A 112-metre-high witness hill, views across valleys and farmland, and Roman and religious heritage give Gooik several different points of interest for a stay. Kesterheide is the highest point in the Pajottenland; along the Woestijnwandeling, landscapes and chapel history lie side by side. When planning your trip, you can decide whether nature, activity or culture will shape your stay.
Hills, Valleys and Paddenbroek
Kesterheide lies on a witness hill of iron sandstone from the former Diestian Sea. Around Kester, dry loess ridges alternate with farmland and pastures, and wetter valleys where deciduous woodland is common. These contrasts describe the landscape better than any single viewpoint: hills and open areas stand opposite wooded valleys.
On and around Kesterheide, Natuurpunt manages three nature areas covering a total of 30 hectares. The Ninove–Halle road separates the areas. The Plattelandscentrum Paddenbroek is in Gooik, at the foot of Kesterheide, along an old tram route. The farm complex includes a standard fruit orchard, ponds, an organic vegetable garden, a bread oven and an apiary. Different elements of a rural farm and garden landscape come together on the grounds.
The Plattelandscentrum offers guided packages on its own grounds. Children can use the nature playground. As facilities may change, it is advisable to confirm their current status before visiting.
On Foot or by Mountain Bike
The Woestijnwandeling offers views across farmland, the Molenbeek valley and Kesterheide. It also passes the Woestijnkapel, a centuries-old pilgrimage site. This makes the choice of activity clear: the walk focuses on landscapes and the chapel, while the Hamertjesroute is a 47-kilometre mountain bike route with three loops. These details describe different formats without specifying a walking or cycling time.
Those who would rather explore the area through specific cultural and historical sites will also find a point of interest on the Woestijnwandeling: the chapel is also known as the Heilige Kruiskapel and is located on Woestijnstraat in Gooik. Its origins date back to the 13th century, when an image of the Yellow Cross from around 1280 was found. The route thus combines views across the landscape with a place whose history reaches back to the Middle Ages.
Roman Heritage and Living Culture
The Gallo-Roman vicus of Kester developed at the crossroads of two Roman roads and was inhabited from the 1st century AD. It is one of the best-preserved Roman vici in Flanders. The Paardenprocessie of Kester offers another connection to regional culture: in 2023, it was included in Flanders’ Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The Folk Instrument Museum offers another way to explore cultural history. It displays around 400 old folk instruments from the collection of Herman Dewit. An interactive tour includes a musician demonstrating the instruments; visitors may also be able to try them out themselves. The collection and tour put music centre stage, while the vicus sheds light on Roman settlement in the area.
At De Cam, you can book a guided tour followed by a tasting; advance reservations are recommended. Check whether reservations are available before you travel. Alongside landscapes and history, this gives you a choice of culinary activities and an insight into music when planning your stay.
Plan Your Stay Around Your Interests
The activities mentioned offer different points of focus and do not need to be combined into a fixed route. This leaves room to choose individual themes rather than treating all the stops as one complete programme.
Discover more destinations: Geetbets, Genval, Rixensart, Tielt-Winge, Bertem, Steenokkerzeel, Glabbeek, Sint-Pieters-Leeuw.
For the broader travel overview: Brabant.
