Scherpenheuvel-Zichem is to the northeast of the province of Flemish Brabant
it’s been Belgium’s most popular pilgrimage site
But it’s especially in May that pilgrims from all over the globe flock to this little town to light candles and pray
Anyone visiting Scherpenheuvel-Zichem can spot it from miles away – the Basilica of Our Lady of Scherpenheuvel
Its gigantic dome is crowned with a lustrous scattering of 298 gilt stars
Not only is Our Lady of Scherpenheuvel Belgium’s most famous basilica
The basilica and square are designed as a heptagram
symbolic of Mary’s seven sorrows and seven joys
the basilica is ringed by cheerful stalls selling statues
You might also hear a melody or two from the carillon if you’re lucky
Another sacred, historic site in Scherpenheuvel-Zichem is Averbode Abbey
Norbertine monks have called this area home for over 900 years
Visitors are welcome to explore the courtyard and part of the abbey church all week long
For the curious among us looking for a sneak peek behind closed abbey walls
there’s a guided tour every Sunday at 3 pm
To experience and enjoy Averbode’s unique products
drop by the experience centre and café – Het Moment.
Tucked behind Averbode Abbey, you’ll find a beautiful forest and richly textured, colourful heathland. You’ll come across this nature reserve’s very best spots on the Norbertine Walk (9.3 km)
your walk involves a stroll down Ice Cream Lane [de Lekdreef]: a car-free street lined with ice cream carts during the summer
Plunk down on one of the lane’s benches and enjoy an ice cream in nature’s good company
(It’s also a great spot for people-watching!)
just follow the nodes: 100 – 85 – 86 – 75 – 274 – 76 – 87 – 90 – 100 – 98 – 107 – 384 – 144 – 286 – 104 – 91 – 96 – 100
Tip: Those red & white roadside signs should be a familiar sight. It’s an ingenious – but simple! –navigation system for hiking enthusiasts. You can use the nodes to chart your own walk. Just use this tool
Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Travel Tomorrow (@traveltomorrow.eu)
Up for a challenge? Meet the Dwars door het Hageland Gravel Route
This bike ride is 75 km long and involves some heavy endurance climbs (500 altimeters)
Cycle the mud runs of the Demerbroeken and plunge through the woods of Averbode on this route
Back in the day (the Middle Ages), Zichem found itself at the crossroads of the Duchy of Brabant and the County of Loon. And that made its safeguarding priority number one. Consequently, one Reinier II van Schoonvorst commissioned the construction of a watchtower, the Maagdentoren
This colossal stone and brickwork structure appeared on the banks of the Demer River in the 14th century
Now you can climb all the way to the top for a stunning vista of the Demer River Valley
The streets and town life of Zichem often served as a backdrop for Ernest Claes’ books. His young adult bestseller, De Witte, is a great example. A new 3-km kidtastic loop trail
‘Explore Zichem with De Witte’ (Dutch: ‘Met De Witte door Zichem’)
crosses several spots featured in the tale
you and the kids are in for plenty of fun and games
Getting to Scherpenheuvel-Zichem by train is quick and easy. The city has two train stations, one in Zichem and one in Testelt. Going by bus? Route 35 from Leuven to Hasselt will get you there. Monday through Friday, you can catch a train going your way from either destination on the hour. Visit the SNCB website to plan your trip
The tourist’s go-to for a trip to Scherpenheuvel-Zichem is their website. For more walks and bike trips in the area, check out Flemish Brabant Tourism or subscribe to their monthly English newsletter
Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper function of the website
Statistics cookies collect information anonymously
This information helps us to understand how our visitors use our website
Pedersen keeps the race lead with second on stage 3
Yves Lampaert (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl)(Image credit: Sprint Cycling Agency)Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Soudal) dropped his chain during the time trial and fought to regain time(Image credit: SprintCyclingAgency)Rune Herregodts crashed(Image credit: SprintCyclingAgency)Daan Hoole (Trek-Segafredo) set the fastest early time(Image credit: SprintCyclingAgency)Yves Lampaert (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl) claimed the victory on stage 3 of the Baloise Belgium Tour
winning the 11.8-kilometre time trial from Scherpenheuvel to Zichem ahead of race leader Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo)
The Dane had a 17-second buffer on the Belgian time trial champion Lampaert at the start of the stage
and fought to a fine second place on the stage
giving up just seven seconds to hold onto the race lead
Pedersen's teammate Daan Hoole was third on the stage
having set the fastest early time and spent much of the afternoon in the hot seat
Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) was a distant 10th on the stage and 19 seconds down on Lampaert but held onto third overall by one second over Oscar Riesebeek (Alpecin-Fenix)
The stage win is Lampaert's first of the season
"I didn't have the best season so far and to win in my national jersey in Belgium in a time trial is not common
I'm very happy I could beat Mads Pedersen who is in really good shape
I'm really proud of my result today," said Lampaert
Results powered by FirstCycling
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Cyclingnews is the world's leader in English-language coverage of professional cycling
Started in 1995 by University of Newcastle professor Bill Mitchell
the site was one of the first to provide breaking news and results over the internet in English
The site was purchased by Knapp Communications in 1999
and owner Gerard Knapp built it into the definitive voice of pro cycling
major publishing house Future PLC has owned the site and expanded it to include top features
The site continues to be the most comprehensive and authoritative English voice in professional cycling
Amsterdam Bear Pride took place this past June
As part of the festivities the bears in attendance elected the new Mr
Event organizer Dirk Metzlar-Rudolph described the election process for us:
The first part is an in-depth interview with the five-membered jury (or judges)
and a Board Member of Pride Amsterdam.
