On foot through the landscape of Lauwe and Rekkem

On foot through the landscape of LAUWE and REKKEM

This "Slow Road Walk" is all about achterwegelkes and wegelkes. They cross the many streams that cross Lauwe and Rekkem to the Leie.
A few years ago, thanks to a collaboration between the mobility working group of the ACW van Menen and Natuur.koepel asbl, they all received a name and a nameplate. With a name, you continue to exist in the landscape and so these slow roads, which have traditionally existed, take over a community function.
You want to take this walk with you on exploration. Allow about 3 hours for the entire route.

We start the walk at the Sint-Bavokerk in Lauwe where there are plenty of parking spaces available.

St Bavo's Church: Church with three naves oriented, built in the neo-Gothic style. Founded in 1877-1879.
Lauwe Town Hall: iconic building built in 1929.

1. We cross the Wevelgemstaat towards Wevelgem until we can turn right onto the Langekeerstraat into the GOEVROUWEWEGEL. This continues in the Goevrouwestraat. Then back to the right, where we cross the Leiestraat.

2. On the right, we take the OVERSTEEKSTRAAT which runs along the Leie. We climb along the Leie towards Menen. On the left you can see the entire site with the construction project of the Dewitte – Lietaer (a green environment is always lucrative for real estate companies). The grasslands at the bottom have the status of a nature reserve. Infiltration water emerges here, so that a typical flora is present with, among others, the bald jonker, a beautiful species of thistle. The land is expected to be transferred to Natuurpunt soon. Good management should lead to a flowering hayfield.

In the period 1865-1869, the Wevelgemstraat was built with a bridge over the Leie. Due to the construction of this bridge, the ferry that was at the end of the crossing disappears. Along the Leie on the Wevelgem side, you can see the former abbey farm of the former Guldenberg Abbey. It disappeared with the French Revolution.

Further on, in front of the riding schools, we see the Debrabandere family property. On the farm there is a rot factory and a cart shed. The farm is currently under repair.
When the banks of the Leie are calved opposite the stables on the Wevelgem side, a few herds of bank swallows breed every year. For our region, this is a rarity.

The Leiehof riding school was originally a brickyard of the Debradandere family. The Bekenhoek riding school is located on the former Bekenhof farm. Note barn swallows that appreciate the presence of horses. The yellow wagtail is also common here and hunts flies that accompany horses.

3. Between the two riding schools Bekenhoek and Leiehof, we turn left and immediately take the first right, the Menenstraat (a dead end street for cars).

We cross the Lauwebeek and arrive at the Neufstraat Menen Bridge. The Lauwebeek still has a fairly natural trajectory with a lot of rot and meanders. In recent years, the spread of giant hogweed along the river has been very problematic.

At the crossroads of the Lauwebeek we arrive in Menen. Until 1779, this part of Menen was the Halluin territory. The toponym Pont Neuf was created when, in the period 1840, the provincial railway Menen – Mouscron was built with a new bridge over the Gaverbeek.

4. A little further down the street, we take the 1st path on the left: the HEELEWEGEL. At the end of the road, we cross the Meurissonbeek and arrive at Rekkem. We go directly left along the Meurissonbeek – TEN DALEWEGEL. A little before the Lauwebeek, we take the path to the right – parallel to the Lauwebeek. We follow the path and at the end turn right through the residential area – Kasteelhof.
St. Nicholas Church
Despite the various renovations over the centuries, the church has retained its overall plan of the Romanesque period. 1658: The Romanesque church is largely destroyed. In 1660, the church was partially restored and put back into service.
In 1835-1837: In the 19th century, it is observed that the church became too small for all parishioners. It was decided to enlarge the church with two bays to the west. During the First World War, the church was transformed into a lazaretto. During the liberation in September 1918, the church was severely damaged by British and German artillery.

Castle farm
Historic farm called "KASTEELHOF". From the middle of the 14th century, there is talk of the lordship "ten Bulcke", a lordship that is separated from that of Rekkem. The oldest mention of the farm is found in the Rentebouck vande heerlichede vanden Bulcke in the prochie de reckem... of 1618. Farmhouse with mainly 19th century views, with the exception of the early 17th century house or the old bailiff's house

5. At the end of the road, we take the road on the left and pass the village school "Ons Kasteeltje" and a little further - on the old rectory - on the left: the FONTEINWEGEL.

Near the stream was a spring in the garden of the presbytery, at the base of the origin of Reckhem. This gave rise to the toponym "'t Fonteintje".

At the end of the wegel, we cross the Lauwestraat and walk on the left and take the road to the Rekkem sports centre on the right.

6. After the sports center, we turn left and at the end of the path into the MARKEHOVEWEGEL (name marker at the end of the road).
Then turn right again and at the intersection to the left of Elf Novemberlaan, continue straight ahead and a little further we take the STEENLANDWEGEL. We continue walking straight, cross a road and enter an open landscape and step over the Palingbeek. Above the Palingbeek, the trail continues to bear the name STEENLANDWEGEL.
At the end of the road on the right, we walk via Kloosterhoek towards Rekkem.

7. Before arriving on the main road on the left - in front of a number of houses - we take the ROUTE de MOUSCRON (Be careful, you can pass in no time).
The Moeskroenwegel is a remnant of the former Moeskroenstraat. In the period 1840 – construction of the provincial highway – this road was abandoned. It was also the border between Rekkem and Lauwe.
At the end of the MOESKROENWEGEL you reach BERGHENSWEGELKEN (Moeskroenstraat). We turn right and reach the busy Moeskroenstraat. We turn left and at the Zebra crossing we cross the street and take the Kattestraat.

8. Then immediately left into the KATTEWEGEL, follow the path further until you reach the Dronkaertstraat. We turn right, cross the street and turn left between house numbers 126 – 104. The first part of the route is still called Dronckaertstraat, the name changes to GRENSPOSTWEGEL, a little further we walk on the Durmontbeek.

9. At the next fork, turn left onto the main road. We cross them and take the small road that passes right next to the greenhouses of the Decaflor flower shop. After 100 m, the slow road is named BRUN CORNETWEGEL.
At the next fork, we walk left, then straight to the provincially built buffer basin and take the first road along the reservoir. This water tank was built to relieve the flow of water from the more remote industrial area of the LAR. Before that, it regularly caused flooding during heavy rains. This reservoir was built as naturally as possible with sloping banks so that many plants could settle and a rich biotope of water was created. Frogs and toads have now found their place here. Sandpipers, lapwings, snipe and even the great yellow wagtail are regularly noticed.
We continue on the road to Brun Cornetstraat. We turn right until we reach the Dronckaertstraat. For a while we walk left, cross the street and take the KLOOSTERHOEK.
We advance and follow the arrow of the smuggler's path.

10. At the next fork, we take the exit on the right and leave the smuggler's path. A little further on, we pass the name sign KLOOSTERHOEKWEGEL. We follow this rather long path, at the crossroads straight along the KRAAIVELDWEGEL. At the next fork, turn right into STATIEWEGEL. We reach the Larstraat, go slightly left and immediately right into the Steenovenstraat.

11. In the Steenovenstraat we take the main road on the left and continue along the path along the sports fields. At the height of the school buildings we walk on the left and at the end of the path you can see the name sign KLAPHOEKWEGEL. A little further on, we arrive in the Hospitaalstraat, then back on the left and the 2nd street on the right, via the SCHOOLSTRAAT, we reach our starting point, the LAUWEPLAATS.

Have a great hike!

Anne Braet - Michel Werbrouck - Herman Nachtergaele