Op verkenning in de Kalmthoutse Heide

From the Visit Kalmthout car park the loop heads north into the heath on sandy tracks and paths. It passes the Brandtoren, a 42 m fire and lookout tower whose visitor platform, 24 m up, looks out over the heath, and goes on to the Stappersven, one of the largest heath pools in Flanders, with its Stapper lookout tower. It passes the Doodendraad, a rebuilt stretch of the First World War border wire, with the statue Heldin, on the way out and again on the way back to the visitor centre. The Putse Moer, one of the larger pools of the heath, lies a short way south-west of the line.

It is 12.5 km round with no measurable ascent (on our height data the whole route lies between 20 and 26 m above sea level); allow about 3 hours; the grade is Moderate, from the length alone: sandy tracks and paths on open heath and in woods, with about a seventh of the way on roads; the ground is almost flat on our height data.

The heath flowers in August and September. Dogs are not allowed in the core area of the Kalmthoutse Heide (the central rest area) or in the grazing areas, even on a lead, except on the path round the Stappersven, and some walks cross them; the Visit Flanders page for this walk mentions grazing sheep, so do not count on taking a dog. Elsewhere dogs must be on a lead no longer than 2.5 m, except in the dog zone near the Vroente, the park's visitor centre. Visit Kalmthout's own dog walk of 8 or 12 km starts at the same place. The area is open from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset (the cycle path in the south and the path round the Stappersven are an exception), and the nature agency may close all or part of it for breeding birds, fire danger or management work; Natuur en Bos publishes fire and storm closures on its warnings page (natuurenbos.be/waarschuwingen). Sheep and cows graze the heath: keep your distance and do not feed them. The sandy heath can be surprisingly warm, and Visit Flanders suggests filling your water bottle at the free tap at the visitor centre.

The walk starts at the Visit Kalmthout visitor centre, Putsesteenweg 131, where the car park beside it is marked free on OpenStreetMap. Visit Flanders names Heide station for getting there by train.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.