From 2028 onwards, ramblers will be able to follow a new multi-day walking trail covering around 90 kilometres through the Forests of Brabant National Park . It will link Halle with Leuven. There will be five rest stops along the route where visitors can have a picnic, enjoy the scenery or simply relax in nature. Covering 90 kilometres, it will also be the longest walking trail in the province of Flemish Brabant.
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New 90-kilometre walking trail in Forests of Brabant National Park to link Halle with Leuven
Colin Clapson
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The route passes through several well-known nature reserves in Flemish Brabant, including Halle Wood, the Sonian Forest and the Laan Valley. The trail is divided into four-day stages, although ramblers can also opt for shorter loops covering fewer kilometres.
The five rest stops will not be traditional picnic spots, but small-scale meeting places that blend into the landscape. They will be located in the Zevenbronnen nature reserve in Molenbeek Valley, at the Tervuren Arboretum, at the village centre of Sint-Agatha-Rode and the Herculessalon in Meerdaal Forest. At the start and end points of the route — St Martin’s Basilica in Halle and Park Abbey in Leuven —smaller interactive features are planned.
Design and budget
“These are modest spots that can really take you by surprise: locations that beautifully blend into their surroundings and invite you to pause for a moment. Ideal for having a picnic, enjoying a view or simply unwinding in the countryside.”
‘No mass tourism, but warm, intimate encounters with nature and heritage in the National Park,’ says Tom Dehaene, member of the Flemish Brabant executive responsible for tourism, who also expects foreign tourists to visit.
To develop the rest areas, the Forests of Brabant National Park selected a specialist design team following a call for proposals that attracted more than 60 applications. Over the coming months, the designers will further develop the plans in consultation with site managers.
The first rest areas and the signposting for the walking trail are due to be completed in 2028. A budget of approximately 500,000 euros has been allocated for the full implementation of the project.