small forest path alongside river in Kempen, Belgium

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Kempentocht

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About the Kempentocht

country

Belgium

length

64 km(40 mi)

Type of trail

Long-distance

difficulty

Easy

accommodation

Camping, Lodging

Elevation gain

70 m(230 ft)

terrain

Countryside, Flat

remoteness

Some of the time

High up north in Belgium, situated in the region ‘Antwerpse Kempen’ or ‘Noorderkempen,’ lies the ‘Kempentocht.’ A 63.5-kilometer circular trail connecting 3 unique sites: Turnhouts Vennegebied, World Heritage site Koloniën van Weldadigheid, and Vallei het Merkse. The region Noorderkempen is filled with forests, meadows, and fens. When hiking the Kempentocht one will experience the tranquility and peace whilst being surprised by the refreshing combination of nature and culture.

Nearly 75% of this trail runs along unpaved paths, which makes this the perfect trail for anyone looking for a hike filled with nature and away from the bustling cities. The trail officially starts at Bezoekerscentrum Klein Engelandhoeve, just above the city of Turnhout (and therefore easy to reach by public transport). However, the Kempentocht is a circular route which means one can start this hike at any point.

Author

Hanne Govaerts

Hanne Govaerts is a Belgian outdoors enthusiast. During the week she works a full-time office job but every moment of spare time she tends to spend outdoors, on trail. Her passion for hiking started at the early age of 16, when she impulsively went on a summer camp hiking the Wicklow Way in Ireland. Ever since, her holidays have been filled with hiking trips such as the Matterhorn Trek in Switzerland and the Kumano Kodo Nakahechi Route in Japan. Hanne’s main goal is to hike all the Belgian long-distance trails. With its +/- 10.000 kilometers of trails throughout the country, it’s a challenge that should not be taken lightly. You can follow her hiking adventures on her Instagram account @hannehikes.

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The Trail

When starting from Bezoekerscentrum Klein Engelandhoeve, the trail immediately leads through Turnhouts Vennengebied. A nature reserve that once was part of one big fen territory covering the northern part of Belgium. Whilst admiring this unique and diverse landscape with lots of bio-diversity, the trail continues up north to the nature reserve of Vallei van het Merkske, which covers the area around the small river Merkske. It is mostly characterized by its wet meadows and diversity of plants. If you’re lucky you might spot one of Belgium’s indigenous species; a deer, tawny owl, or a shepherd with their herd.

In this specific region, the trail also encounters a reminder of the Dodendraad or ‘Wire of Death’. This seemingly innocent part of barbed wire on the side of the road takes people back to World War I when it was used as a border. The wires carried a deadly 2.000 Volts, stopping any unfortunate soul trying to cross it. There’s a 38-kilometer-long cycling route dedicated to the history of the ‘Wire of Death,’ which is also worth a visit.

©Hanne Govaerts

©Hanne Govaerts

Lastly, the trail will take you to the Koloniën van Weldadigheid. This area was created in the 19th century as a social experiment where poor city dwellers were relocated to work as farmers to cultivate the land. After Belgium became independent, the two colonies of Merksplas and Wortel were used as a place to (mandatorily) send beggars and vagabonds. The area is known for its long avenues and stately buildings. There’s a visitor’s center located in Merksplas Kolonie where one can learn more about the history of this peculiar place.

Stages

Stage 1:

Bezoekerscentrum Klein Engelandhoeve, Turnhout – Bezoekerscentrum Vallei van het Merkske, Wortel, 37 km | 23 mi

Stage 2:

Bezoekerscentrum Vallei van het Merkske, Wortel – Bezoekerscentrum Klein Engelandhoeve, Turnhout, 27 km | 16 mi

Photo gallery

wooden pathway on the Kempentocht, Belgium

women hiking next to farm field on the Kempentocht

unpaved road in green forest on the Kempentocht

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Accommodations

When hiking the Kempentocht, we would advise you to sleep in a tent since the bivouac is close to the trail and it’s free of use. However, there’s also the possibility to sleep at a B&B if preferred.

Lodging:
Stage 1: B&B De Grote Plaats

Camping:
Stage 1: Bivakzone Wortel Kolonie

Best time of the year

Belgium has moderate temperatures year-round. Therefore this trail can be walked any time of year. During the winter, around December through February/March, it can be cold and occasionally snowy. During the summer months, from June through September, the temperatures are higher. However, the weather can be unpredictable so one should always be prepared for rain.

Safety & Gear

The Kempentocht is located in a very flat landscape. The trail is not technically or physically demanding. That’s why it’s a perfect trail for beginners. However, do plan the stages to your own fitness level. Wear comfortable hiking shoes and a good backpack to avoid any injuries.

The trail is not marked and therefore it’s important to bring the GPX file and the numbers of the node-to-node walking network (see ‘Good to Know’). Do make sure you’ve downloaded the GPX file offline since not all nature reserves have cellular reception.

Good to know

This trail uses the node-to-node walking network to navigate yourself. The node-to-node walking network is a network of short paths in Belgium and the Netherlands. The intersection of these paths forms nodes, designated by their own number. Here you find a pole that indicates the number of this node and the direction of the neighboring ones. To hike a route, simply bring the node numbers and follow the markings.

For the Kempentocht you’ll need the following numbers to hike the trail:

Node-to-node walking network day 1:

52 – 90 – 54 – 6 – 6 – 7 – 73 – 67 – 72 – 8 – 70 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 96 – 97 – 41 – 75 – 74 – 74 – 74 – 54 – 87 – 52 – 26 – 51 – 15 – 53 – 17 – 20 – 21 – 22 – 22 – 33 – 33 – 35 – 34 – 51 – 51 – 51 – 79 – 56 – 55 – 58 – 57 – 62 – 80 – 15 – 57 – 56 – 96 – 95 – 97 – 75 – 74 – 76 – 6 – 7 – 7 – 7 – 9 – 8 – 10 – 12 – 13 – 14 – 1

Node-to-node walking network day 2:

1 – 18 – 17 – 16 – 21 – 31 – 49 – 49 – 76 – 76 – 75 – 74 – 56 – 55 – 54 – 52 – 53 – 50 – 72 – 71 – 74 – 10 – 70 – 69 – 79 – 77 – 51 – 52 – 56 – 55 – 53 – 53 – 54 – 68 – 69 – 70 – 96 – 90 – 72 – 74 – 74 – 75 – 40 – 95 – 94 – 93 – 50 – TP – 92 – 89 – 91 – 51 – 52

route

Circuit

Highest point

30m (98 ft)

Useful links

Region Kempen Tourism Kempen

Node-to-node walking network Wandelknooppunten

Local weather website Meteo Belgium

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