D'n Observant

D'n Observant At first glance, it looks like an ordinary wooded hill. However, this hill is man-made. The soil that had to be excavated during limestone quarrying in the ENCI quarry was piled up here. Nature has since reclaimed the hill, and there is now a footpath leading all the way to the top.

A mountain of excavated soil
To reach the limestone in the ENCI quarry, the soil above it first had to be removed. This so-called topsoil was piled up in one place. And so, over the years of limestone extraction, ‘ D'n Observant ’ grew.

The summit lies 170.8 metres above NAP. ‘ D'n Observant ’ and the adjacent quarry were formed by the same process. Soil was removed from the quarry to reach the limestone. This soil was piled up alongside the quarry and eventually formed ‘ D'n Observant ’.

From industry to nature
Little remains today of the earth excavated from the original hill. Trees, shrubs and other plants have given D'n Observant a green appearance. The hill is now part of the Mount Saint Peter nature reserve.

Thus, a hill created by limestone quarrying has gradually transformed into a green space in the heart of the nature reserve. The hill’s industrial origins are now barely recognisable amidst the vegetation.

All the way to the top
A spiral-shaped footpath winds its way round D'n Observant , climbing ever higher. At the top lies the De Ster viewpoint, part of D'n Observant. From here, you can enjoy views in five directions across the landscape on both sides of the Dutch-Belgian border.

It is precisely from the summit that it becomes clear just how much this area has changed. The green hill on which the viewpoint stands would never have existed without the limestone quarrying in the ENCI quarry.