A guide will take you on an exploration of the unique landscape and reveal the fascinating story of the Lommel Sahara. Topics covered include its formation, the digging of the Kempens Canal, the area's afforestation, sand extraction, the Sahara as an important archaeological site, and more.
Tip: You can extend this walk with "Explosions and Sparks in the Sahara" or "A Meeting with Prehistory in the Sahara."
- Distance: 4 km
- Duration: 1.5 to 2 hours
- Starting Point: De Soeverein, Sportveldenstraat 10, Lommel
- Price: €70 per guide for the first 2 hours, €35 for each additional hour
- Max: 25 people per guide
Extension Options:
- Explosions and Sparks in the Sahara (+2.5 km and 1 to 1.5 hours): Did you know the Sahara once served as a testing ground for Poudreries Réunies de Belgique? You can still find mysterious remnants of this unique piece of industrial-archaeological history.
- A Meeting with Prehistory in the Sahara (+3.5 km and 1.5 to 2 hours): During this walk, an archaeologist will guide you to several prehistoric hotspots.
Kattenrijt in Kattenbos is a fantastic landscape to walk through, featuring valuable natural and cultural history: people have lived and worked in this area for over 14,000 years! Through ten landscape spots, you’ll discover the traces of Kattenrijt and gain a new perspective on the area.
- Distance: 5 km
- Duration: 2 to 2.5 hours
- Starting Point: Taverne 'De Vijf Linden', Zandstraat 18, Lommel
- Price: €70 per guide for the first 2 hours, €35 for each additional hour
- Max: 25 people per guide
Lommel-Werkplaatsen owes its origin and growth to a rich industrial past. Starting in 1904, Lommel became part of the industrialization wave of the Kempen when the German Schulte family built a zinc and sulfuric acid factory: the 'N.V. Société Métallurgique de Lommel'. Although the factory was long ago demolished, the workers' neighborhood (a garden city modeled after English designs) still remains. Additionally, Lommel-Werkplaatsen is home to Mariapark, the pilgrimage site of Northern Limburg.
- Distance: 3 to 3.5 km
- Duration: 1.5 to 2 hours
- Starting Point: Zaal 'De Moffel', Martinus Van Gurplaan 39, Lommel
- Price: €70 per guide for the first 2 hours, €35 for each additional hour
- Max: 25 people per guide
The Lommel hamlet ‘Kolonie’ owes its name and origin to the agricultural experiment that the Belgian government set up around 1850 on the Heuvelse Heide. During this walk, you’ll discover the transformation of a barren heathland into a lively hamlet.
- Distance: 4 km
- Duration: 1.5 to 2 hours
- Starting Point: Archeohuis De Kolonie 77, Lommel
- Price: €70 per guide for the first 2 hours, €35 for each additional hour
- Max: 25 people per guide
During the liberation of Lommel in September 1944, the capture of Bridge 9 over the Kempens Canal in Lommel-Barrier (better known as Joe’s Bridge) played a crucial role. This bridge was the starting point for Operation Market Garden, where Allied troops advanced through Lommel, Valkenswaard, and Eindhoven to Nijmegen. This guided walk takes you to places central to this military operation and provides insights into the liberation of Lommel-Centrum and the dramatic story of the hostages at the church and the clinic.
- Distance: 3 km
- Duration: 1.5 hours
- Starting Point: Erfgoedhuis De Barrier, Luikersteenweg 244, Lommel
- Price: €70 per guide for the first 2 hours, €35 for each additional hour
- Max: 25 people per guide
