Hengelhoef, Nature area and protected monument in Houthalen-Helchteren, Belgium

Hengelhoef is a protected nature area in Houthalen-Helchteren with forests, heathland, and sand dunes. The site offers different habitats for plants and animals and is crossed by walking trails.

Hengelhoef is first documented in 1141, when the area was donated to Floreffe Abbey. A farm existed by 1179 and a chapel by 1400. In 1850 the Wittouck family acquired the estate and expanded it to 549 hectares, adding a manor house, a watermill and a distillery. A fire destroyed the house in 1903; Baron Fernand de Beeckman rebuilt the castle that same year, as a facade stone records.

The name Hengelhoef comes from Heng, a local word for a slope, as the site lies on the edge of the Kempens Plateau above the Roosterbeek. The Wittouck family ran a distillery and watermill here in the 19th century, and the rebuilt castle carries a facade stone reading LE CHÂTEAU D'ENGELHOF, the French form of the name.

Visitors can walk on marked trails through the area and explore the different natural zones. It is wise to wear sturdy shoes as the ground varies depending on the section.

The castle at Hengelhoef was rebuilt after a major fire in 1903 by Baron Fernand de Beeckman; a facade stone records the reconstruction that year. The surrounding garden was laid out in English landscape style. The building now serves as a meeting and conference centre.