Demerbroeken Nature Reserve – Great Mill of Zichem loop from Zichem

Hiking trails & Routes

Scherpenheuvel-Zichem

Demerbroeken Nature Reserve – Great Mill of Zichem loop from Zichem

Moderate

4.6

(176)

808

hikers

Demerbroeken Nature Reserve – Great Mill of Zichem loop from Zichem

02:20

9.04km

40m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily walkable paths. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: November 5, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Demerbroeken

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

466 m

The Kosmos Bridge

Highlight • Bridge

Small tree bridge between the Claes house and the center/station of Zichem. Part of the upgrading of the pilgrimage routes. Everything about this bridge and all others at schepenheuvel-zichem.be/welkom-welkom-bij-de-drie-bruggetjes

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1.27 km

Demerbroeken Information Board

Highlight • Rest Area

After reading informatively about this area, you are on your way to the more beautiful nature...

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1.39 km

Demerbroeken Nature Reserve

Highlight (Segment) • Natural

Beautiful nature reserve to walk through. Pure nature, enjoying the beautiful birdsong in the greenery with the occasional other hikers you meet on your path. Wonderful… completely zen 🤗

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2.51 km

Bench With View of Voortberg Grazers Nature Area

Highlight • Viewpoint

Beautiful wooden bench from Natuurpunt 'Voortberg Grazers'.
So nice to sit here during your walk and enjoy the view of the surroundings in peace.
Thank you, 'Voortberg Grazers' for this realization 👍

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2.93 km

Demerbroek View

Highlight • Viewpoint

The view is from the Voortberg, from the heights where a path runs. The marshes are therefore located far below, as are the pools and stream.

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3.74 km

Voortberg

Forest

4.84 km

Testelt Water Mill

Highlight • Monument

For more details: molenechos.org/molen.php?AdvSearch=1000

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4.97 km

Historic village center of Testelt

Highlight • Historical Site

Don't forget to test when you cross the Hageland...

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7.90 km

Great Mill of Zichem

Highlight • Monument

Watermill with metal undershot wheel on the Demer, 50 meters north of the church of Zichem, built in 1758. On March 2, 1994, the mill was protected as a monument …

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9.04 km

End point

Train Station

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

5.70 km

1.95 km

1.02 km

370 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

4.32 km

2.67 km

895 m

878 m

196 m

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Thursday 5 November

9°C

0°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 3.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

December 4, 2022,Demerbroeken – Voortberg Rondje vanuit Zichem

When the need is great.....rescue is at hand! idd a nice walk, except for the last km that one should better keep inward from the main road.

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March 17, 2024,Rode Demerbroeken Wandeling vanaf Testelt

Rode Demerbroeken walk of 8.9 km, of which 7 km is unpaved.
Walking in Ernest Claes' backyard? When you walk through the land of the White you will understand why novels have been written about it.
Beautiful walk, despite twice a stretch along a busy road, and also twice crossing a railway (including at Zichem station). The walk regularly runs …

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August 18, 2026,Demerbroeken tussen Testelt en Zichem

No sun today... no colorful pictures with a sky-blue sky... feels a bit strange. The smell of rain stings the nose, the earth still radiates the warmth from past heatwaves. The forest on the Hageland ridge already seems to be in autumn mode.
The Demer marshes are still dry. Herds of cows grazing in the meadows have devoured every blade …

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April 13, 2025,Demerbroeken

Very variable route, just as busy when you have to go through the center of Testelt. Along the Demer very beautiful and quiet. At the moment you have to walk along the return side because there are works on the towpath, which is why that part of the route has become a little less beautiful

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September 11, 2026,De Demer vertelt… Wij, Heeren van Sichem… 🎩👨‍🦳📽️🎞️🎬

Of all the Demer towns, Zichem perhaps has the most intimate connection with the river. This is mainly thanks to Ernest Claes, the author who wove references to the Demer throughout his entire literary oeuvre. Even though he later lived in Brussels, the writer was attached to his native region and always would remain so. The river was his muse …

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January 1, 2023,BEL 🇧🇪- NYE hike

Exploring a new part of Belgium 🇧🇪Super nice paths along the small riverbank and wetlands like I have only seen them in the Netherlands or the UK yet.

Various modifications of the tour possible and nice start in the new year with no one else on the road :)

5*

May 30, 2026,Op zoek in het Demerbroek

It was already since Valentine's Day, so we entered the Demerbroeken again...

After last night's thunderstorm, the sun is now smiling at us again...

Received by Christ in Testelt, where the Demer flows full of longing...

Clucking of chicken and crowing of the rooster, the Foxglove stands there next to the walking path...

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February 14, 2026,Valentijn in Demerbroek

The Valentine's Day menu was reserved, but under the sun, hunger was even more eager...

In Testelt, on a wall, a peaceful fox the color of fire...

The church tower had nothing to hide, a blue wall chapel as small as dwarves...

But nature took us by the hand; in De Demerbroeken, mud is a customer...

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