The best traffic-free bike rides in Vlaams Natuurreservaat Oudsberg

You cycle more than half the way on cycle paths or car-free roads. You often have views of the meandering Maas. Koningspaarden and Galloway cattle graze in the floodplains. A cycle ferry and canoeing are also attractions you encounter.

Nicely quiet right along the canal, just enjoy.

The history of the Abdijhoeve in Kelchterhoef dates back to 1228, when Count Arnold IV of Loon donated the area to the Abbey of Floreffe. The Norbertines built the farm there for agriculture and fish farming. Since 1978 it has been protected as a monument and nowadays it serves as a catering establishment.

Thor Central is a powerful, impressive industrial building that was protected as heritage after the closure of the mines. In the search for a meaningful function for the Waterschei mining site and the option to develop the site into a technology park, the task of giving this beautiful building a new future was also included. Thor Central has evolved into the beating heart of the Thor Park site. Besides the Food Plaza with restaurant Partaasch and brasserie Lampada, the building mainly has a business function, with meeting rooms, an auditorium, a central reception, and even a daycare center. Events and exhibitions are regularly held there.

The Maas forms the border between the Netherlands and Belgium for a distance of forty kilometers. Here the river has free rein and can be quite wild. A maze of old riverbeds, banks, rapids, and gravel banks creates a wild, untouched landscape. And where there is water, there is life! Konik horses and Galloway cattle graze on the banks, while rare butterflies flutter by. This cross-border nature reserve is a paradise for hikers with over 200 kilometers of trails. There is also an extensive network of cycle paths! Discover not only the natural beauty but also the idyllic villages along the Maas and cross the river via a bridge or ferry. These large herbivores play a crucial role in managing the natural environment. Together, they create a diverse landscape. In winter, the cattle graze on trees and shrubs, while the Konik horses feast on the shorter grass and the best herbs. This unique combination prevents the area from being overgrown by pastures and creates a dynamic mosaic of open meadows, rough scrub, and forests. This keeps nature constantly in motion! The Maas is a rain-fed river, which means that the hiking trails in RivierPark Maasvallei sometimes experience floods during periods of heavy rainfall. This can affect the accessibility of the trails.

Cycling between the terraces, also known as cycling over water, is a cycling project that opened to the public in September 2024. It is a pontoon cycle/footpath across the Große Plas (Great Pond) between the waste heaps at resort Terhills. It is a new addition to the series of special cycling projects previously realised in the cycling paradise of Limburg (such as cycling through the water (Domain Bokrijk), cycling through the heathlands (north of Zutendaal), and cycling through the forests (Bosland National Park)).

Station As is a former railway station on lines 21A (Hasselt-As) and 21B (As-Eisden). The station building now houses a restaurant and the Kolenspoorvereniging (Coal Railway Association) uses it for the operation of the tourist railway line Waterschei-As-Eisden. Station As is also one of the gateways to Hoge Kempen National Park and has an observation tower.

In my opinion, one of the most beautiful scenic routes you can cycle in Limburg