The best traffic-free bike rides around Woluwe-Saint-Pierre

Definitely stop by Ernesto koffie (right at the roundabout Walensebaan and Smisstraat), a cozy little food truck right by the ponds. There are also cozy seating areas provided at the food truck itself. Delicious coffee and wonderful pastries. Ideal for a refueling stop. Super friendly service. Open Wednesday to Sunday from 10:30

This tour goes for kilometers through the forest. In spring it is beautiful with the hyacinths and wood anemones. In summer nice and cool.

The Groenendaal racecourse was built in 1888-1889 on the initiative of Leopold II in the middle of the Sonian Forest, next to the road to Waterloo, and in 1892, as part of easy access, it received its own railway connection to Groenendaal station. To realize this racecourse, approximately 100 hectares of forest were cleared at the end of the 19th century. King Leopold II had his own box there, located between two metal grandstands for the public. After the First World War, this area was used for the dismantling of weapons and ammunition left behind in the Westhoek. German prisoners of war had to clear mines under the supervision of the Belgian army. During a fire and the subsequent explosions of ammunition on May 6, 1919, the hippodrome's grandstands and buildings were heavily damaged. After another explosion in November, the ammunition depot was completely dismantled in 1920. Two years later, the racecourse was restored and the grandstands were rebuilt. The royal box for Albert I was not rebuilt until 1924. Its appearance was completely different from the pre-war grandstand. When the current appearance came about is not entirely clear, although the current box is attributed to Albert I in the literature, see also monogram. Inventory of Immovable Heritage: Royal Box and remains of bookmaker's room, https://id.erfgoed.net/erfgoedobjecten/302991

The 2-meter-high wooden statue of Father Damien was placed on the west side of the Damien Bridge on August 22, 2013, and was donated by Lizette Cresens from Haacht. The statue was made by an artist from Wolfsdonk. Source: https://www.tremelo.be/product/2172/15-standbeeld-damiaan-damiaanbrug The bicycle and pedestrian bridge itself was put into use in 2012 and is located near the Damien Museum in Ninde (at the end of the road). The two Dijle dikes that are connected by it are called the Pater Damiaandijk (on the Ninde side) and the Schipstrekkersdijk (the Haacht side). Near the bridge, the Grote Laak flows into the Dijle. That's a river that splits off from the Demer near Aarschot and is also known as the Laak and formerly the Meetshovense Laak.

On this path, you can enjoy beautiful views of the Dijle landscape. Enjoy it to the fullest at a moderate speed.

Nice tunnel where you immediately feel the light welcoming you on the other side.

Here in the courtyard you can get something to drink and eat (be careful, it is only open until 6 p.m.), which is a bit of a shame.

At De Doode Bemde, you can walk along the naturally meandering Dijle River. Near Leuven, nature conservation and flood protection go hand in hand. You might even spot beaver tracks. The hiking trails take you through more than 250 hectares of nature reserve. It's a mosaic of small fields, poplar plantations and swamp forests, meadows and hay meadows, roughs and reed beds, ponds and ditches. De Doode Bemde is part of the Zuid-Dijleland hiking network, offering over 300 km of hiking opportunities. Besides the Doode Bemde, this network includes many other areas managed by the Agency for Nature and Forests that can be combined with a walk in the Doode Bemde, such as the Egenhovenbos (between junctions 61 and 62 on the 16 km route), Heverleebos-Meerdaalwoud, the Grootbroek (between junctions 105 and 229) and Rodebos en Laanvallei (near junction 255).