- Belgium Guide
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If you think Belgium is all about visiting historical museums and buildings, eating waffles and chocolate or sampling their 400 varieties of beers, think again. There’s more than meets the eye in this country of hilly landscapes, woodsy forests, crystal-clear waters and lots of green space. Even in the big cities, there are a number of facilities were the young and old alike can participate in outdoor activities. As long as you have the energy and the time to enjoy yourself or together with your family, then prepare your outdoor gear for some fun adventures in Belgium.
Cycling. Belgium is an ideal place to go cycling – most of the roads are wide and paved with no bumps or potholes and some are even provided with cycling paths. Good ones can be found in the Flemish-speaking regions of Flanders, Antwerp and Brabant, where there are even cycle networks and long-distance cycle routes. In the Ardennes region they created the RAVeL (Reseau Autonome des Voies Lentes), a network of cycling paths made up of old canal towpaths and discontinued railway lines. If you are seriously into cycling then it would be wise to get a guidebook such as the “Geocart Fiets cyclotouriste carte and guide” or the De rouck carte de province maps. Aside from the usual tourist information, this handy guidebook provides a road map scaled to 1:135,000, cycle routes and campsites.
Sailing and Boating. In Belgium both types of water sports can be done either in the open water off the seacoast as well as on the inland waterways. It also has a number of ports and terminals that can be used for docking – there are sea ports in Antwerp, Ghent, Oostende and Zeebrugge and inland ports in Brussels, Charleroi and Liege. The Eau d’Heaure Lakes in Wallonia have been transformed from man-made reservoirs into Belgium’s largest inland sailing and watersports facility. If you have your own yacht or boat you would need to apply for a license or a permit from the Office for Mobility and Transport. They also provide all the important information you will need relating to sailing and boating in Belgium waters.
Caving and Spelunking. Caving, spelology and spelunking enthusiasts head to the French-speaking region of Wallonia for this activity. There are 36 caves that are longer than one kilometer and 15 that are longer than two kilometers. There are vertical caves such as the Trou Bernard, wet ones like Kin, Loutre, Bretaye and sporting caves such as Chawresse and Weron. This activity is not for everybody – no one is allowed to do it without the proper equipment, training, and mandatory insurance. Beginners also need to be accompanied by at least two professional cavers before they can take any tour. There are schools for learning the sport in Namur, Rochefort and Liege as well as accredited caving federations where you can get more information about caving.
Hiking and trekking. With numerous parks, green and open spaces as well as mountain ranges, you will never run out of places to hike or walk around in Belgium. Tour agencies and operators have bundled packages that can help you make the most of the adventure, or you can also set off on your own together with friends who have already done the routes. Safety should always be a prime concern when going for trekking or hiking trips so it would be good to read up on some guidelines for trekking in Belgium. Some excellent ones to would be a hike up to Signal de Botrange, one of Belgium’s highest summits in the Hautes Fagnes. There is a viewing tower which visitors can climb up to and take in a breathtaking view of the landscape, as far as the town of Liege on good days. Ardennes would be another good place to go for hiking and trekking trips.
Canoeing and Kayaking. Summer would be the perfect time to go for a canoe or kayak ride in Belgium’s waters and there are several good choices where to do this. In Wallonia you will find rivers that rush from the hills at speeds that would be good for recreational canoeing and kayaking. The River Lesse in Ardennes is a popular spot amongst locals with its 21 kilometre stretch of rushing waters. You can also raft or kayak through the 20-kilometre stretch between Durbuy and Barvaux on the Ourthe River. The river also runs through the gorge of Herou which is said to be one of the most beautiful spots in Belgium. There is also the Ambleve River in Stavelot where the gentle flow of the river is perfect for a canoe or a kayak ride.