The second part was the evening public presentation of the candidates
The audience got a voting coin at the entrance
The contestants then had an interview with the hostess Dora Royale and a presentation round where the candidates were able to present themselves and their plans to the audience
the audience members were able to vote for their favorites by dropping their coin in the ballot box of their chosen candidate. “
The judges accounted for 70% of the vote ration and the audience made up the balance 30%
This year’s competition saw the first ever trans-bear competing for the title but in the end
BWM: Can you tell us a bit about your background
Dany: I always admired bears and felt comfortable being around them
BWM: What made you want to compete for the title
Dany: I entered the competition because I believe that I can be a good representative of the Bear Community and because of the principles I stand for which iareacceptance
respect and cooperation with other communities beyond ours
BWM: How was your experience competing
Dany: It was an exciting and beautiful experience being one of the contestants
partly because of my husband’s health issues
During the election night there were short interviews
My favorite part was when I could show the audience through my act what I stand for
BWM: What are the responsibilities associated with your title
supporting communities who need help (like the trans community)
being at other title holder elections as a representative of the Bear Community in the Netherlands
BWM: What are your goals for your title year
Dany: My goal is to create awareness for homeless young lgbtiq+ people who have been shown the door by their parents just because of who they are
and I want to share it in order to help them
to show them that you can achieve a happy and successful life
I am reaching out to other organizations that are supporting and sheltering these vulnerable people
BWM: What are some important issues you feel that need to be addressed in the bear/ leather communities
Dany: We need to take inclusiveness and diversity more seriously
especially for transgender and non-binary people
I am very proud that my fellow contestant in the election was a trans bear and I can’t wait to work with him to organize a community event which will include everyone who identifies as a bear
Keep up with Dany, Mr. Bear Netherlands on social media on Facebook and Instagram
Our Staff Writing Team works hard to bring you great content and share news & events from the bear community and beyond
he is the best ambassador for our community in the Netherlands and Europe
Bear World Magazine is a Gray Jones Media brand, visit www.grayjonesmedia.com for more info
Bear World Magazine reaches over 1.6 million people per month through our website and socials
Download the 2024 Bear World Magazine Intro Deck here.
To advertise, please contact advertising@grayjonesmedia.com
If you want to contact us with feedback, or if you have a story, please email: editor@bearworldmagazine.com
The element requested is either not valid or does not exist
a Norbertine abbey in Scherpenheuvel-Zichem (Flemish Brabant) has emerged as Belgium’s hotspot for exorcisms
More than 1,000 exorcisms take place here every year
Historian Kristof Smeyers (Leuven University) and "Geert"
explains the renewed popularity of 'devil exorcisms'
An 'exorcism' may mainly have seemed something from the past
"I do 3 exorcisms a week and not a day goes by without new requests," Geert
but his real name is known to our news team)
in addition to his pastoral work "to listen to these people's stories and to try to set them free"
"I often hear that even in other parishes they can hardly keep up with the demand"
"Exorcism has been around for a very long time," explains historian Kristof Smeyers (KU Leuven)
His research 'Devil's Displeasure' tries to chart the history of exorcism in Flanders
the church felt that there was a need to incorporate these practices
the procedure was then written down step by step
Not much has changed since that day."
Geert learnt about exorcism from such works
"There are also courses in exorcism in Rome and I would like to take one someday
Exorcisms are not actually that spectacular
unlike how they are sometimes portrayed in films like 'The Exorcist'."
If it doesn't happen like in the famous horror movie
"It starts with an exploratory conversation," Geert explains
This is followed by a long prayer to set him free
"The essence of an exorcism is engaging in dialogue with evil," adds historian Kristof Smeyers
people who are possessed do not display uniform symptoms
"These symptoms change a lot over the centuries," he explains
it’s mainly "physical symptoms" that occur
alarm bells go off when someone shows abnormal behaviour"
Think of 'accidents' that occur but seem to have no explanation
They can raise suspicions of the devil."
The historian does see a clear distinction between those who are convinced "that the devil dwells within them" and those whose surroundings are convinced of it
"There’s a disproportionate number of women who are said to be possessed by the devil or demons
There is a dominant theory that women are more prone to sinfulness and evil."
Geert sees a pattern in the people who come to him
"They are people who are stuck and cannot move forward in life and blame it on the presence of a superhuman force
People have less to hold on to and find it harder to explain things."
