Hechtel-Eksel Cycle Path takes you above the trees

Hechtel-Eksel , Limburg, Belgium

The following description is courtesy of buro landschap.

Cycling in the Belgian province of Limburg is now even more fun. The world-renowned ‘Cycling through Water’ (#FDHW) in Bokrijk now has a big brother. In mid-June, Visit Limburg opened ‘Cycling through the Trees’ (#FDDB), a brand new cycling and walking experience at a height of 10 metres through the treetops in Bosland. You can find the new cycling and walking path on the cycle route network near cycling junction 272 in Bosland, Hechtel-Eksel. Pull-on your walking boots or jump on your bike and become one with nature through this sensational 360° experience.

360° experience at a height of up to 10 metres

With ‘Cycling through the Trees’, Visit Limburg, under the aegis of chairman Igor Philtjens, is literally and figuratively driving the Limburg cycle route network to a higher level. The new cycle path climbs gradually so that you can cycle through the treetops. You ride 700 metres along a cycle bridge – a double circle 100 metres in diameter – that slowly rises to a height of 10 metres before then descending again, giving you a sensational 360° experience! Safety is ensured thanks to a subtle wire net with a handrail, and the path’s three-metre width gives everyone enough room. This makes ‘Cycling through the Trees’ an accessible experience for everyone.

Cycle network of the future

‘Cycling through the Trees’ is a project by Visit Limburg with financial support from LSM, the municipality of Hechtel-Eksel, VISITFLANDERS and the province of Limburg, and developed in close co-operation with Bosland and the Agency for Nature and Forests. It is the second project in a series of innovative experiences enabling cyclists to enjoy the splendour of nature along the Limburg cycle route network in a unique way. ‘Cycling through Water’ (#FDHW) in Bokrijk was opened in 2016 and ‘Cycling through the Heathland’ (#FDDH) in the Hoge Kempen National Park is due to open next year. By adding these extra experiences, Visit Limburg is continuing to build the cycle network of the future, ensuring that the Limburg cycling paradise stays number one in cycling tourism for many years to come.

At one with nature

Visit Limburg’s cycling experiences go hand in hand with nature. ‘Cycling through the Trees’ is a logical link in Bosland’s ‘Cycle of Life’. The forest largely consists of coniferous trees, planted at the beginning of the last century to produce wood for the mining industry. The closure of the mines meant the trees were never felled, but as they are all the same age, they still restrict the structural development of the forest. ‘Cycling through the Trees’ will now help to alleviate that situation. The work means that indigenous trees will have more light and space to grow, thereby ensuring that the forest resources are balanced. The new cycle bridge sits on a structure of unique columns made of weathered steel that symbolises the trunks of the fir trees, so the entire structure blends beautifully into its environment. At the start of the path, you can even take a break in the information pavilion, made from stacked recycled logs.

Practical Information

‘Cycling through the Trees’ (#FDDB) opens to the general public on Saturday 15 June 2019. The cycling and walking path is near cycling junction 272 at the Pijnven in Bosland (Hechtel-Eksel). Bosland is the largest adventure forest in Flanders where children are the boss. This huge 5.137-hectare natural heartland of Northern Limburg extends across the municipalities of Hechtel-Eksel and Pelt and the towns of Lommel and Peer.

More information: https://www.visitlimburg.be/en/cyclingthroughthetrees

Project Credits

Pictures: Toerisme Limburg

Client: Toerisme Limburg; Design and ecological supervision: BuroLandschap; Architect: De Gregorio & Partners; contractor construction: Smulders;