Sonian Forest, Ancient and Prehistoric Beech Grove

Sonian Forest - To date, the Sonian Forest is the only piece of nature in Belgium, which has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017 - Ancient and prehistoric beech forests of the Carpathians and other parts of Europe.

A remnant of the great historic coal forest and owes its name to the Celtic for Senne (river of the west). A forest or a forest that has lasted for some time near our Belgian capital...

It is high time to discover this ancient green virgin forest in the center of our country, or at least a piece of it... We depart from Middenhut located on the Waterloosesteenweg in Sint-Genesius-Rode. But you can also start at the front door - Groenendaal, near the Brussels Ring in Hoeilaart.

We start at Sint-Genesius-Rode and start with the Botemansdellepad, the Hazendellepad and the Palisadepad, towards the old Groenendaal racecourse. Once the pride of Belgian equestrian sport, which has now become a piece of Sonian Forest with the Scottish Highlanders. These long-haired cows with impressive horns can be seen from the observation hut. Today you can still see some remains, such as the royal box in the time of Leopold II and the station stop. In addition, this immense meadow offers the possibility of a good pic-en route...

We continue to the Keizer Karelvijver, to walk to the Arboretum Groenendaal and its forest museum Jan Van Ruusbroeck (former monastery farm).

This arboretum and the forest museum are completely free . After our visit to this forest museum, with a piece about the war of the First World War in the Sonian Forest, we continue to the entrance of the arboretum. Hundreds of majestic trees such as the giant sequoia, the soft sequoia, the unique maple and the "fat" Eugene "- a poplar 6 m thick, finally bring us to an observation platform. A little further a trail takes us this time through the meadow with these Scottish Highlanders...

The former racecourse, the arboretum and the priory of Groenendaal, are located in Hoeilaart. A Flemish municipality located between Brussels and Wallonia. Groenendaal Priory has also largely disappeared, although you can still see some converted remains here. The monastery farm which has now become the forest museum; The church became a barn; The wash house was the forester's house and a converted watermill for some time.

We continue our journey to the Ganzepootvijver where the Ijse has its source. A river that we have already followed during a walk through Dijleland. By paths, we leave this pond to go further into the forest.

Cross the Duboislaan twice to see a mini Stonehenge appear in the woods in the distance. The Forest Memorial, a 1920 war memorial in memory of 11 foresters who died during the First World War. Via the Grasdellepad we leave this historical memorial to finish this loop walk of just over 18km along the edge of the Sonian Forest