Belgium boasts a diverse natural landscape, stretching from the flat coastline in the north to the mountainous Ardennes in the south. Whether you enjoy hiking or biking, there are plenty of routes to suit your preferences and help you stay active. Afterward, you can relax and enjoy Belgium’s fantastic beer traditions.
Belgium offers a variety of trails for both hiking and biking. In the north, Flanders has well-organized cycling routes that make trip planning straightforward, while the south, Wallonia, has a more laid-back vibe with influence from its French neighbor.
If you prefer to plan your own biking or hiking trips instead of opting for guided tours, you’re in luck. Here’s a helpful guide to get you started:
Long-Distance Routes
Flanders features “Lange Fietsroutes” (LF) and Wallonia offers “RAVeL” trails, which are usually car-free and follow rivers or old railway lines. These long-distance routes provide good roads with minimal elevation. Ideal for in-depth adventures, the LF and RAVeL routes offer smooth paths with low traffic.
Resources for Planning:
– Grote Routepaden: Interactive maps and apps for long-distance routes in Flanders.
– RAVeL: Long-distance routes in Wallonia with downloadable GPS files.
Cycling Routes
Flanders has a comprehensive network of cycling routes designed to make your trips easy to plan. Unfortunately, a similar network is not available in Wallonia. However, you can explore a brochure that outlines 24 different bike routes in Wallonia, varying in length and difficulty.
Helpful tools for your cycling adventures include:
– Routeyou.com: A map featuring cycling routes, mountain bike tracks, and hiking paths.
– Fietsroute.org: A simplified cycle-node-planning site for Flanders.
– BikeNode & Fietsknoop Apps: Free apps for cycle-node planning.
Mountain Biking
For serious mountain biking, head south to Wallonia, where the terrain is more challenging. The further south you go, the steeper the climbs and descents.
Good resources for mountain biking include:
– Trails.Bike: Detailed tracks with elevation charts and downloadable files.
– TourismeGPS: Tracks and hiking trails in Wallonia.
– La Wallonie a Velo: Online brochure with details on 45 tracks in Wallonia.
Hiking
Belgium offers a range of hiking options, from flat paths in the north to steeper climbs in the south. Some reliable resources for planning hikes include:
– SityTrail: Browse free maps and download trail details.
– Hiking in Wallonia: A brochure with 26 hiking suggestions.
– Les Sentiers de Grande Randonnée: Information on long-distance hiking routes.
Useful Tools
– EuroVelo: Information about the European cycle route network.
– Viewranger: An app to follow hiking trails or mountain bike tracks.
Visiting Belgium? Check out other articles on abbey beers, Beer in Brussels, and spectacular castles!
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