An alternative hill walk IV

Chateau Neercanne, once a proud residence, now a Michelin restaurant with a terrace overviewing the Jeker valley. This is the only terrace build castle in the Netherlands, since the Netherlands are flat in general; only this south part, which is more Belgium geographically spoken; but also in culture and attitude...

The last bit of the Netherlands; the village downhill: Kanne, is Belgium already; however, a border is hard to find, even before Europe’s Schengen-treaty the Benelux faded all borders within the three countries. But there are still differences; especially a bit more to the left where French-speaking Belgium begins, and the Jeker river is called the Geer.

However Kanne, at the foot of Mount Kanne, and Mount Saint Peter, situated at the Albert canal, where this waterway cuts the valley. Famous because of its caves on both sides of the canal: men-made holes in the slopes of the marl hills from which they built houses, churches, and even a castle. It must have bin hard labor to saw the blocks, deeper and deeper into the rock, until they needed a map to find their way. And even now-a-days it happens that people get lost and die in the labyrinth under one of the hills. Not often, and mostly children who manage to sneak into one of the old mines...

Kanne is one of Belgiums’ most beautiful villages, and therefore a paradise for trotters, bikers, and day-trippers. An abundance of terraces to shelter all those who want a refreshment while enjoying the views on the surrounding hills. It is an old village with a famous little monument: the chapel of the Holy Grave, but how this grave ended up in Kanne, no-one knows...

The oldest buildings still standing in Kanne, are from the late 16th century. Marl-block houses, still fierce and upright at the shores of river Jeker. An old mill can still be visited, and is still working the power of the river water.

Also on the left bank of the river, where the village is newer, where those who could afford it built more modern places to live, and where also the slopes of Mount Saint Peter begin, is worthwhile to trot. Kanne is not big; even by foot you are out of town in no time, back in the hills, the nature, where the birds already sing their songs to welcome…

to be continued…

An alternative walk III

The Canner wood, above Chateau Neercanne, is an old leftover of a forest that once covered the slopes and top of Mount Canne, before most of the surface was turned into agriculture. It is a left-alone-area, and even this early in the year (beginning of March) it is blooming with wild flowers. The steep paths are some practice for your knees, while climbing or descending. It are those slopes, that are too steep, which were not interesting for farmland, that it is saved so nicely. No economical value: then leave as is!

And that is shown: fallen trees all over, but which gives the area a paintable structure, a romantic mood, which can also be at the dark side after the evening falls. It is easy to imagine the old Buck-riders here; those bands of robbers who raided the surrounding farms and villages, leaving the people in fear, and believing that they were robbed by the devil himself.

There are still no leaves at the trees, which will change in a short while, and this gives an open atmosphere; the blue sky on top, that will color green in a month or so. The trails covered in green already; moss, grass and little weeds. It is still Winter officially, but this part of Europe doesn’t seem to know what that is anymore; a long stretched Spring, some cold nights, but barely frost.

The paths on the slope are cut out by rainfall and generations of men crossing from one valley to another, as all valleys are situated parallel here: the cut-outs of rivers; small and mighty, like the Jeker and the Meuse. They did the digging what forces us to climb and descend now. They shaped the hills, and therefore the landscape.

At places the marl rock shows through the vegetation; that is where these hills look like real mountains; but the highest summit in this area is just over 170 meters... But still; if one has to climb it, it can be quite impressive...

Youngsters use the wood as their playground; signs everywhere, like ropes hanging down from fallen trees, used as a bridge over a shallow canyon, or an instrument to play Tarzan in the African jungle of Dutch South Limburg; shouting! And that is what most of the visitors do: speaking too loud, why no-one sees or hears any animals that live here. The surface too small, and yet I saw many tracks of hares, foxes and deer. In the sky circles an eagle, looking for prey that is also shouted away from him. He has to be hungry because men cannot keep their mouth shut; not even in nature, as long as they can be reached over their portables. Why men; there are definitely too many of us if nature can’t be quite and live their own life anymore...

To be continued...

Through Vroenhoven

A small village in Belgium, just across the Dutch border, and part of the larger community Riemst. A perfect place for cheaper shopping, but also loads of farm-land to walk through, to trot in the surroundings; with on one side the magical village Kanne, and on the other Lanaken community. For the best viewing result go to YouTube: Through Vroenhoven