Hike to Demerbroeken

This weekend, we went to discover the Demerbroeken nature reserve. Located 40 minutes by car from Brussels, this small piece of nature in Flemish Brabant is also accessible by train.

Three hikes are proposed to discover the nature reserve: the green one of 2.4 kilometers, the blue one of 5.8 kilometers and the red one of 8.4 kilometers. It is also possible to combine the different routes for the most advanced hikers and discover the entirety of the Demerbroeken. We have done the blue hike (5.8 km) and the red hike (8.4 km) and we detail all these 2 hikes below.

Once the car is parked in the car park behind the Testelt church, we begin our hike in the Demerbroeken. We leave the village center by climbing a small path under the pines. This offers a panoramic view of Testelt at several points, with the Demer winding below.

Alone at the start of this journey, we enjoy the calm to observe the birds singing and dancing around us at the beginning of March. Nature whispers to us, spring is not far away despite the shy temperatures of this beautiful sunny day.

We are gently descending from this enchanted interlude and turning left on the road, following the blue signs. We then discover the first flooded meadows and the few bodies of water typical of the Demerbroeken. First stop at the observatory cabin, which offers a view of the pond and all its 2-legged residents.

After this short break, we continue our journey and traverse several boardwalks between marshes and wooded areas that keep our feet dry.

A few minutes' walk later, we stumble upon the observation tower. Climbing the few steps of it, we have a view of the surrounding meadows and the few bodies of water that welcome small and large birds.

After a walk through fields and new footbridges, the hike ends alongside the Demer.

Starting from the Testelt church, the red trail follows the same initial path as the blue route (5.8 km). Once you descend from the small copse, turn right this time. After passing several bodies of water, we enter the nature reserve. With no clearly defined path, we follow the course of the stream that flows through this vast meadow.

At the end of the path, we walk a few meters along the main road (we agree, it's not the nicest part of the hike) before returning to nature by taking a small path behind the Zichem train station. We then come across a small park with a playground and some unusual places for picnics, like a giant bench or an old ship.

We then pass an old mill and continue the Demerbroeken hike following the Demer back to the start of the loop: Testelt church.

We hope this immersion in the Demer Valley has pleased you and will inspire you for your next trips to Belgium. Don't hesitate to tag us on Instagram if you undertake this hike!

You don't have a car? No problem, the Dermerbroeken hike is accessible by train from several Belgian stations. It's an opportunity to get out of the house and discover the Flemish Brabant through the Demer valley.