Bicycle loop The white gold of Mol

Mol was put on the map by quartz sand. During this cycle route you travel through the history of white sand mining. Along the way you will come across several places where you can put your bike aside. Enjoy the view, stop for a snack or a drink. It's all possible in #MooiMol!

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2502103 Fietsfolder - Het witte goud van Mol - DEF.pdf
3.6 Mb pdf

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Unusable!

During the digging of the Kempen canals in the nineteenth century, workers came across a layer of white sand. “Unusable for agriculture” was the verdict and the sand remained on the canal banks.

Recreational areas and nature reserves

Around 1850, a Walloon skipper who was transporting a load of sand to the glassworks of Liège took a sample. The quartz sand from Mol turned out to be of exceptional quality. Intensive exploitation started. The area around the Kempen canals changed into a patchwork of large lakes. Some lakes grew into recreational areas, others evolved into beautiful nature reserves.