The best walks and hikes in Flemish Brabant

From war stronghold to bat hotel: Bunker of the KW-line This massive concrete structure was part of the strategic KW-line (or the Dyle-line) during the Second World War to stop advancing troops. But where soldiers used to keep watch, a completely different dynamic now prevails. Fun fact for the road Natuurpunt has transformed this bunker into an official hibernation site for bats. Thanks to the thick concrete walls, it remains constantly cool and humid inside, which are the ideal conditions for species such as the Natterer's bat or the brown long-eared bat to hibernate. The heavy steel loopholes have now been specially adapted so that the winged residents can easily fly in and out, while remaining protected from human disturbance. A fascinating crossroads where impressive military history and fragile nature meet!

At the intersection of Kanseliersdreef and Godendreef in the Mollendaalbos, you will find Den Dikken Eik on a small path named - how could it be otherwise - the Dikke Eikdreef. With a trunk circumference of 5.46m, Den Dikken Eik is the heaviest tree in the Meerdaalwoud. In 1995, a pencil-thin rod of wood was drilled into the core of the tree to count the annual rings: at that time, there were 320. Today, there are 351. Quite an age, therefore.

Strategically located picnic spot with - as the name of the avenue already reveals - a clear view of the straight avenue.

mooi goot bos met veel afwisseling

The church of Linden...

The most visible of Dzia's works at the station. Look for the others too. For those who don't know Dzia: some time ago an article appeared in OKV (Openbaar Kunstbezit Vlaanderen) with a photo of a work here at the station and the following description of Dzia: "Dzia is also passionate about animals. He mainly depicts wild animals. Foxes and birds seem to be recurring favorites. His unique style creates a mosaic of colors that follows the contours and shapes of the animal. In his more recent work, he adds tonal shading within each defined area, enhancing a sense of volume. His work tries to give animals a place back in an urban environment. The locations of his murals are carefully chosen and he positions his colorful animals in such a way that a playful interaction with the surroundings is created." And you can find that 40-page dossier on street art in Flemish cities at https://www.okv.be/sites/default/files/2020-09/Street%20art%20in%20Vlaamse%20steden.pdf

A series of beautiful works by Dzia that have been there for a while, see: https://www.ringtv.be/cultuur-beeldende-kunst/graffitikunstenaar-smukt-treinstation-groenendaal-op The colourful birds are however a bit newer, see: https://www.instagram.com/p/DKKVbl6oZ5M/ And if you are in Groenendaal and like Dzia's work, also check out what he did with the ecoduct: https://www.werkenaandering.be/nl/lees-mee/nieuws/beestige-graffiti-kleurt-ecoduct-groenendaal For those who don't know Dzia: some time ago an article appeared in OKV (Openbaar Kunstbezit Vlaanderen) about street art in Flemish cities with a photo of a work that you find here at the station and the following description of Dzia: "Dzia is also passionate about animals. He mainly depicts wild animals. Foxes and birds seem to be recurring favourites. His unique style creates a mosaic of colours that follow the contours and shapes of the animal. In his more recent work, he adds tonal shading within each defined area, which enhances the sense of volume. His work tries to give animals a place in an urban environment again. The locations of his murals are carefully chosen and he positions his colourful animals in such a way that a playful interaction with the environment arises." And this 40-page dossier on street art in Flemish cities can be found at: https://www.okv.be/sites/default/files/2020-09/Street%20art%20in%20Vlaamse%20steden.pdf

The Groenendaal station and its associated shelter were built in the typical "national" station style between 1893 and 1896, in this case a rather luxurious execution due to the abundant use of natural stone and great attention to detail. This can possibly be explained by the great attraction of Groenendaal to the Brussels bourgeoisie as an ideal starting point for a forest walk combined with a restaurant visit, but also by the figure of Leopold II, who was reportedly directly involved in the design and was a regular visitor to the Groenendaal racecourse (1889). The Groenendaal station, near the Zoniënwoud, is the only station building on the Brussels-Luxembourg line in Flemish territory. This railway line was built between 1847 and 1857 by the "Grande Compagnie du Luxembourg", which also had the management concession. Inventory of Immovable Heritage: Groenendaal station with shelter, https://id.erfgoed.net/erfgoedobjecten/200186