St. Dime Route

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41.7 km • Geel

official route

2.0802 6 3.5/5

41.7 km

route offered by

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Icon starting point Addresse starting point (approximate)

kp 80, Toerismehuis De Waag, Markt 1, 2440 Geel

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The route is fully signposted with nodes.

Icon description route Description

The whole world looks with admiration at the family nursing service in Geel. Over 300 families in the Geel region offer mentally ill people a warm home for short or long periods of time. This remarkable tradition goes back to the story of Saint Dimpna. Legend has it that the Irish king's daughter Dimpna was beheaded by her insane father in Geel in the year 600. Her tomb soon grew into a place of pilgrimage for the mentally ill. For nine days they spent in the Sickroom. The sick interrupted that novena only to attend Mass or trek prayerfully around St. Dimna's Church. When all the cells in the Infirmary were occupied, the pilgrims were given shelter with Geel families. In the nineteenth century, care in foster families took on a professional character. Today, the Geel model is increasingly regarded as an example in psychiatry. This Sint-Dimpnaroute introduces you to the Barmhartige Stede Geel. At various places in and outside the center you will find traces of Dimpna and her legacy.

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Icon nodes to follow nodes to follow

0 km

2.3 km

3.3 km

5.7 km

6.6 km

7.3 km

8.5 km

10.9 km

12.8 km

16.4 km

18.4 km

19.6 km

22 km

25.4 km

25.6 km

28.6 km

29.9 km

35.2 km

38 km

41.8 km

This route has 6 review(s).

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Saturday, June 17, 2023 by J.V.Beautiful route mostly through agriculture, fields and meadows. Regularly crossing a busy road. The unpaved parts are not too bad (in dry weather). After the ride you can sink into the city center of Geel.
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Sunday, May 31, 2020 by Ludo RemysenVery nice route, just a pity that between Winkelom and sign 16 is loose sand on some parts and very difficult to reach .
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Monday, April 13, 2020 by Luc LahouVery beautiful and varied tour. Highly recommended. Also delicious ice cream in Olen.
Unfortunately also two minus points. If you download the route, junction 30 is forgotten (and you do need it to cycle from 40 to 82, or from 82 to 40 if you were riding in the opposite direction).
Since the route was named the Saint-Dimphna Route, it is a pity that the nodes do not lead via the Saint-Dimphna chapel in Zammel (St.-Gerebernusstraat) and the little chapel of the Groenenheuvel (Groenenheuvel/Stalpaart).
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Sunday, September 22, 2019 by Eddy GhysJunction 40 is normally located on the south side of the Albert Canal just behind the Stelen Bridge. The bridge was closed due to works. After some searching I found an orange sign directing me to junction 40. To the other side of the canal had to go via the fly-over at 't Geels Punt. The detour signs sent us past the fly-over to the right. There was also an original junction sign 40? After some more searching we found another orange detour sign to nr 82. Otherwise, the signage was correct. Total of about 50 km driven. All in all a nice tour. Had a nice ice cream in Tongerlo.

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Sunday, June 17, 2018 by M.H.beautiful but sorry about the junction 40
or at least the way to it.
the detour was not indicated or disappeared (that is also possible) so we drove on our own in a road not knowing where we ended up but after a few km we came across the original sign of the 40 again and we have followed it again.
further everything ok
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Friday, May 20, 2016 by J.J.very nice definitely recommended
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