Cozy Gulderij

If you already want to be surprised on this surprising walk along this piece of old heritage of Zemst-Weerde-Hofstade: watch this specially made video:
Surtitle: "ODE TO SLOW ROADS" http://youtu.be/IYxunRYC5Dk (1080p original), so playable in any format.

This short walk starts and ends at the Petting Zoo 'Het Gulderijtje' in the Gulderij Weerde (http://www.gulderijtje.be/), where it is particularly pleasant to admire all the different animals. Picnic option included!
Via a garden footpath along the west side of this farm she briefly follows the railway line 27b, and via the towpath at the Zenneverkorting she comes to the Brusselsesteenweg. In the meantime you have passed an ancient Senne arm on the left, which has been reduced over the centuries to a narrow stream (currently the leibeek). In the past, it left the Weerdemelen where it determined the border between Eppegem and Weerde. This continued through the marshland between Zemst and Weerde, and near the Eglegem pond it connected back to the Senne. At the beginning of the last century, the Zennever discount was made in a concrete canal in this bed, so that it reduced Zennearm to a slate stream after closing the dike at the Weerdemolen (see POI at the Zenneverkorting).

Cross the Brusselsesteenweg and take a right. keep a little further left, the OUDE Brusselsesteenweg (NOT on the E19 but on the left of it), in the direction of the old hamlet 'De Brug' -over the Senne-, which was demolished by the E19 for the most part in 1972.
This hamlet has several historical relics in its eastern neighborhood:
1. a historic and old bridge over the actual Senne (over which concrete was later poured for car traffic). You can still see the arch bridge under the concrete by descending to the Senne (best in the corner between the E19 and the bridge over the E19).
2. Via the 'forgotten' Buurtweg 1 (Zemst) the path returns southeast - between the E19 and De Zenne (right bank)-. Here you have to cross the bridge of the Oude Brusselsesteenweg through a (almost always dry) leibeek. You keep this on your left and so you go under the current Brusselsesteenweg, with on the left side of the guardrails of the E19 (plenty of space!).
3. So you will come under two major bridges:
a. Under the 'new' Brusselsesteenweg (with the guardrails on your left), and
b. then, quite unexpectedly, on the Senne under the old bridge of Buurtweg 1 under the railway line towards Elewijt and Hofstade. This booty bridge is always an experience to continue. A greater contrast between beude bridges is not to be found nearby.

The way back along the Senne is largely on the site of neighbourhood road 1 before the construction of the E19. Stay between Zenne and E19 to return to the Gulderij. This part of the Zenneoever is always in the sun, which gives a wonderful feeling on sunny autumn and winter days.
A leprechaun has largely cleared this path. Here and there there are still a few nettles or thorns, but 99% are well passed.
After the growth spurt of the nettles and thorns in the spring, the passage can sometimes be difficult if the gnome has not yet passed.
An ideal short loop for autumn, winter and the beginning of spring.

To get back to the Gulderij you have to take a narrow path over the Senne between the guardrails and the closure with the Senne. The first 5 meters there is narrow and you have to step sideways between them. After 5 meters, the distance between the guardrails and the Senne fence increases so that you can continue walking.

Varied, fun, short, exciting, unique historical, and many animals to admire.

The only disadvantage of this surprising loop is that it inevitably runs a bit near the E19, which causes a lot of noise pollution on a busy working day, compared to a walk in a rural area without roads.