Heathland
Brown and purple.
Paul Hermans — CC BY-SA 4.0 · DimiTalen — CC0 · Skullnukeful — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Raimond Spekking — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Paul Hermans — CC BY-SA 4.0
Hoge Kempen is the first national park in Flanders, Belgium, in the Campine region of eastern Limburg between the city of Genk and the Meuse valley. Its Lieteberg visitor centre lies about 7 km in a straight line from Genk. The park opened on 29 March 2006, covers 67 square kilometres and is part of the European Natura 2000 network. Most of it is heathland and pine forest, including the high ground dividing the Meuse and Demer basins. It was placed on the World Heritage tentative list in 2011. The numbered-node cycle network that later spread to many countries was born here in the 1990s. Brown and purple heath stretches between dark pine forests, broken by calm lakes in old sand pits and dunes of white sand. From the high viewpoints the whole landscape runs to the horizon. A wide network of walking and cycling trails starts from several gateways. The best time to visit is late summer, when the heather blooms purple.
Brown and purple.
In old sand pits.
A wide network.
Between Genk and the Meuse valley, Limburg, Belgium
Late summer.
At the Lieteberg visitor centre.