The best running trails around Diest

Fort Leopold was an important part of the defense belt around Diest in the nineteenth century. It is located on the Lazarijberg and offers a beautiful view of the city as well as the citadel located a little further away. The intention was for the fort to protect the city, but a few years after it was put into use, it was already converted into a prison. Punished soldiers from the Leuven prison were brought to the fort. Writings on the wall are still silent witnesses of that time. Prisoners were also locked up during the World Wars. The fort was used by the paratroopers in the second half of the twentieth century, but they left about 20 years ago. Since then, only a caretaker has maintained the building. In 1996, it became a protected monument. The building is constructed from hundreds of thousands of bricks and has very thick walls, making it very cold and dark, the ideal habitat for bats, according to the Agency for Nature and Forest, which is the current owner.

Fort Leopold was an important part of the defense belt around Diest in the nineteenth century. It is located on Lazarijberg and offers a beautiful view of the city but also of the citadel located a little further away. The intention was for the fort to protect the city, but a few years after it was put into use, it was already converted into a prison. Punished soldiers from the prison of Leuven were brought to the fort. Writings on the wall are still silent witnesses of that time. Prisoners were also locked up during the world wars. The fort was used by the paratroopers in the second half of the twentieth century, but they moved out more than 20 years ago. Since then, only a caretaker has maintained the building. In 1996 it became a protected monument. The building is constructed from hundreds of thousands of bricks and has very thick walls, making it very chilly and dark, the ideal habitat for bats according to the Agency for Nature and Forest, which is the current owner.

The city park originated here after doctor Henri Verstappen bequeathed his house and garden with the witness hill and associated grounds to the city council in his will. From 1939, upon the death of Henri Verstappen, the city of Diest came into possession of this domain. Due to the war, the park's development only began in 1948. Henri Verstappen had stipulated that his residence on Graanmarkt should serve as the main entrance to the park. The house was demolished and replaced by a neoclassical entrance gate with four statues on top, originating from the North Station on Rogierplein in Brussels. In 1952, the gate building with a commemorative plaque was inaugurated. At the top of the hill are the foundations of the castle of Diest, erected by Otto I, lord of Diest, in the third quarter of the 11th century. It was a keep made of iron sandstone with stables surrounded by a moat. The castle was demolished in 1512 and the stones from the castle were used for the construction of the Sint-Sulpitius Church in Diest. In the 16th century, the Count of Nassau had plans to build a new castle on the Warande, but these were never carried out. In the 1950s and 1960s, the De Warande sports stadium and the De Warande municipal swimming pool were built.

The parish of Sint-Jan-de-Doper was founded in 1253 and in 1297 the church was elevated to the rank of Chapter Church. Architecturally, the building consisted of a heavy west tower behind which was a nave, consisting of three aisles and three bays. The building was constructed in local iron sandstone. In 1578, the church was burned down by the troops of William of Orange. Only the northern part was restored. The church remained in use until 1823, after which it was used exclusively as a cemetery. In 1853, exactly six centuries after its founding, the roof above the choir collapsed. The ruins of the Sint-Jan De Doperkerk are protected monuments. The choir, the chancel arch between the choir and the transept, a remnant of the transept, and a piece of the sacristy are covered with a thick layer of ivy, making the ruin look beautiful. The ivy growing on the ruins of Sint Jan is more than 163 years old and has grown exceptionally large. There is also an ancient yew (poison) tree that is completely overgrown with an wrought iron crucifix that stands in front of the church. The other trees growing in and around the ruins are also exceptionally beautiful and old. Source: https://www.staddiest.be/sint-jan-de-doperkerk.html

The Schaffense Poort (or Schaffensepoort) is one of the oldest city gates of Diest. The gate was already part of the medieval city walls. During the construction of the 19th-century fortifications of Diest (defensive belt around Diest), the Schaffense Poort was rebuilt between 1837 and 1844. The gate was built around 1840 by Louis Beeckman. In 1951, there were plans to demolish this gate after German troops had seriously damaged it during the war. This did not happen due to opposition from the Royal Commission for Monuments and Landscapes. Since 1996, the gate (as part of the fortifications) has been protected as a monument.

Webbekoms Broek is part of the Flemish Nature Reserve Webbekomsbroek-Borchbeemden, a contiguous area of 397 ha, managed by the Flemish Agency for Nature and Forest. This also includes the Diesters Broek, the Schaffens Broek and the Borchbeemden: Rotbroek, Gorenbroek and Sint-Jansberg. Several watercourses flow through the area. The most important of these is the Demer. The others are primarily its tributary the Zwarte Beek, the Grote Leigracht and the Leigracht. The Demer valley has been plagued by floods for centuries. The worst floods in recent history date from 1998. There were also serious floods in Diest in 2008. To prevent serious water nuisance, retention basins and floodplains were installed. The Webbekoms Broek and its surroundings are a floodplain. In September 1998, a retention basin with a surface area of 144 ha was put into use in the Webbekoms Broek. The area can hold 3.5 million m³ of water. There is an inner basin and an outer basin. The inner basin is surrounded by dikes. The rest forms the outer basin, which mainly functions as a nature reserve.

Where an industrial pig farm with no fewer than 3,000 pigs once stood, you will now find a beautiful piece of restored nature. The Flemish Land Agency demolished the stables and slurry pits and returned the 5 hectares to nature. By filling in old drainage ditches, the water is retained better. This created a fen and young heathland again, where special insects such as the blue-winged grasshopper have already found their place. A beautiful nature stop during your passage through Landscape Park de Merode. Via the entrance on Asdonkstraat, you can follow the boardwalks or rest for a while on the wooden viewing platform. Get off your bike for a moment, enjoy, and discover how nature has reclaimed its place here!

Between two smaller hills you pass this chapel...