Hoeilaart Koedalwalk (RCOZ)

Theme: Green walk in and around the municipality of Hoeilaart: Duration +/- one hour and a quarter.

Start and arrival: A. Biesmanslaan (parking at Delhaize) near the municipal square in Hoeilaart

Parking A.Biesmanslaan (at Delhaize)

This walk was created or adapted by the Rotary Club Overijse-Zoniën (RCOZ) as part of the action 'Walk and bike for more green and nature in the Grape Region' during the Corona year in 2021. This action raised funds to plant around fifty sustainable trees in the Grape Region. Furthermore, the action aimed to highlight the importance of green and nature in the Grape Region and to raise awareness about it. The walks are still available on RouteYou and are regularly updated.

The Municipal Spatial Structure Plan of Hoeilaart is based on a dual ecological infrastructure. On one hand, this involves preserving and strengthening a green edge around the municipality, and on the other hand, creating green fingers from this green edge to the center in the IJse Valley.

The walk starts in the center of Hoeilaart (parking at A. Biesmanslaan) and takes us from the Ijsedal to the eastern part of this green edge between Hoeilaart and Overijse (Smeiberg and Clairbos castle forest in Overijse) to the northern part (Welriekende/ter Blok). The eastern part along the Koedaalstraat is a beautiful open space that runs from the Zoniënwoud between the two municipalities to the Maleizen plateau.

Along the Koedaalstraat (territory of the municipality of Overijse and not to be confused with the Koedaalstraat) we also encounter many open spaces, including those purchased by the Flemish Land Agency, Natuurpunt, or the municipality itself, with the aim of maintaining a green buffer between the Zoniënwoud and the municipalities of Overijse and the north of the municipality of Hoeilaart.

We walk here along one of the green fingers from the Zoniënwoud and Koedalbos (along the Barbizon neighborhood) towards the water tower/cemetery in Hoeilaart. On the way back via J. Lindstraat, another green finger runs behind the street (Slieckensveld). The municipality of Hoeilaart aims to create green fingers in various places (which often today are interior areas and previously were greenhouse areas). On the way back via J. Lindstraat, we enter the beautiful Bemdekensveld (part of the green finger Water Tower/cemetery) where many grape greenhouses stood half a century ago but now is a green oasis. Finally, we continue towards the center via the municipal square towards parking. In the nearby Nerocafé, we can have a drink or a bite to eat after our walk.

A shorter route (and you avoid the climb from the IJse Valley) is to park your car in Quirinlaan close to the Smeijberghoeve and start the walk there. When you return from Bemdekensveld, turn left onto the Jezus Eiksesteenweg and then right into Edgard Sohiestraat. Continue following this street to Quirinlaan and turn left there. The walk is then only 4 km.