Arendonk: Nature, Hiking Trails and Special Discoveries

Arendonk is a destination for anyone who wants to combine nature experiences, physical activity and regional culture. At its heart is the De Liereman landscape area, with its diverse heathland and woodland. It also offers signposted hikes, family-friendly trails, cycling routes, the Toremansmolen and a museum that provides insights into the history of the town. When looking for a holiday apartment in Arendonk, you can therefore consider whether you would prefer to focus your trip on long hikes, child-friendly discoveries, cycling tours or cultural sightseeing.

Heathland, forests and an extensive hiking area

The De Liereman nature development project is located in the northeast of the province of Antwerp, in the territories of Oud-Turnhout, Arendonk and Ravels. The more than 1,000-hectare hiking area is managed by Natuurpunt vzw and was designated as a Special Area of Conservation in the European Natura 2000 network because of its high ecological value and potential. The landscape includes wet and dry heathland, bog myrtle scrub, oak-birch woodland and pine forest. Those who want to experience different natural landscapes when planning their trip will therefore find more than just a single trail here.

Landschap De Liereman has six signposted hikes. Two of them start at Handover, by the bridge where Bergstraat in Oud-Turnhout becomes Heirbaan in Arendonk. The Kempens Landgoed hiking network extends across Arendonk and Ravels, as well as parts of Oud-Turnhout and Turnhout. In Arendonk, the de Hoge Vijvers estate area is part of this network. The themed hikes are usually 5 to 10 km long, or occasionally somewhat longer; on longer hikes, there is usually an option to shorten the route, and most trails run along the node network.

Hiking ideas for different day plans

The approximately 1 km-long Vlegelpad is located in the centre of Arendonk and is designed as an adventurous hiking trail for children. Along the way, there are opportunities for climbing, scrambling, swinging, crawling and balancing. For a trip with younger children, the HéTi van de Wouwershoeve hike also offers a specific option: it starts at the entrance to the play forest near the car park of the de Hoge Vijvers estate area and not far from the Wouwershoeve, De Lusthoven 58. The hike is suitable for all age groups but is aimed primarily at younger children. Depending on your family’s ages and interests, you can therefore choose between a short, activity-filled route and a longer themed trail.

Arendonk can also be explored by bicycle in various ways. The province of Antwerp’s Kempen Fietsknooppuntennetwerk passes through both the surrounding areas and the town centre. The approximately 38 km-long Fietsen langs kapellen cycling route passes 26 small and large chapels and images of the Virgin Mary. The Fietsroute Gestalten runs through Arendonk, Ravels and Oud-Turnhout, with three yellow artworks serving as signposts. Two loops are available for mountain biking: a 20 km blue route and a 37 km green route. Both start at Sportpark Heikant on Grotstraat.

Mills, museums and architectural history

The Toremansmolen is a wooden Koffiepotmolen with a rotating upper structure. The first floor contains two pairs of grain millstones, while the basement houses an oil mill. The combination of a grain mill and an oil mill is considered unique worldwide for this type of mill. Following its restoration in 2021, the Toremansmolen can mill grain again. The Heem Museum focuses on three topics: the history and customs of Arendonk, people from Arendonk and the Arendonk cigar industry. The museum is scheduled to receive visitors every last Sunday of the month except December, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.

The local architectural and religious history also includes the neo-Gothic Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk from 1904, which was built from Kempen bricks from Beerse and decorated with various types of natural stone, as well as the Kapel van de Wampenberg. The present chapel was probably built in 1705, consecrated on 20 August 1711, destroyed by fire in 1713 and rebuilt that same year. Alongside hiking and cycling experiences, such sites give a stay in Arendonk a historical dimension.

Arendonk as a starting point for planning your trip

A holiday apartment or other accommodation in Arendonk can be chosen particularly well if you decide in advance which experiences should be the focus of your trip. The hiking and cycling options are ideal for active days; for a varied programme, you can also add the mill, museum, church and chapel. If you are travelling with children, you can include the Vlegelpad or the HéTi van de Wouwershoeve hike. If you are planning longer tours, De Liereman and Kempens Landgoed, with their different route formats, take centre stage.

If you would like to extend your search to other places: Aartselaar, Geel, Mortsel, Berlaar, Schilde, Sint-Amands, Mol and Lint.

For the higher-level travel overview: Province of Antwerp.