Hazewinkel in Rivierenland

Starting place is the Bloso Centrum Hazewinkel (V) on the Beenhouwerstraat in Willebroek. There is ample parking and you can also get there by public transport: stop Hazewinkel on line 287 Mechelen-HeindonkWillebroek-Boom.

Walk to the end of the car park, to the left of the entrance to the Bloso Centre, and turn left. You will see an information board about the Broek Blaasveld, a domain forest of the Flemish Community since the 70s. It is a beautiful mosaic of water features and trouser forest with lots of poplar, black alder and water willow. The many ponds are remnants of the peat cutting and you will find water lily and especially a lot of yellow plomp, but also an extensive sample of most water birds. 100 m past the information board, a sign points to junction 140 of the Rivierenland hiking network. Turn right into the forest. The Rivierenland walking network is the first of an ambitious plan of eleven walking networks of the Province of Antwerp and was inaugurated in April 2010. Walk through a fence and over a canal further into the domain and enjoy the peace and greenery and the chatter and splashing of the birds on the puddles. After 700 m at the fork, turn left into a beautiful beech drive, still towards junction 140. At the end of the drive you will see tavern 't Fonteyntje. Then to the right and then to the left, now towards junction 141. After 250 m, before a barrier and pedestrian axis, turn right and continue for another 350 m at the fork to the left. After 100 m, walk straight ahead, towards junction 146 of the Rivierenland hiking network. Ignore the path on the right and walk straight ahead, now towards junction 144. Soon you will be at the beautiful chapel of Our Lady of Fourteenbunders 1. The chapel was built at the site of a statue of Mary, where according to tradition the water never froze even in the harshest winters. 250 m past the chapel you come to a parking lot and picnic area 2 . There is also a small shelter and an information board. Walk to the right for quite some time towards junction 144. The path bends to the left and at the T-junction you choose right. After 300 m you walk through the gate out of the domain forest and you are at the Watersportbaan of Hazewinkel. Cross the asphalt road, descend the embankment and walk on a narrower asphalt road to the left along the water. Also here on the lake many water birds, but also sailors and rowers. At the end of the water sports track, turn right and stay along the water. After 700 m, walk over a bridge and immediately afterwards at the fork turn right, towards junction 96. At the next fork, turn right again, direction watersportbaan. Turn left on the concrete road. Continue straight along a fence on the concrete road. Cross the stone road and walk into Grote Bergen nos. 50-52. Further along the water and after 300 m at the fork to the right and after 200 m up on the Rupeldijk. Walk on the dike to the right, direction junction 92. Turn right at junction 92, but stay high on the dike (there is an eye-catcher). At the bottom left you see a beautiful pot polder and on the right under the fields and meadows of Hamerdijk. Turn right at the fork and after 200 m there is a metal walkway 3 on the left, from which you have a beautiful view of the confluence of Nete and Dijle that together form the Rupel from here. Walk to the right down the dike, towards junction 259. Ignore all side streets for a kilometer and then turn right and then left on the Village Square of Heindonk 4. Opposite and next to the neo-Gothic St. John Baptist and Amandus church are a few more beautiful buildings. In café De Zwaan you can go for a refreshment. Ignore the Hazewinkelstraat and walk straight ahead in the Beenhouwerstraat. This will take you back to the starting point after 600 m.