Fancy some fresh air and a good dose of heritage? Then head to Nieuwmoer, a charming village in the Kempen region. The'Oep de Nieuwmoer'walk takes you past beautiful nature and tells you stories about old crafts, striking village characters, and the landscape of yesteryear. Everything you need is in the ErfgoedApp just download it, put in your earphones, and start walking!
In preparation for the ErfgoedApp, we set out on a sunny day. Guide Frans Van Dyck enthusiastically showed the young people from Chiro Sloepi around. The volunteers from Kalmthout Tourism, our photographer, and I also joined them. We were all curious about the stories and anecdotes that would come to life along the way. And we didn't have to wait long!
"Who knows what peat is?"
That question immediately set the tone. Here in the region, everyone is familiar with the statue of De Turfsteker (The Peat Cutter) next to the church. It is a perfect opportunity to talk about the peat landscape that shaped life here for centuries. In the 14th century, the entire region was covered by a thick layer of peat, which was later extracted as fuel. What remained after the extraction? A wet, treeless plain full of peat canals and ditches. Farmers had to be creative to make the land fertile again — and they did, through trial and error.
In the ErfgoedApp you ErfgoedApp choose whether to listen to the explanations of our guide or one of the young people from Chiro. And as if that weren't fun enough, Oehoe is walking with us too! This cheerful owl checks whether you are answering the quiz questions correctly along the way. But be careful: don't think too long, because Oehoe has to keep up with the group...
We stop at the spot where Jef Augustijns, the village cartwright, once had his house. He made wooden carts, dump trucks, and tools for the farmers. When metal carts came along, his craft seemed to be over, but Jef quickly switched gears and became a tree sawyer. A little further on, our guide tells us about blacksmith Alois Aerts, who learned the trade from his father and even took lessons in Anderlecht for two years — cycling there and back every day!
What makes this walk extra special? The young people from Chiro are not just participants—they are true heritage ambassadors. Thanks to the ErfgoedApp , they ErfgoedApp now ErfgoedApp walkers what they have learned about peat extraction, crafts, and the colorful characters of Nieuwmoer. This keeps the past alive and ensures that it is passed on to the next generation with great enthusiasm.
ErfgoedApp