Mijnterril Beringen

An old mining slag heap that has been transformed into a nature reserve. Take a hike on history and be rewarded with some epic views!

A living reminder of Limburg’s coal mining past, the 100m high Mijnterril or “Terril 2” in Beringen is one of a pair of neighbouring slag heaps in the be-Mine complex. The smaller 55m high heap has been reinvented to become Adventure Mountain, a recreational complex boasting climbing, walking, biking, even slides(!). Whilst the bigger is now a hill of open green spaces, nature development, plant life and wildlife.

For those of you unfamiliar with the mining terms, a slag heap refers to a literal pile of rubbish made from dumped mining waste - basically, the stones that weren’t coal. If you’re wondering how it got so big, between 1941 and 1989 over a million trucks of waste rocks were dumped onto Terril 2! Yup, we’re not even exaggerating. Now the heap paves the way to a plateau of greenery and views over the once flat Limburg.

• Embark on this 6km hike to the top of the old slag heap and marvel at its transformation into a hub of nature! There are other routes of varying distances if you want to shorten or extend.
• Take some time to enjoy the views at the top - if you can catch a sunset, do!
• The route goes past Adventure Mountain if you feel like getting active on the way. The kids will love it.
• If you’re interested in learning more about the local mining history, make sure you visit the Flemish Mining Museum. The 6km hiking trail starts from there.