BUBBLE TOUR The Rietkraag, d'Helle and the Paardenbos in the Brabantse Kouters

The walking tour is largely mapped out on the walking network, but we leave the walking network about 3 times. Hence the description. With this walk you will visit 3 natural gems or 4 if you do the full tour. With the Paardenbos in the Paddebroeken as the extreme point (not on the shortening) you walk along the Rietkraag, a beautiful piece of Hellepad to the Paardenbos and the Hopveld of Opwijk as a conclusion. Several of these nature reserves are managed by Natuurpunt.

Departure: parking football field Molenkouter, Stwg at Vilvoorde 40A, Opwijk. Spacious parking and bicycle parking. Contact: wim.verhasselt@telenet.be or 0494 57 04 62

Itinerary

When leaving the car park, turn left Stw. on Vilvoorde and cross a little further on the zebra crossing on the right to Mansteen. At the end of the footpath past house no. 97 turn left. After about 50 meters you will see the sign 712 of the WNW and walk further in that direction. After a while you walk over a stream via a concrete bridge and then on to the gate (on the right). As the sign here indicates, this is the area of the Puttenbeek. The gate is the entrance to the nature reserve 'Rietkraag'. Here you leave the WNW. Through the gate you follow the path on the right. You walk between the pool and the sofa and continue through the Rietkraag to the gate on the right. Via the wooden bridge you leave the Rietkraag to T-junction. Here you take the field track on the right and follow a little further towards > 401. You come back to Mansteen and follow the Hellepad for about 1km >401 along the edge of the forest to the end of the boardwalk.

Those who follow SHORTENING of 6 km (so no further to Paddebroeken and Paardenbos) take direction >720>721 >711 and at the Kinderboerderij Grootveld >711 on the left. Keep following until crossing Vilvoordesesteenweg (pay attention when crossing!). Take a left and a few meters past Carrosserie Buyl and house no. 116 take right and follow via the narrow field road > 711. At the end of the field road you leave the WNW (so not left towards asphalt but go right and straight towards hop field. Left at hop field. End of walk.

Continue to Paddebroeken and Paardenbos

Here at WKP 401 take left >400 and a little further at fork at WKP 401(Bis), keep following direction > 400. At WKP 400 you follow >200. Leave the WNW at the panel 'birth forest 2016 municipality of Merchtem'. Here you take the winding path on the left with wooden posts on both sides, which leads us through the horse forest. When leaving the Paardenbos (wooden entrance/exit) do NOT take >200 but take the right. After the visit of this beautiful gem you will return to your steps, up to the concrete track. Continue straight here (so NOT >400) and do not follow a network for a while. End of concrete track (with street sign Paddebroeken) straight ahead asphalt track and at chapel WKP 402 >719. Please note: after about 550 meters in 2 the bend you will notice a picture that direction 22 forthe BIKE (!) node. ATTENTION because here you leave the WNW and take the field track on the right, it turns further to the left (asphalt). At house number 90 take the field road (mountain bike path) on the right. At the end past house number 124 take the asphalt track on the left, after a while you will see > 720 of the WNW, follow it further until WKP720 and from here the route description of the shortening.