The best cycling routes in Blaasveldbroek En Omgeving

For cyclists, this is a short but striking moment: you take the lift up, roll over the bridge, and descend again with the lift on the other side – a vertical movement that briefly breaks the rhythm of the ride. The bridge is located just behind the Vilvoorde viaduct, making it appear both small and striking within the grand infrastructure setting. The name refers to the salangan, a swift that returns over Vilvoorde in April, and to Frederik Vanclooster, whose totem name ‘entertaining salangan’ adds a personal layer to the work.

Batteliek is a Mechelen-based microbrewery, micro-distillery, and lemonade factory in a former church. It is a wondrous place where alchemy and industry became intertwined. Let your senses be stimulated by the experimental kitchen and drinks, where new flavors are discovered through trial and error.

The Humbeek-Sas lift bridge is a classic metal lift bridge that spans the Brussels–Scheldt Sea Canal in Humbeek, a sub-municipality of Grimbergen. Built in 1968, it is one of three identical lift bridges on the canal, along with: Brielen Bridge (Tisselt) Verbrande Bridge (Grimbergen) All three share the same dimensions: 38.4 m long and 11.6 m wide.

One of the best options if you are on a racing bike.

The current church building is a neo-Gothic Hall Church, dating primarily from the 19th century. The church has a sandstone tower that originally dates back to the 13th century. At that time, the tower was much taller and had a flat roof. Initially, the tower served as a watchtower to protect Mechelen's borders and was also a beacon for shipping on the Zenne River. The tower was later partially demolished and integrated into the 16th-century church. In 1834, the church was partially demolished again and rebuilt in brick with characteristic 19th-century lead-glass windows. Inside, the church features an 18th-century rococo pulpit and several beautiful statues from the 17th and 18th centuries. The church is completely surrounded by a church wall and contains an eclectic burial chapel from the 19th century. (Heffen.be)

The Baroque spire from 1755 was destroyed by lightning in 1865, and the following year it was replaced by an octagonal spire. This spire was demolished in 1899 because it did not fit in with the rest of the church, and replaced by a new spire. This spire stood on the church for 125 years, until it was completely destroyed by a severe thunderstorm on July 9, 2024.[1] The debris from the spire landed on the roof, causing serious damage to the entire building. (Wikipedia)

Perhaps you've already spotted a small tower from afar, proudly rising above the greenery and the Rupeldijk. The tower belongs to Den Bocht Castle, situated in a bend in the Rupel River. However, this small castle wasn't the first structure on this site. A 16th-century map already shows two moated farms: De Bocht Farm and the old stone fortress Steendere, which some even believe dates back to Roman times. Remnants of this can be recognized as a large body of water just behind the Rupeldijk.

Batteliek is a Mechelen microbrewery, microdistillery, and lemonade housed in a former church. It's a wondrous place where alchemy and industry intertwine. Let your senses be captivated by the experimental kitchen and drinks, where new flavors are developed through trial and error.