Kluis Forest: diverse natural landscape with a rich history
You’ll find the largest forest in the Flemish Ardennes in Kluisbergen. With 300 ha of dazzling nature, Kluis Forest guarantees hours of walking and/or cycling pleasure. Its location is also unique; it’s on the 141 m Kluisberg and the language border. Due to its vastness, you can discover the secrets of the area’s fauna and flora on various hiking trails in complete peace and quiet. The slopes also treat you to breathtaking views and resting places that look like the setting of a romantic film. Whether cycling, mountain biking, horse riding or just walking, the options for getting out and about in this green paradise are endless.
In Kluis Forest, you also dive into history. During World War I, the immense trees suffered some heavy blows. A large part of the forest was destroyed. Later, the mining of sulphur and ironstone had harmful effects. But now, a plan has been drawn up to give the forest a second life. Large oak and beech trees are deliberately being cut down to create open spaces in some spots. This gives other plant species more opportunities to develop.
You can learn even more about history if you visit Peetje and Meetje. That’s not granny and grandad keeping watch; they’re two large boulders with a story. They form the base of a dolmen, a sacrificial table of the Celtic druids. At the Vierschaar, a place delineated by four benches (‘scharen’), justice was administered during the reign of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Four beech trees used to stand here, pointing in the direction of Berchem, Amougies, Orroir and Kwaremont. Lightning, disease and war took them, one by one, and the Vierschaar became a resting place in the forest. Another place of interest is the Tower. This is where Wild Beggars are said to have addressed the people in order to convert them to Protestantism. Later, the building was used as a lookout by the army of the French general Napoleon Bonaparte.
Are you looking for pure and unspoilt nature? Then Kluis Forest is also the right place for you. Part of the forest is a reservation. That means there is no human intervention here. If a tree is blown down, it’s left on the ground. That’s good news for insects because residing in the bark is comparable to a five-star hotel with a rich breakfast buffet for them. Birds, such as the marsh tit, crested tit and tawny owl, see these same insects as a delicious snack. With a bit of luck, you may also spot the rare fire salamander, which lives in the forest’s springs and pools.
Besides a varied and ecologically valuable landscape, Kluis Forest also distinguishes itself through its child-friendliness. There are several play areas where young and old can romp around for hours. After a pleasant walk, you can recover in one of the many restaurants and cafés around the forest. Some refreshing ice cream or a homemade pancake taste twice as good after walking a few kilometres, don’t they? A great way to explore Kluis Forest is via the Kluis Forest walking route.
Kluis Forest: diverse natural landscape with a rich history
You’ll find the largest forest in the Flemish Ardennes in Kluisbergen. With 300 ha of dazzling nature, Kluis Forest guarantees hours of walking and/or cycling pleasure. Its location is also unique; it’s on the 141 m Kluisberg and the language border. Due to its vastness, you can discover the secrets of the area’s fauna and flora on various hiking trails in complete peace and quiet. The slopes also treat you to breathtaking views and resting places that look like the setting of a romantic film. Whether cycling, mountain biking, horse riding or just walking, the options for getting out and about in this green paradise are endless.
In Kluis Forest, you also dive into history. During World War I, the immense trees suffered some heavy blows. A large part of the forest was destroyed. Later, the mining of sulphur and ironstone had harmful effects. But now, a plan has been drawn up to give the forest a second life. Large oak and beech trees are deliberately being cut down to create open spaces in some spots. This gives other plant species more opportunities to develop.
You can learn even more about history if you visit Peetje and Meetje. That’s not granny and grandad keeping watch; they’re two large boulders with a story. They form the base of a dolmen, a sacrificial table of the Celtic druids. At the Vierschaar, a place delineated by four benches (‘scharen’), justice was administered during the reign of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Four beech trees used to stand here, pointing in the direction of Berchem, Amougies, Orroir and Kwaremont. Lightning, disease and war took them, one by one, and the Vierschaar became a resting place in the forest. Another place of interest is the Tower. This is where Wild Beggars are said to have addressed the people in order to convert them to Protestantism. Later, the building was used as a lookout by the army of the French general Napoleon Bonaparte.
Are you looking for pure and unspoilt nature? Then Kluis Forest is also the right place for you. Part of the forest is a reservation. That means there is no human intervention here. If a tree is blown down, it’s left on the ground. That’s good news for insects because residing in the bark is comparable to a five-star hotel with a rich breakfast buffet for them. Birds, such as the marsh tit, crested tit and tawny owl, see these same insects as a delicious snack. With a bit of luck, you may also spot the rare fire salamander, which lives in the forest’s springs and pools.
Besides a varied and ecologically valuable landscape, Kluis Forest also distinguishes itself through its child-friendliness. There are several play areas where young and old can romp around for hours. After a pleasant walk, you can recover in one of the many restaurants and cafés around the forest. Some refreshing ice cream or a homemade pancake taste twice as good after walking a few kilometres, don’t they? A great way to explore Kluis Forest is via the Kluis Forest walking route.