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Family-Friendly Hikes in Flanders

479 routes in Flanders qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 3.7 km and 82 m (269 ft) of ascent.

That is 51 percent of the 939 routes we map in Flanders. They are shorter than the local average, 3.7 km against 12.5 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day. They also climb less than the area average, 82 m (269 ft) against 276 m (906 ft), so they suit a recovery day or a group with mixed fitness.

Family routes here are short, gently graded and interesting enough to keep younger legs moving. Every one is under seven kilometres with limited climbing. Most of these are on the gentler end, which makes the list a good starting point if you are new to the area. A good share of them are loops, so you can park once and finish where you started.

Trails

Easy

GR 579 Liaison Jesus-Eik

Nationaal Park Brabantse Wouden · Flanders

Distance
1.5 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
34 m
Typical duration
22 min
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Easy

Mechels Bos Oranje bol

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
5.6 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
123 m
Typical duration
1 hr 21 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Mechels Bos aanlooproute

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
12 m
Typical duration
8 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Mechels bos Groene rechthoek

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
3.7 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
82 m
Typical duration
54 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

't Plat - Gele zeshoek

Nationaal Park Bosland · Flanders

Distance
4.0 km
/ 2.5 mi
Elevation gain
89 m
Typical duration
59 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

't Plat aanlooproute

Nationaal Park Bosland · Flanders

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
17 m
Typical duration
11 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Bergerven Groene rechthoek

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
2.7 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
60 m
Typical duration
40 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Bergerven Groene rechthoek

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
4.2 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
92 m
Typical duration
1 hr 1 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Bessemer Groene rechthoek

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
5.6 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
124 m
Typical duration
1 hr 22 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Damvallei - Damvalleimeerpad

Nationaal Park Scheldevallei · Flanders

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
39 m
Typical duration
26 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

De Kolonie Groene rechthoek

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
63 m
Typical duration
42 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Donderslag Blauwe ruit

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
6.1 km
/ 3.8 mi
Elevation gain
135 m
Typical duration
1 hr 29 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Donderslag Groene rechthoek

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
4.2 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
92 m
Typical duration
1 hr 1 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Donderslag Groene rechthoek

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
5.2 km
/ 3.3 mi
Elevation gain
115 m
Typical duration
1 hr 16 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Hazendalwandeling

Nationaal Park Brabantse Wouden · Flanders

Distance
3.6 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
80 m
Typical duration
53 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Heiderbos Groene rechthoek

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
4.5 km
/ 2.8 mi
Elevation gain
98 m
Typical duration
1 hr 5 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Hoefaert Groene rechthoek

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
68 m
Typical duration
45 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Holven Groene rechthoek

Nationaal Park Bosland · Flanders

Distance
3.3 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
73 m
Typical duration
48 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Holven Oranje bol

Nationaal Park Bosland · Flanders

Distance
6.0 km
/ 3.7 mi
Elevation gain
131 m
Typical duration
1 hr 26 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

In den Brand Blauwe ruit

Nationaal Park Bosland · Flanders

Distance
4.3 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
94 m
Typical duration
1 hr 2 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

In den Brand Rode driehoek

Nationaal Park Bosland · Flanders

Distance
5.4 km
/ 3.3 mi
Elevation gain
118 m
Typical duration
1 hr 18 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Kattenbos Groene rechthoek

Nationaal Park Bosland · Flanders

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
48 m
Typical duration
32 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Kerkhoven Oranje bol

Nationaal Park Bosland · Flanders

Distance
5.5 km
/ 3.4 mi
Elevation gain
122 m
Typical duration
1 hr 20 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Kikbeekbron Blauwe ruit

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
4.6 km
/ 2.8 mi
Elevation gain
100 m
Typical duration
1 hr 6 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Kikbeekbron Groene rechthoek

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
58 m
Typical duration
38 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Kleinbroekpad

Nationaal Park Scheldevallei · Flanders

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
56 m
Typical duration
37 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Litzberg Blauwe ruit

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
6.5 km
/ 4.0 mi
Elevation gain
142 m
Typical duration
1 hr 33 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Litzberg Groene rechthoek

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
67 m
Typical duration
44 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Mechelse Heide Blauwe ruit

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
5.5 km
/ 3.4 mi
Elevation gain
120 m
Typical duration
1 hr 19 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Mechelse Heide Gele zeshoek

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
5.5 km
/ 3.4 mi
Elevation gain
121 m
Typical duration
1 hr 20 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Moorsberg Paarse trapezium

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
6.3 km
/ 3.9 mi
Elevation gain
139 m
Typical duration
1 hr 31 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Munsterbos Blauwe ruit

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
4.8 km
/ 3.0 mi
Elevation gain
106 m
Typical duration
1 hr 10 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Munsterbos Groen rechthoek

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
4.0 km
/ 2.5 mi
Elevation gain
88 m
Typical duration
58 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Munsterbos Rode driehoek

Hoge Kempen National Park · Flanders

Distance
6.2 km
/ 3.8 mi
Elevation gain
135 m
Typical duration
1 hr 29 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

GR 12 Connection GR 512

Flanders · Belgium

Distance
5.6 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
123 m
Typical duration
1 hr 21 min
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Easy

GR 122 Variant Zottegem

Flanders · Belgium

Distance
3.4 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
76 m
Typical duration
50 min
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
GR 512 Brabantse Heuvelroute Variant Bivakzone MeerdaalwoudNationaal Park Brabantse Wouden4.7 km102 m1 hr 7 minEasyApril to October
GR 579 Liaison Jesus-EikNationaal Park Brabantse Wouden1.5 km34 m22 minEasyApril to October
La Butte aux Bois Groene rechthoekHoge Kempen National Park5.3 km118 m1 hr 17 minEasyApril to October
Mechels Bos Oranje bolHoge Kempen National Park5.6 km123 m1 hr 21 minEasyApril to October
Mechels Bos aanlooprouteHoge Kempen National Park0.5 km12 m8 minEasyApril to October
Mechels bos Groene rechthoekHoge Kempen National Park3.7 km82 m54 minEasyApril to October
't Plat - Gele zeshoekNationaal Park Bosland4.0 km89 m59 minEasyApril to October
't Plat aanlooprouteNationaal Park Bosland0.8 km17 m11 minEasyApril to October
Bergerven Groene rechthoekHoge Kempen National Park2.7 km60 m40 minEasyApril to October
Bergerven Groene rechthoekHoge Kempen National Park4.2 km92 m1 hr 1 minEasyApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with GR 512 Brabantse Heuvelroute Variant Bivakzone Meerdaalwoud, GR 579 Liaison Jesus-Eik, Mechels Bos aanlooproute. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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