Fietsen door het Water (Cycling Through Water)

A cycling path sunk below the water level of a lake — cyclists appear to ride through the water itself

Address Cycling path near Bokrijk, Genk

Fietsen door het Water is exactly what it sounds like: a cycling path that passes through a lake, sunk just below the water surface so that riders travel at water level with the lake on both sides. The result is a visual effect that's genuinely disconcerting — water rises to eye height on each side, ducks swim past at the same level, and the flat Kempen landscape recedes as you enter what feels like a shallow aquarium.

The path is part of the cycling network around the Bokrijk domain and the Kattevennen forest. It's a short stretch rather than a major route — the point is the experience, not the distance. Go in the morning when the light is good and the path is less crowded, and combine it with a visit to Bokrijk next door.

Bring a bicycle (rental is available in Genk) or arrive by cycling from Hasselt along the well-marked cycling routes through the Kempen landscape. The path is free to use and open year-round.

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The path was designed to allow cyclists to experience the natural world at water level without disturbing the wildlife around the lake. The engineering is simple — a concrete channel just below the surface — but the visual effect of water rising on both sides to eye level as you cycle has made it one of the most photographed cycling curiosities in Belgium.