Routes

Planner

Features

Updates

App

Get the App

Citadel of Diest – Basilica of Scherpenheuvel loop from Aarschot

Citadel of Diest – Basilica of Scherpenheuvel loop from Aarschot

Moderate

4.7

(3)

riders

Citadel of Diest – Basilica of Scherpenheuvel loop from Aarschot

02:49

50.0km

190m

Gravel riding

Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 15, 2026

Tips

Includes segments that go up or down a series of steps

You may need to carry your bike.

After 22 m for 34 m

After 50.0 km for 34 m

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

577 m

’s Hertogenmolens, Aarschot

Highlight • Monument

This watermill complex, founded around 1510 by Willem de Croy, lord of Aarschot, was the most impressive in the region and connected the northern part of the city with the southern part.
The mill complex was uniquely located, it served as a bridge over the Demer and served as a grain mill, bark and glass mill, but also as a defense of the city.
Vessels that passed under the central arch had to pay taxes. The rings in the wall, where the ships moored, are still visible.
In 1970 the mill was partly destroyed by a fire. In 1986, the 's Hertogenmolens became a protected monument and the surrounding area a classified village view.
Source: NMBS walks

Translated by Google •

Tip by

7.45 km

Demerbroekstraat Path

Highlight • Trail

Nice trails through the Demer valley

Translated by Google •

Tip by

14.4 km

Demer Riverbank in Kloosterbeemden, Zichem

Highlight • River

Beautiful piece of nature along the Demer.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

14.7 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 and together with its surroundings as a village view. The building is now home to a home and doctor's practice, but the milling area is still preserved and separated with a glass wall. Unfortunately, the waterwheel has now been cut off from the Demer, so that turning has become impossible.

The mill became especially famous as a setting for the film adaptations of De Witte, the famous book by Ernest Claes.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

17.8 km

Gravel path along the Demer near Diest

Highlight • Cycleway

When the riders of Dwars door het Hageland pass here, a large cloud of dust forms behind them. Impressive to see.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

22.7 km

Citadel of Diest

Highlight • Historical Site

The citadel in Diest is a 19th-century fort that served as an army barracks for the paratroopers until 2011. The city will renovate the citadel in several phases and repurpose it into a new city district. As part of this, part of the citadel will be given a temporary activating function from the summer of 2024. This temporary function is organised by the Citadel Diest cooperative. Here you will find a lot of entrepreneurs, organisations and associations that work on very diverse themes: work & meeting, creativity & rest, sports & games, crafts, making & learning and tasty local products. In Block 3 you will find coworking, meeting and gathering spaces, creative entrepreneurs and a wide range of activities around rest, health and well-being. Block 4 houses the makers, circular entrepreneurs and also the production and short-chain sales of local healthy food. All event spaces are located in Block 5.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

33.0 km

Basilica of Scherpenheuvel

Highlight • Religious Site

The basilica of Scherpenheuvel is the oldest domed church in the Low Countries and was consecrated in 1627 by the Archbishop of Mechelen, Jacobus Boonen. The church was elevated to the status of basilica in 1922 and has been a protected monument since 1952. It was built on the initiative of the Archdukes Albert of Austria and Isabella, who stayed just opposite the basilica in the still existing house "het Gulden Vlies" during their visits to Scherpenheuvel. The dome has no light openings and is sealed with lead. It is decorated with 298 seven-pointed gold-plated stars. The side chapels are built in white stone from nearby Langdorp. The square tower, with a 49-bell carillon, is built of sandstone. This church had to be seen, so the architect added extra color to the convex dome on top of the hill with 298 guilder stars with seven points. To make the picture truly unforgettable, the most expensive materials were also liberally used inside the church. The stone angels, prophets and evangelists of the brothers de Nole and the beautiful paintings by Theodoor van Loon complete the picture.
In addition to images, there was of course also sound. In the bell tower of the basilica is a carillon with 49 bells.
The beating heart of Scherpenheuvel is surrounded by drinking and dining options and shops and stalls that live to the rhythm of the pilgrimage season. The bond between city and church seems unbreakable, because without the one the other could never have existed. Not far from the basilica you can visit the well. This well dates from 1632 and provided Scherpenheuvel with drinking water. Before that time people had to go to Zichem for this.
Water was extracted from the 62 meter deep well by means of a running wheel. In the second half of the nineteenth century, a small building was built around the well to protect it from the elements. This can be viewed and 62 meters is really very deep, you can experience this by the usual ritual by dropping a coin and seeing when it hits the water!

Translated by Google •

Tip by

33.0 km

Basilica of Scherpenheuvel

Highlight • Religious Site

Every cyclist should cycle at least once in her/his lifetime to the Scherpenheuvel basilica. It makes a perfect stop on a longer trip, because of the many shops and restaurants on the beautiful square around the basilica.

Tip by

50.0 km

End point

Train Station

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

30.8 km

6.29 km

5.86 km

4.81 km

2.22 km

< 100 m

Surfaces

23.4 km

8.35 km

7.28 km

7.19 km

3.71 km

< 100 m

Elevation

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

Highest point (70 m)

Lowest point (10 m)

Weather

Friday 21 August

19°C

12°C

64 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 14.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

Want to know more?

Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Edit route

Download GPX

Move start point

Embed on a website

Report an Issue

Report restricted access

Nearby routes

Hard

4.3

122

World Gravel Cup towards Leuven - Gravel biking in the province of Limburg

03:45h

49.7km

400m

Hard

5.0

Kempense Heuvelrug and Zeven Neten MTB Loop

08:29h

111km

200m

Hard

4.6

Kortenberg and Silsombos MTB Loop

03:55h

51.5km

240m

Hard

Pallox Gravel Route - Gravel biking in province of Limburg

08:23h

117km

550m

Moderate

3.5

Hombeek Plateau Blue Loop

02:14h

37.4km

50m

Hard

4.4

Warande Wheels Herent Gravel - Gravel biking in province of Limburg

02:50h

36.6km

190m

Hard

4.4

639

Park Abbey – Meerdaal Forest and Heverlee Forest loop from Leuven

02:57h

47.9km

340m

Hard

5.0

239

Gravel path through Heverleebos – Meerdaal Forest and Heverlee Forest loop from Heverlee

06:35h

99.2km

870m

Moderate

4.8

182

Entrance Abbey Tongerlo – De Merode Castle, Westerlo loop from Geel

04:48h

79.4km

160m

Moderate

4.2

358

Tongerlo Abbey – Entrance Abbey Tongerlo loop from Herselt

03:10h

55.1km

170m

Hard

5.0

The Zwart Water – Retie Watermill loop from Herentals

05:39h

92.4km

170m

Hard

4.7

177

Demer Towpath – Wijngaardstraat loop from Booischot

04:38h

79.5km

420m

Citadel of Diest – Basilica of Scherpenheuvel loop from Aarschot

’s Hertogenmolens, Aarschot

Demerbroekstraat Path

Demer Riverbank in Kloosterbeemden, Zichem

Great Mill of Zichem

Gravel path along the Demer near Diest

Citadel of Diest

Basilica of Scherpenheuvel

Basilica of Scherpenheuvel

Nearby routes

Sign up or log in to keep exploring this route

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️