Fodor's Expert Review Ellergron Reserve

Around 2 km (1 mile) south of the city lies the nature reserve of Ellergron, a former ore extraction zone that has been rewilded. The best way to get there is to walk. Take the lift next to the railway station to the bridge over the tracks and you'll find yourself in Gaalgebierg park. From there, the reserve is well signed. Once you arrive, a visitor center outlines the surrounding trails. You'll also find the Musée Mine Cockerill (Cockerill Mining Museum), which is set in the old mine workings that date back to 1887, now mostly inhabited by bats. By 1929, it was hauling 422,000 tons of ore out of the ground, fueling the country's economic boom. Interesting displays and relics scatter the old mine, dissecting its history.