The provincial park De Schorre tends to get overlooked in favour of its flashier rec rival to the north, Rivierenhof. But with De Schorre’s central location, open-air concerts and adventure sports, this little park really packs a punch.
Created in 1993 in the small town of Boom, De Schorre is one of the newest recreation areas in Flanders. The 75-hectare park is strategically located between Brussels, Mechelen and Antwerp and offers the chance to bike, boat, fish, walk and dance. If you are truly adventurous, you can even learn how to fly. De Schorre is built atop an old clay pit. In fact, this region was known for centuries for its clay mining and formidable brick industry – the park’s tagline is “een put vol pit” (“a pit full of power”). Reclaiming this industrial area was a clever move. The province has created both an economic boost for the region and a lovely green oasis.
You can rent waterfietsen (pedal boats) at the information centre by the half hour. Pedal boats are definitely not the most agile of water vessels, as my companion and I discovered when attempting to dock ours, but they really embody the carefree feeling of a beautiful summer day and are an entertaining way to explore the park’s ponds. Just don’t be surprised if the resident ducks and geese get up close and personal as you tour around. They are clearly used to getting handouts (which, as we all know, is not a good idea).
The park offers five kilometres of walking paths. Strolls along the three ponds are suitable for buggies and wheelchairs, but walks in the park’s wooded areas are not. About one-third of the park is set aside as a nature reserve. The perfect way to see this area is by foot. I especially enjoyed the vlonderpad (raised boardwalk) in the southwest portion of the park that takes you through a beautiful, boggy area and forest.
Check with the Rupelstreek-Vaartland tourist office for longer routes. You can connect up, for instance, with the extensive Rivierenland walking routes at De Schorre. This is an impressive network of 310 kilometres of hiking trails that are clearly marked with red signs and numbered junctions.
De Schorre rents bikes and is an excellent starting point for rides. You can begin the 49-kilometre Baksteenroute (brick route) through the Rupel region here. This scenic ride takes you through the countryside, past old villages and castles and along the banks of the Scheldt and Rupel rivers.
De Schorre is also home to mini-golf and both football and hockey fields, but if that’s not thrill-seeking enough for you, you should know that it’s also home to Flanders’ only accredited school of paragliding and paramotoring. Ikarus provides paragliding training right in the park. Founder Cris Claessens has been flying for 17 years, since he was 14 years old. He assures me that with their help you can learn the basics of paragliding in a few days.
Ikarus boasts a club with 100 members who participate in various trainings, trips abroad and competitions. Since the school’s inception seven years ago, more than 500 people (mostly from Flanders but also from as far as Mexico and Brazil) have been trained in the extreme sport.
Other extreme sports practiced at De Schorre include hang gliding and mountain boarding (think snowboard, but with wheels).
De Schorre has an on-site cafeteria that features a variety of snacks and light meals and an indoor playground just in case the rain falls. Parents will love the fact that the terrace is adjacent to the outdoor play area.
As if this weren’t enough, the park is also a popular venue for outdoor events. It is home to the free, multicultural Mano Mundo festival in May and plays host to Tomorrowland, the huge, two-day techno dance party, where 200 artists will perform next month.
There are several De Lijn busses that go directly to the domain, including 500 between Antwerp and Mechelen, 502 between Boom and Antwerp Rijnkaai, and 295 between Boom and Sint-Jansvliet.
If you want to go by train, you’ll need to walk (or bike) two kilometres to De Schorre from the Boom train station. But beware! Trains don’t stop in Boom at the weekend.
Provinciaal Recreatiecentrum De Schorre
Kapelstraat 83, Boom
Rivierenhof is called the groene long (green lung) of Antwerp. This 130-hectare domain features two castles, a rose garden and an arboretum, plus an abundance of activities, from the fairytale playground to mini-golf and fishing. Turnhoutsebaan 232, Antwerp
The centrepiece of the Zilvermeer is water. There are several lakes and white sand beaches formed by sand extraction where swimming, boating and fishing are now possible. The best par is only accessible to divers: the Atlantis underwater art museum. Zilvermeerlaan 2, Mol
De Nekker, meanwhile, is the place for sports, with football fields, tennis courts, an “adventure course” and skate park. There’s also a water playground for the kids and a lake for swimming, with beach. Cyclists and hikers can rent trekkers huts in the park for a reasonable rate. Nekkerspoel-Borcht 19, Mechelen
Your opinion matters!
Did you already fill out our satisfaction survey?
Flanders Today is a 
