ErfgoedApp continues to innovate: since early May 2024, it has featured new Boomerang tours. This feature allows users to start a customized heritage walk from any location. Within seconds, the app generates a personalized heritage route full of interesting heritage sites waiting to be explored.
The experience
Starting a route is very easy: open the app, click on the compass, and choose a Boomerang tour. You can choose from a small, medium, large, or extra-large tour. For this test, I chose the large route, which resulted in a walk of about 12 kilometers. Put on your walking shoes, grab a snack for the road, and... let's go!
The walk took me through the greenery of Edegem to Hof ter Linden. It was a great start: this 18th-century classicist castle and its surrounding grounds are the perfect hangout spot for those who enjoy a picnic and an aperitif in the sun.
The second point was about two kilometers further on, so I had no time to lose. On the map in the ErfgoedApp , I ErfgoedApp from the 'pluses' that I would be passing a lot of heritage sites that were not officially part of the walk. A nice bonus! Ignoring the siren song of the local brewery, I continued on to the Arendsnest, the second castle on this walk. Unfortunately, the castle turned out to be private property, so I had to content myself with a glance at the picturesque gatehouse.
However, this is where I encountered a minor flaw in the tour. The app sent me back the same way I had come. Fortunately, I spotted a lovely path through the greenery alongside the Edegem allotments. Walk saved!
The next stop was the statue 'Pride' at the historic town hall of Edegem.
I then passed the busy Hovestraat and continued my walk past the Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes and the adjacent Maria Grotto. With two castles, a statue, and a basilica, the route took me past a beautiful variety of fascinating heritage sites.
The next two locations were again in an arm that I would have to walk up and down. With a small adjustment to the route, I was able to make it into a single loop. Again, these were two castles on private property. The first was Hoveberg Castle, a family replacement home; the second stop was Cappenberg Castle, a special needs primary school. From a distance, I could just catch a glimpse of Hoveberg Castle through the fence. At Cappenberg Castle, I had to settle for the castle gate.Â
The penultimate stop took me past Mortsel's Gemeenteplein, where the historic tram 7 has its terminus. Further on in Mortsel, the route took me past the neo-Gothic Heilig Kruiskerk church.
Finally, the walk led me to Fort V, a highlight of Antwerp's heritage and one of the many military strongholds of the fort belt.
A little further on, my route ended on the will-o'-the-wisp path along the fields and woods of Hof ter Linden.
The verdict
In an hour and a half, the Boomerang tour took me past four castles, two churches, a statue, and a historic fort. A nice range of locations that you would expect on any manually curated tour. Unfortunately, some locations—in this case, the castles—were not always accessible. The generated route did not always form a nice loop and sometimes had me returning along the same path. In such cases, I could fall back on the map built into the app and confidently deviate from the planned route.
The Boomerang tour therefore shows a lot of potential. It is clear that the algorithm is capable of recommending top locations. If you keep your wits about you and occasionally improvise a little during the automatically generated walk, you will enjoy a particularly beautiful heritage experience!
Want to get started with a Boomerang tour yourself? Then quickly download the ErfgoedApp and embark on a tailor-made walking tour.