A former coal mining site has been reinvented to provide one of the few opportunities in Belgium for wake boarding and water ski-ing.
The Terhills Cablepark is based on former gravel pits linked to what used to be one of the country’s biggest coal mines.
The mine has long since gone but the good news is that the area is now offering great leisure facilities.
Said to be unique in Belgium, the cable park has been open since 2013. Under the guidance of experienced instructors,visitors are shown how to wakeboard or waterski in a safe and fun way.
There is also an aquapark – minimum age 8 – which is great fun for young and old alike.
For the complete novice, there’s also a beginners’ course – for people of all ages – which takes place in the afternoon from 2pm to 5pm. There is no minimum age – some as young as four have done it – but bear in mind that you must be able to swim to do these.
An instructor will take you through your paces for the 60 minute session. You can choose your speed as well, depending on how confident you feel! Don’t be afraid if you fall in – it is all part of the fun.
Afterwards, you may be tempted to try the more advance water skiing course where you can travel at up to 32kph.
If, though, you would rather just chill, the site also has a mini-ramp, trampoline – and what said to be the most beautiful sunsets in Limburg, the eastern most province in Belgium. There is a beach bar serving cocktails and foodtrucks serving delicious food.
The site, located near the Dutch border, is also great for those who want to organize a sports day with the school or a company break/teambuilding session.
Whatever the reason, the water skiing in combination with the aquapark – a sort of floating playground – makes for an ideal activity for a day out and it’s just a short hour or so drive from Brussels.
The park, which is fitted with some 880 metres of cable for the various activities, is closed on Monday but open every other day from noon to 9pm and until the end of October.
It is part of the Connecterra national park, one of the loveliest areas in Belgium, which is great to experience as well.
No trip to this part of Belgium is complete without also trying a spot of cycling (it’s known as the most cycle-friendly province in the country) and you can hire a bike via Toerisme Limburg. Cycles, which cost as little as €10 for the day, can be collected from various locations, including from the fabulous Bokrijk open air museum, a few kilometres away and which is running a major exhibition on Bruegel, the famous Flemish painter, until October.
The Bruegel expo is, in fact, the highlight at Bokrijk this summer. There is also daily theatre about Bruegel until 1 September (the performance is in Dutch but it can be understood by non-Dutch speakers). Bruegel is one of Belgium’s greatest painters and this is a rare chance to catch up on what he was all about. It has been packing them in during the summer so don’t miss it!
For the cycling you need to order and book online but it’s well worth trying because you’re unlikely to find safer and more pleasant cycle tracks anywhere else in Belgium. Don’t forget to experience the “cycling through water” feature nearby, which was recommended by Time Magazine, no less, and the new “cycling through trees.”