Can exorcism offer these people real liberation
"It doesn't happen automatically” explains Geert ,”but about half the people say they feel better and are able to move forward once again."
Alpecin-Deceuninck rider beats Fabio Jakobsen
The Dutchman spent much of the day on the attack
but he still summoned up the strength to lead out the sprint for Philipsen after he was caught in the last 2km
Fabio Jakobsen (Soudal-QuickStep) was closing rapidly on Philipsen in the closing metres
but he had to settle for second place in Scherpenheuvel-Zichem
while Timothy Dupont (Tarteletto - Isorex) took third place
Van der Poel led Philipsen all the way to the 100m to go marker
and he still took sixth on the stage after sitting up in the closing metres
Philipsen will wear the race leader’s jersey on Thursday after claiming the winner’s 10-second time bonus
while Van der Poel helped himself to eight seconds in bonuses thanks to his efforts in the ‘Golden Kilometre’ intermediate sprints in the finale
The circuit race took place largely on Philipsen’s training roads
and there was no shortage of support for De Flam van Ham – the Flame from Ham – at the start in Scherpenheuvel-Zichem
after his teammate Van der Poel had set the race ablaze
Philipsen duly scorched to victory 165km later
there was a lot of support,” Philipsen said
To win here is a nice start to the Baloise Belgium Tour.”
no such thing as a straightforward day when Van der Poel is involved
This opening stage of the Baloise Belgium Tour offered the obvious prospect of a bunch sprint
but the afternoon took on an unexpected guise when Alpecin-Deceuninck launched a collective attack with 90km remaining
Joined by teammates Philipsen and Gianni Vermeersch
Van der Poel managed to bridge across to the day’s early break
forming a ten-man group at the front and sowing panic in the main peloton
Soudal-QuickStep and Lotto-Dstny scrambled in pursuit
and their furious chase would bring Van der Poel et al
The truce was never likely to be a lasting one with Van der Poel in this kind of mood
and the Dutchman duly threw himself into the attack again with 66km to go
Van der Poel was tracked by Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo)
Hugo Page (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty)
Ceriel Desal (Bingoal WB) and Rasmus Tiller (Uno-X) joining them to form a ten-man group on the front
The group built a maximum lead of 40 seconds over the bunch
where Israel Premier Tech were now leading the chase
When first De Pestel and then Stuyven punctured out of the break with 20km to go
it briefly looked as though the move might lose some momentum
but Van der Poel quickly steadied the ship with sharp accelerations on the cobbles of Kerkstraat and again on the climb of Wijndries with 12km to go
Tiller and De Buyst could follow Van der Poel’s pace on the latter climb
Jakobsen and Sam Welsford (DSM) were among the fast men briefly caught out when the bunch split
The leading quartet still had 20 seconds in hand when they reached the ‘Golden Kilometre’ with 9km to go
where Van der Poel picked up a total of eight bonus seconds after winning two of the three
That haul ensured Van der Poel had something to show for his aggression
but the repeated efforts can’t have helped the escapees’ prospects of staying clear
and they were duly swept up with a shade over 2km to go
Rather than end his day’s work there
Van der Poel simply shifted into a new role
slotting into his place in Philipsen’s lead-out train
Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Dstny) and Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X) also had support in the final kilometre
but it was Alpecin-Deceuninck who seized the initiative
Van der Poel took over inside the final 200m before Philipsen delivered a crisp finish to claim his second win of the week after his triumph at Elfstedenronde Brugge
Results powered by FirstCycling
More and more sightings of racoons are being reported in Flemish Brabant Province but also in the rest of Flanders according to the nature centre in Opglabbeek
a racoon near a chicken coop was filmed with a night camera
Quite a few racoons are already living in the wild in Wallonia
and there are now also more and more sightings in Flanders
Frederik Thoelen of the Opglabbeek shelter observes
"Ten years ago we got occasional reports
but they often concerned escaped animals from people who kept racoons illegally as pets
But now many more sightings are being reported
and these are racoons born in the wild from animals that escaped or were released in the past."
How many racoons are now roaming Flanders is not clear
otherwise we would have been getting even more reports
Most reports come from the Voer District in eastern Limburg
but we are getting reports from all over Flanders," says Frederik
though of course you shouldn't corner them
they can be annoying because they often go snooping around in rubbish bins or take up residence in attics and that can cause a nuisance
There are reports of racoons raiding nests of black storks
a lot of nest boxes put up for tawny owls have also been taken over by racoons."
That is why the racoon is on the list of invasive alien species
"That means they can no longer be kept as pets
Zoos can only keep these animals if they take special measures
the racoons have to be castrated or sterilised and should not be allowed to escape
Europe is very cautious about allowing racoons on European territory," says Frederik Thoelen
Racoons are hunted in most European countries
But for the time being that is not yet the case in Flanders
"The nature centre already has 20 years of experience catching and rehoming racoons in zoos
as long as we have the space and possibilities
That is why we are taking action and setting traps in places where racoons are regularly spotted
we hope to slow down and contain population growth," says Frederik