Hallerbos Belgium: how to visit this wonderful forest

The Hallerbos Belgium is probably one of the more famous forests in Belgium. The reason for that? Well, every year in spring a carpet of bluebells (or wild hyacinths) covers the forest, attracting visitors from all over the world. So when you are visiting Belgium in spring, we recommend you to take some extra time to visit the Hallerbos Belgium, also known as the Blue Forest.

During the blooming time of the wild hyacinths, don’t expect to be surrounded by the quietness of nature. It is a spectacular sight and therefore, the blooming season attracts many tourists and visitors. I can imagine that the forest takes a sigh of relief when the blooming season is over and peace returns. However, because it is so popular, visiting the Hallerbos is relatively easy. In this blogpost we will explain you how to get there and give you some practical tips as well.

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Where is the forest located?

The Hallerbos Belgium is situated in the southeast of a town called Halle, hence its name. Halle itself is located about 20 kilometers from the center of Brussels. So when visiting Brussels, you can easily add some extra time to go for a hike in the Hallerbos.

How to get to the Hallerbos Belgium?

By train

There is a direct train connection from Brussels to Halle. From the Brussels-Central station, it takes about 15 minutes to get to Halle. On the website of the Belgian railway company, you can find all the information (including departure times and tickets). One you arrive at the train station of Halle, you can …

either take the bus: on working days: TEC bus 114 to the stop ‘Vlasmarkt’; on holidays/weekend: De Lijn bus 155 to the stop ‘Essenbeek Mooi Vergezicht’. From this stop it is a 15-minute walk to the entrance of the forest.
or rent a bike: there are Blue-bikes available at the station for 1,15 euro / 24 hours. It takes about 4,5 kilometers to get to the forest.

close up from a bluebell — This is how the bluebells look like

By car

You can also reach the forest by car. Keep however in mind that when it gets extremely busy, local authorities might close down some roads and a shuttle bus will bring you to the entrance of the forest. We suggest you to use Google Maps for an up-to-date navigation. The parkings are located near ‘Vlasmarktdreef Halle’.

Best hikes in the Hallerbos

There are three hikes that are well signposted:

The Achtdreven walk – 1,8 kilometers, signposted by white/black marked poles. The Achtdreven plateau is the middle of the bluebells area.
The Sequoia walk – 4 kilometers, signposted by blue poles. This walk highlights the impressive conifers in the Hallerbos.
The Roebuck walk – 7 kilometers, signposted by the yellow poles. This is the most adventurous one and takes you to most of the valleys inside the forest. About half of this trail passes through the bluebell area.

You can get a map at the tourist office in Halle, Grand Place 1, or download the map of the Hallerbos here.

During the blooming season there is a special walk of 7 kilometers available, that brings you to all the wild hyacinth locations. Here you can download the map of the hyacinth walk.

the bluebells look like a blue carpet in the forest — A carpet of wild hyacinths covers the entire forest

What is the best time to visit the Hallerbos?

The blooming season is of course largely dependent on the weather, but in general the second half of April is the best time to visit the forest. On the website of the Hallerbos you can follow the progress of the bluebells and discover when it’s the right time to visit.

We would recommend that you visit the forest during a weekday. During the weekend, it can get extremely crowded. So to make most out of your time, a weekday is the best time to go!

Note that the forest is always worth a visit, also outside the blooming season of the wild hyacinths.

Where to stay when visiting the Hallerbos Belgium?

Accomodations in Halle

B&B Plattestien – Halle

Bed and breakfast Plattestien is situated on the edge of the forest, but close to good road links. The bed and breakfast has only one guestroom, so book definitely upfront! The B&B has an ornamental garden and offers a continental breakfase in the morning.