Beyond the Dessel-Schoten Canal, the peaceful Ossenweg winds its way toward Merksplas-Kolonie. Since the 19th century, the extensive domain of buildings and land has housed many vagrants and beggars. They cleared and cultivated the surrounding lands. Today, it is home to a prison and a closed center for the Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers.

In the former pigsty of the large farm, you'll find a beautiful visitor center. Here, you can experience the story of Merksplas-Kolonie and the nearby Wortel-Kolonie (UNESCO World Heritage) for free. Beneath the Landloperskapel, you'll discover a prison museum. Nearby, Brasserie Colonie 7 awaits with a large terrace in the courtyard. During the summer, you can treat yourself to a scoop of ice cream here.

Beyond Merksplas-Kolonie, you cycle across the Blakheide, through a typical Kempen forest landscape. Along the way, you'll pass Het Blak, an extensive sand extraction pit that nature has reclaimed. Through the birdwatching hide, you can observe waterfowl. At the edge of Blakheide, the first house you’ll encounter is an ice cream parlor and coffee shop.

For a stretch, you’ll follow the Dessel-Schoten Canal. The construction of this canal in the 19th century brought calcium-rich water from the Maas to the poor heathland, making the Kempen more fertile for agriculture.

At the southern edge of Oostmalle, the freely accessible castle grounds of de Renesse await. At the Het Koetshuis brasserie, you can enjoy a pancake, waffle, or a quick snack.

Via the hamlet of Salphen, with its picturesque St. Anthony Chapel, you’ll cycle to Zoersel. In the center – a short detour from junction 54 – you can visit the Lindepaviljoen on weekends. The final stretch immerses you once again in nature. First, you’ll pass through the Blommerschot forests. Wechelderzande greets you through the Visbeek valley, and then you’ll meander along forest paths back to De Lilse Bergen.