and reports. And then there's a thesis, "Analysis of the Development and Differentiation of the Landscape Along the Belgian Language Border. Case Study: Haspengouw: Landen and Hannut," which includes a photo of the farm gate, confirming its identity. Details about its history are always welcome. The farm at this address is registered to a farmer named Vandevelde. However, the previously mentioned record about the chapel lists a different name. Still, it seems highly unlikely that the chapel and farm are separate, as they are located next to each other with no adjacent buildings. And more importantly, the stone is identical.