Welcome
We take you on the adventures of the Holsteens family, in a world from a bygone era full of hunters, mammoths and wolves....
Will you step into the teletime machine with us?
Click play to start the sound clip.
Archaeology: treasure hunting or an exact science?
Stone Age archaeology has undergone enormous evolution. Until the Second World War it was more of a treasure hunt where people only searched for utensils like arrowheads, axes, scrapers, etc. and the ground was simply dug up recklessly. After the Second World War, this was tackled completely differently. Since an excavation can only be done once, the work is now carried out very carefully, collecting as much data as possible. Finds are accurately recorded and located as precisely as possible. Soil samples from the site make it possible to realistically reconstruct the landscape through pollen analysis. When fauna material has been preserved, it is also carefully examined, and thanks to advanced protein analysis and DNA, even fragmentary bone remains can provide important data. The stone technology is closely examined to understand the production process, and microscopic approaches are used to determine the origin of the materials as well as the use and possible assembly of the tools.
There are several ways to determine a site's age. Thanks to experimental archaeology, we also have a whole reference database of traces of use that make it possible to recognise actual use. The collection technique is very important here: no contact with metal objects, rinse only (certainly no scrubbing), handle as little as possible (if necessary, use gloves), pack important artefacts separately, etc. Special attention is also paid to vegetable residues. These can tell us something about how the artefacts were attached. So it is important to consider during the excavation which analysis techniques will be used afterwards.
Source: Functional research of Late Paleolithic and Early Mesolithic sites in Flanders, Dries Cnuts, Sonja Tomasso, Justin Coppe & Veerle Rots, 2021, A publication of the Agency for Immovable Heritage - Scientific institution of the Flemish Government, Policy Area Environment. https://publicaties.vlaanderen.be/view-file/45075
Map
Legend
Before your visit
Opening hours
The Rendierjagerspad is open every day from sunrise to sunset. Admission is free.
Parking
You can park at the car park next to Camping Holsteenbron (GPS: Holsteenweg - coordinates: 50.997685, 5.421881). We recommend taking exit 30 from the E314.
Staying nearby? Come by bike!
The Rendierjagerspad is located between junctions 79 and 305 of the Limburg cycling route network.
Route
The trail starts at the information hut on the square in front of the campsite. The full route is approximately 3 km long and is partially accessible by wheelchair or pushchair.
Duration
Allow around two hours for your walk, including stops along the way.
Available languages
The audio story is available in Dutch, French, English and German. You can also read it via the QR code on your smartphone.
Food & drink
At the cafeteria of Camping Holsteenbron, located at the start of the route:
- during the camping season (4 April - 2 November 2025): open every day
- outside the camping season: open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
This project is an initiative of the Municipality of Zonhoven in collaboration with the Agency for Nature and Forests and campsite Holsteenbron. The Province of Limburg, the Provincial Centre for Cultural Heritage Limburg, and Tourism Flanders contribute to the funding. The Agency for Immovable Heritage, IOED Lage Kempen, and the Regional Landscape Lage Kempen assisted in the development.
