28/04/24

Elst, a district of Brakel, is located on a ridge between the Perlinckbeek and the Zwalm, at the border of the Flemish Ardennes and the Zwalm region. Park at the Sint-Apolloniakerk (Sint-Apolloniaplein No. 12). The pilgrims came to venerate Saint Apollonia against toothaches (visible in the church), and the local population then sold them a soft pancake, a Geuteling. The use of Geutelingen had disappeared for a while until 1972, when some youths made about a hundred Geutelingen and made the news. In 1981, a Geutelingen committee was then founded, with the associated Geutelingen festivals, on the first Sunday after February 9. One walks along some church paths and crosses the main road on the way to the Perlinckmolen, one of the oldest watermills (already mentioned in the year 868). Here you get a sense of the Ardennes with some slopes and paths, where a little stream also flows; in the lowlands, it can be a bit muddy.