Discover Alken: Nature, Culture and Cycling Routes

Alken combines water-rich landscapes, family-friendly paths, themed cycling routes and remarkable cultural monuments. Those looking for a holiday apartment for a varied stay can combine different kinds of holiday experiences here: a short discovery tour with children, a longer hike, a cycling loop through Haspengouw or an excursion to historic buildings.

Experience nature: from a short loop to a longer hike

The elongated Mombeekvallei nature area lies on the border between Alken and Sint-Lambrechts-Herk. Water and streams shape the landscape of the wet Haspengouw region. This character is particularly evident on the “Geologische fietsroute Herk & Mombeek”, whose theme is water. The route passes through a gently rolling landscape with numerous stream valleys.

The Bosdierenwandeling is designed for families with children aged four to eight. The 1.4-kilometre path leads past wooden forest animals, with relevant information and activities accompanying the route. The Herkbeemden hike has a different focus: it is 10 kilometres long and connects Alken with Wellen. This allows you to take different distances and experiences into account when planning, without every tour dictating the same daily rhythm.

Alken as a starting point for cycling tours

Alken is an official starting point of the Fietsroutenetwerk. It connects to the network via junctions 146, 174, 178, 144 and 173. For a trip in which cycling plays a central role, this connection to the route network is a concrete consideration when choosing your holiday destination.

The “Geologische fietsroute Herk & Mombeek” consists of two loops, each just over 20 kilometres long. Both start in the centre of Alken at the Fietskiosk in Laagdorp. The western loop ends with a visit to the Sint-Aldegondiskerk. The Fruitfietsroute is recommended as another themed option for discovering the region in a special way.

Cultural monuments and historical traces

The Sint-Aldegondiskerk is a protected Gothic monument. It stands on the site of a very old religious foundation and has an enclosed churchyard with distinctive trees and topiary boxwood. The history of the Sint-Joriskapel also goes back a long way: after falling into disrepair after 1650, it was rebuilt in 1712 by the parish priest of Alken and put back into use in 1726.

Kasteel De Geuzentempel and its associated park are protected as a monument. The castle was built in 1849 by Gustavius van Weddingen and his mother, remodelled in 1873 and features neoclassical characteristics. The Groenmolen on the Herk is a grain watermill that was already recorded on the Ferraris map of 1771–1777 and in the “Atlas van de Buurtwegen” of 1844. It has been out of operation since 1970 but remains capable of milling. At the Nieuwe Molen, a historic watermill site with preserved milling equipment has survived; it probably dates from the second half of the 19th century.

Landscape, regional cuisine and choosing your accommodation

In the valley of the Herk and the Kleine Herk near the Nieuwe Molen, wet meadows and fallow land alternate with forests, poplar stands and rows of pollarded and other trees. These varied landscapes give a trip to Alken a clear connection with nature. If you would like to divide your days between cycling, walks and culture, you can choose the location of your holiday apartment based on which of these activities you want to focus on.

A culinary experience is also part of the local offering: at Met Wim aan de Bak in Alken, a workshop is held in which traditional Limburgse vlaai and artisan bread are baked in a real wood-fired oven. This makes it possible to combine an active excursion with a regional tradition.

More places for planning your trip

For further orientation, you can also visit the destination pages for Heusden-Zolder, Meeuwen-Gruitrode, Neerpelt, Overpelt, Ellikom, Lanaken, Zutendaal and Riemst.

To the higher-level travel overview: Limburg.