The Buggenhout Forest is a relic forest of the Coal Forest, which also included the Zoniën Forest at that time. It still covers 157 ha and is owned by the Flemish Community. In spring, you can find all the typical spring flora of an old forest, such as lilies of the valley and greater celandine, and in autumn, an impressive variety of mushrooms, including rare species like the crowned earthstar. The most common mammals in the forest are squirrels, hedgehogs, hares, rabbits, some species of mice, and the nutria by the duck pond. The fox is also present there.

1. Along the Buggenhout–Merchtem road, 2 km from the center of Buggenhout, lies a large parking lot between the Taverne Küssnacht and "Möbel Gené." Here we begin this forest walk. 150 meters further towards Merchtem, directly opposite the Brasserie De Groene Wandeling, lies the forest chapel. The chapel, dedicated to O.-L.-Vrouw-van-Zeven-Weeën, dates back to 1505 and was then still situated in the midst of the more than 1,000 ha large Beuckenhoudt or s'Heerenbosch, as the Buggenhout Forest was then called. It was erected in memory of Jan De Rijcke, who was killed here by a wild boar during a hunt in 1504. Start the walk in the area behind the forest chapel, which is the name of the path to the right of the chapel. Where this path bends left, go straight ahead. Then ignore all side paths until you are almost out of the forest. Turn right 50 m before the forest edge. Ignore another forest path on the left and choose the next narrow path on the left, go right at the fork after fifty meters. Where the path meets the wider forest path, turn left and 50 m further, take another narrow path to the left, which is forbidden for cyclists. After 300 m, ignore the 2 paths that lead left out of the forest. A little further on, the path bends clearly to the right, and at the fork, go left. After 250 m, you will again come to a wider, paved path. This will lead you left out of the forest.
2. You are back at Kasteelstraat. Cross and walk on the narrow path between two hedges, to the left of the Taverne Hermitage. This path will safely lead you back into the forest between the golf courses of Krokkebaas, protected by high fences. The path runs first along the edge of the forest next to a meadow and then bends left into the forest. At the T-junction (to the left, you see one of the ponds, specially excavated as a habitat for the rare fire salamander), go right and after 200 m, at another fork, go right along a ditch. After 250 m, you arrive at a wide, straight avenue. Turn right.
3. A hundred meters further, you stand at a large intersection with an arboretum on the right. Here you have all the tree species from the Buggenhout Forest plus some other native species within reach, complete with name tags. After a possible visit (highly recommended) to this tree garden, choose the narrow path at the large intersection that leads into the forest opposite the entrance of the arboretum. The path crosses a strongly meandering stream and bends to the right. At the T-junction on the wider path, go left. After a hundred meters, ignore the wide branch and go 50 m further behind the stream to the right.
4. Soon you will reach the duck pond, a breeding and spawning site for frogs and toads and a point of attraction for almost all animals. Ignore the wide forest path on the right a hundred meters after the duck pond and choose the narrow path on the left. Soon you will walk along the edge of the forest. Again on the wide forest path, go left and after a hundred meters at the fork, go right. Go straight for 500 m. Ignore a side path and turn right, and after another 600 m, you come to a fork at the forest edge.
5. Those who want to finish the walk go left here (see paragraph 6). Those who want to walk a little further go right again. After 50 m, keep right at the fork. Soon you will come to an intersection. Go left along a row of resting benches under a reed roof. Here is the Konijnenberg, 5 ha of forest reserved as a playground. Go straight and take the narrow, unclear path to the left about thirty meters before the fork (for cyclists prohibited). After 200 m, we reach a wider path. We turn left and come to the fork again after 200 m, where we go right.
6. Along a wide gravel path, we leave the forest and come to the forest expansion area established in 2006. Take the second side road on the right. Before the barrier, the gravel path leads into Kasteelstraat. Turn right here. You will pass the forest chapel again, and after 350 m, you will be back at the parking lot where the walk began.