Cycle through the water at a pond in Bokrijk, part of the De Wijers Nature Reserve in Limburg, Belgium. (Katie Wells )
Typical of spring weather in the Benelux region, it started to rain as a friend and I drove an hour from Sittard, near USAG Benelux Brunssum, towards Limburg, Belgium. We were on our way to cycle through the middle of a pond in Bokrijk, part of the De Wijers Nature Reserve.
Cycling areas in Belgium like this are often referred to as the “Cycling Through” projects that blend eco-tourism with heritage. The pond simultaneously acts as a hydraulic management tool to balance water levels and purity, as well as to improve the habitat.
This was a must-do on our travel itinerary, so we decided to go forth anyway. First, we stopped at Fietsparadijs Limburg to rent bikes. It was only 15 euros a day. The process was easy. If you wish to save time you can fill out the forms online prior to arriving. We brought our own helmets, strapped them on and were on our way—lucky for us, there was a break in the rain.
Renting a bike in Limburg, Belgium, is easy. Mandy’s is from Fietsparadijs. (Katie Wells )
We followed the cycle node network in Bokrijk to node 91. We also had the GPS coordinates plugged in as a backup. Soon we were out of the industrial area and pedaling on a paved path alongside forest trails we were tempted to explore; had we brought gloves and slightly warmer clothes, we likely would have.
Follow the trail signs to node 91 to get to the pond (Mandy Mills )
“Look at the swan!” Called my friend.
Floating on the water was a story-book beautiful swan waiting for us to cycle past. We peddled down and as we got closer to the middle of the lake, we were eye level with the graceful creature, so we popped our kickstands to take everything in.
“Such a magical spot,” I remember saying.
The swan flapped its wings and stretched its long neck down towards us. Maybe it was just curiosity, or maybe it was a sign to move along.
A swan in the pond overlooking the bike path (Mandy Mills)
A slight drizzle misted my face as we rode back to the rental shop. Returning the bikes was even easier than collecting them. We twisted a key out of the rear frame lock, wheeled them to the bike rack behind the building and dropped the keys in a secured box. This hidden gem was worth the stop.
