This ride starts at the train station, following Stationsweg towards the town centre. At the intersection, cross the road and turn left onto the bike path, descending along the restored city walls that enclose the old town.

At the base of the hill is a worn brick city gate, the 14th-century Morenpoort. Pass underneath the arch and turn left onto the quiet bike path that runs inside the walls. A modest canal where swans drift is lined with restored buildings and small flower gardens – a tempting spot for a rest.

At the intersection with the main road, turn left. Pass the mini golf on your right and the basketball courts on your left. Looking back, you get the first good view of Tongeren; perched on top of the hill, the basilica tower rises above the tiled roofs.

Follow the signs for path 116, which runs along the canal and passes through a residential area, eventually coming to a hippodrome. Horses and jockeys are often out training here. Switch to path 117, and you eventually return to the hippodrome along a small canal.

This residential area mixes modern and traditional styles, with futuristic houses dotted among the classic red Flemish roofs. Then it’s back to Flemish countryside on cycle path 128.

Now follow the signs past several farms and take path 129 to climb up to a ridge. The fields spread below you on either side, with a beautiful view of Tongeren opening up on the right. Here you gain a sense of space that can be hard to find in the flatter areas of Flanders.

The path now descends among a cluster of houses, passing a small, restored 13th- century church. Take path 107 to reach a busy road, and then take the first left to get back to the quiet country lanes. Now follow routes 107 to 111 and then 112, passing through more farmland and up a steep climb to the (aptly named!) town of Berg (hill).

Beyond Berg, the route becomes a dirt road, wending through the close moorland of the De Kevie nature reserve, a far cry from the expansive hilltops passed earlier. Bird calls echo as the path runs along below an arcade of trees.

Pass under the railway line and back into the residential area, again following path 116. On returning to the intersection with the basketball courts, retrace your earlier route, with the courts on the right and the mini golf to the left.

Follow the path back along the city walls. You can either return uphill to the train station or follow signs to the centre to enjoy a beer on one of the café terraces next to the basilica.

Distance:

18 kilometers for the loop

Difficulty:

Moderate. Tongeren is on a hill, and the ride climbs and descends around it

Time:

A little over an hour