Herentals loop (21km)

It's getting colder and darker but that's no excuse to spend Sunday on the couch, so let's do a loop from Herentals in the province of Antwerp (~21km, almost flat). We will hike mostly in forest and marshland, and we should see some great autumn colours. We'll finish with an (optional) drink in Herentals before we catch the train home.

The weather forecast is surprisingly good at the time of writing - mostly sunny and 12C - but check for any changes before Sunday. The path may be muddy and slippery in places so wear good shoes, preferably walking boots.

We will walk at an average speed of 5km/h. This is quite fast. We will walk both on paved and unpaved roads. I’ve never walked this route before, so it’s possible there are some mistakes in the planning.

You can find the GPX track here: https://mapy.com/s/cavujoceho (route may be slightly updated before Sunday)

Meeting point and train
We will meet outside Starbucks in Brussels Central station at 8:45.
The train IC3108 (Antwerpen-Centraal) leaves from platform 5 at 9:04 (you can also join this train at Brussels Zuid at 8:59 or Brussels Noord at 9:10).
We arrive in Antwerpen-Berchem at 9:50 and change on to IC4230 (Turnhout), leaving from platform 5 at 9:59. It arrives in Herentals at 10:23.

Train tickets
- Single Brussels to Herentals, €8.50 or €3.40 with Train+
- Single Herentals to Brussels, €8.50 or €3.40 with Train+

Train back to Brussels
There are connections at xx:38 and xx:58 each hour from Herentals to Brussels, changing at Antwerpen-Berchem, and also at xx:19 changing at Antwerpen-Berchem and Brussels Airport. The journey takes 1h20-1h30 minutes to Central station.

Specifics
Distance: ~21 km
Elevation gain: ~90 m
Net walking time: ~5h
Level: Easy

In the unlikely case of too bad weather, we may cancel a hike, even a few hours before the event. If this happens, we will of course update the Meetup website and send out a message to those registered. So, it is important to have access to either the Meetup.com website and/or your email.

What to bring
- lunch - we will not stop at a cafe/restaurant for lunch
- comfortable hiking clothes – waterproof hiking shoes
- extra socks to change + compeed for blisters
- water (min 2l) and enough food for the breaks
- sun protection oil, a head and sunglasses OR a raincoat
(please consult the weather forecast on www.meteo.be)
- mosquito/tick repellent
- some money for drinks/snacks/etc

Basic rules
The number of participants is limited, so make sure that you RSVP only if you really intend to come. If your plans change, update your RSVP asap. This is basic courtesy towards others. Last day cancellations, no-shows and Internet warriors are not appreciated.
Only people whose name appears on the main list may come to the hike.

Acknowledgement of member responsibility and release of liability
You are responsible for yourself and should be fit enough if you choose to take part. As participation in this event is strictly voluntary and you freely choose to join, it is the responsibility of individuals participating to ensure that they are fit enough and have adequate coverage to protect themselves. By signing up for this event, you agree to release the organisers from any responsibility and liability.