Everyone who has ever been through National Park Bosland has cycled, knows the picture: you turn at the junction 272 The path between the pines slowly rises upwards. Until you hang at a height of 10 meters between the tree crowns. Cycling through the Trees It is now seven years old, but apparently still so good that the audience is flocking to the first place of the Public Prize Route of the Year 2025 voted.
The award is presented annually by RouteYou, the platform for recreational routes. No professional jury, but users decide the winner. The category: recreational cycling routes in Belgium, created by organizations. The route of Visit Limburg “A route that not only scores well on maps, but especially in the hearts of its users,” said RouteYou at the announcement at the end of December.
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Double circle bridge near Pijnven
Let's get the location right first, because that sometimes gets mixed up in the reporting. The bridge itself is at Painven in Hechtel-Eksel, near the border with Lommel. Both deep in Bosland, the largest contiguous forest area in Flanders.
The structure is a double circular bridge with a diameter of about 100 meters. Over a length of 700 meters Climb gradually to the tree canopy level. That might sound like a tourist attraction, but on a bike it feels different. The gradient is barely noticeable, the curve keeps turning, and before you know it you’re in the middle of the canopy.
The loop is accessible for cyclists, hikers and joggers.
The gift that keeps on giving.
The bridge opened in 2019 and already won gold in January 2020 International Design Awards in Los Angeles. That’s the architectural aspect of the story. The public prize of 2025 tells a different story: that people continue to ride the route, share it, and recommend it. That is more relevant to cyclists than a design trophy.
The winning route not only leads over the bridge itself, but also along the land dunes of Den Brand and the German Military Cemetery in Lommel. That contrast: climbing among the trees, then the silence of a cemetery.
Combine with a longer ride
For whom Cycling through the Trees wants to be built into a larger loop: the node network in Bosland lends itself perfectly to this. Through the nodes, you can easily travel a loop of 40 to 60 km through alternating forest, meadow and open grassland. The Lommese Sahara It is located within cycling distance, and along the way you alternate between shady forest paths with more open stretches.
The route is suitable for a recovery ride or a social ride. Coffee can be found everywhere in Limburg.
Another winner
In the category of routes created by individuals, the prize went to Deinze – Poelberg “Between the Leie and Mandel”, a loop of 41 km through the flax fields towards the Poelberg. Created by a user named Old-fashioned bicycle. That's not bad.
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.