Today we stayed close to home and explored KU Leuven’s Heverlee campus, located just outside of Leuven. In contrast to the city campus where we spend all of our time, the Heverlee campus is scenic and open. There are numerous hiking trails, tennis courts, soccer fields, and open pastures.

Our destination was the Arenbergkasteel (Arenberg Castle), just a mile or so through the woods. Today the castle is home to KUL’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning, but the first castle was built on the land in the 14th century. The current castle was built in the 1500s and was renovated in the 1800s.

Here are the highlights from our walk:

Walking through the woods
Walking through the woods
Spring has sprung!
Spring has sprung!
Water wheels along the castle's moat
Water wheels along the castle’s moat
Arenberg Castle up close
Arenberg Castle up close
Lord Maximilian George, King of all Wild Things
Lord Maximilian George, King of all Wild Things

Just beyond the castle is a beautiful lawn lined with perfectly manicured shrubs. We parked the stroller and let our Wild Thing stretch his legs a bit.

Arenberg 6

I'm coming to get you, birds!
I’m coming to get you, birds!
Birds were scarier than he anticipated
Birds were scarier than he anticipated
Some comfort from Mama
Some comfort from Mama

After we shooed the birds away, Max picked some ‘flowers’ for us.

Picking flowers
Picking flowers
Here you go, Mom
Here you go, Mom

We had a wonderful, relaxing afternoon together. We can’t wait to share this beautiful place with family and friends who come to visit.

Best buds
Best buds

Arenberg 13

Arenberg 14

More to come soon…