Klein Schietveld

Details: Parent Category: Province of Antwerp; Category: Antwerp - Walks; Last Updated: 25 September 2021; Hits: 568

Easy

This beautiful walk goes through the woods and heathland of the Klein Schietveld nature reserve all the way around Brasschaat airport.

Klein Schietveld

Klein Schietveld

Distance: 11 km

Duration: 3h00

Grade: Easy

Gps track: Yes

Route description: Yes

Type: Circular

Height gain: Flat

Way mark: See PDF route description

Wheelchair: Not suitable

Dog: Allowed on a leach

We start at the airport of Brasschaat. This is one of the oldest airports in Belgium. Nearby is the Site Gunfire Brasschaat Museum. The airport is part of the military base of Maria-ter-Heide, which is part of the fortress belt around Antwerp. From there we enter the Klein Schietveld.

Small in name, but big in nature. The Klein Schietveld is called 'small' because of the proximity of its bigger brother Groot Schietveld. By Flemish standards, however, it is anything but small, a continuous piece of nature of almost 900 hectares and the military domain is partly accessible. Wet heaths and fens, dry heaths, inland dunes and barren grasslands merge seamlessly here. The heath landscape is the habitat for protected amphibians such as the moor frog, great crested newt and natterjack toad. Birds such as the woodlark and nightjar also love it. The first part of the walk goes east of the airport to the north, alternating through forest and heathland. Then we go via the western side through forest and heath, via hiking nodes, back to the starting point.

Paved and unpaved.

During wet periods, waterproof walking shoes are recommended

Due to the proximity of the large shooting range, you can sometimes hear bangs from the target practice. Especially hikers who bring their four-legged friend with them should take this into account.