#181231 - Gastuche, hidden treasures behind the scenes****

Beautiful walk with some difficult passages in the triangle Gastuche, Tomme (hamlet of Ottenburg in Flemish Brabant) and Archennes. Majestic departure by the long Drève de Laurensart, lined with beautiful sloping plane trees, giving access to the two castles of the same name, the old one surrounded by moats that we barely learn on the left and the "new" that can be better seen on the slope of the hill, high in a gap. This castle is now home to several liberal professions and small businesses. At the end of the road a small path runs along the edge of the wood of Laurensart, with a beautiful hill on the left. We enter the Flemish region in the small isolated hamlet of Tomme (Huldenberg). We take a portion of the GR 579 Brussels - Liège which begins with a hollow path decsendant in the Rondebos. At the end of 2018 this portion is made difficult by many fallen trees in the way. You have to get around them. In the hollow, we reach the Wolfbos. Take the right bench that runs along the edge. We find ourselves in a beautiful open basin on the left and wooded on the right. A magical place. The basin is very muddy in wet weather, difficult passage. Shortly before reaching the Florivalstraat, we make an almost U-turn to the right to start the ascent of the "pass". Stay well to the right at each duplication of the path (hollow on the left and overhanging on the right, the GPS signal makes it difficult to dissociate the two). This "pass" is bordered by Cairns (stones stacked by the "mountaineers"). By observing well, we find several small ones and a large one. The arrival on the summit is magnificent, small winding path of white sand through low vegetation including young green firs. On the open plateau (100m altitude) we pass next to a large structure in the shape of a flying saucer. This is an equipment to manage air traffic on the approach to Zaventem. As soon as you enter the Bois de Laurensart, you can see the astonishing remains of a Renault carcass4 overgrown with vegetation. These remains have become almost "archaeological"... They are part of the strange curiosity of this extraordinary journey. At the beginning of the descent, take the fork on the left, a picturesque path that joins the drève aux platanes shortly before the dyle bridge.

This route is a slight variant of the one proposed by Médhy Attar on 02/02/2018 as part of the marches he organizes on behalf of the UDA (former route #180202, deleted).
Last updated on 31/12/2018.

More information on the programs offered by the UDA:
https://www.grandeurnatureasbl.net/programmes-uda/

Location Index
Gastuche railway station
The Dyle
Drève de Laurensart
Castle of Laurensart
Trail 130
Voetweg 69
Tomme
Waversestraat
Tommestraat
GR 579 Brussels-Liège
Loswegstraat
Rondebos
Voetweg 46
Wolfbos
Lange Heide
Buurtweg 2
Buurtweg 31
Laurensart Wood