Hasselt

A few months back I ordered a brochure from the Wallonia tourist office about cycle routes in the area so our final stop of the day would be Genk, so we set off on a terrifying 50 mile journey down the local A12 and A13. I say terrifying because the traffic was unbelievably heavy and it was just like being on the A12 or A12 back at home.
Finally at 3pm we arrived in Hasselt, this is the main town and Genk is a part of it and it’s where one of my cycle routes starts. I found a huge car park on park4night that is part of a scientific research Center but at weekends it’s empty and open to Motorhomes free of charge. We are the only ones here.
After a quick cup of tea I set off on a 20km trek on my own. Ellie still didn’t fancy coming but she knows how much I wanted to do this ride because there’s something special at the end.
I left the car park cutting through an alleyway and taking the cycle lane into the town off Genk and out the other side. I still can’t get used to having right of way over traffic and feel like I should stop at junctions but drivers just wave me through. Coming out of Genk I joined another cycle path that runs alongside the river. It’s beautiful tarmac and I was pushing some serious speed when I was joined by a girl on a road bike. I was already doing 32kph when she joined me and next to me she was pushing harder trying for the over take. I upped my cadence and matched her speed and we were level pegging so I changed up a gear and stood on the pedals. She did the same but I edged away and just kept pushing power through the pedals, I was now travelling at just over 50kph on flat ground. Coming to a bridge where I had to turn and cross the river I looked over my shoulder, she wasn’t following me so I waved and she gave me the thumbs up and I continued on my own.
Crossing the bridge I had the wind at my back so I took it easy and let the wind do most of the work travelling at 30kph to the end of this cycle path and then turning left onto yer another cycle path cutting through housing estates and coming out into some woods.
I continued through the woods until I realised I had water both sides of the trees and knew I must be close to the reason for this bike ride and then I came to it.
A cycle path dug down into the lake so as you ride through it, your at eye level with the lake. It’s called cycling through water and even the Belgian people were amazed at it as they were cycling through. At one point I was eye to eye with Swans and Cygnets. It was definitely worth the ride.
Out the other side I was back into the woods and then I rode through an animal park with Llamas, goats, sheep and donkeys. It was very weird.
Finally I was back on tarmac and as I rejoined the cycle path I kept my eyes open for signs to the scientific research Center.
It didn’t take long for me to pick them up and after a few twists and turns I was back at Wanda. It had been a great ride.
Ellie made a great dinner of chicken and rice which I was grateful for after my thrash on the bike and then we settled in for the night.Read more