The Molenpad in Merchtem

Appointment at the Church of Our Lady in Merchtem (V). Leave, with your back to the church, to the right. On the right you immediately see the monument 'Paardenwater' and behind it, hidden behind the greenery 'De Borgt', formerly a castle, now a country house. Turn left with the large lane and then to the right and walk past and next to the Total gas station turn left into the Bleukenweg. After 600 meters, past house number 75, turn left into a narrow path and at the end of the path turn left. 100 meters further to the left (sign Pakespad). • You are now at the Grote Molenbeek and the Langeveldmolen 1, originally an underlay mill from 1487. Cross the stream and continue walking to the left, upstream on a narrow paved path next to the stream. At the end of the path you walk to the right in the Burchtlaan and after 175 meters, next to house number 29, to the right on a paved path (sign Pakespad). The path takes you into a beautiful coulter. Leave a first side path on the left and 150 meters past the Stambeek turn left, at an information board 'Tiendenschuur'. On the left, behind the greenery and a moat, there used to be a tithe barn 2 . Tithing law was an ecclesiastical and social tax for many centuries and consisted of one-tenth of the harvest. These tithes were kept in a tithe barn. On the main road, turn left and then immediately right towards Peizegem. Now a kilometer along the main track to the Koutermolen 3, a stone mountain mill. Return to your steps and take the first lane on the right. • You will soon be walking in a beautiful coulter. The church on the right at the end is that of Peizegem. At the T-junction, turn left, ignore a concrete lane on the right and turn right at the road sign that signals the built-up area of Merchtem. 150 meters further, next to house number 90, turn left into the asphalt track. Walk across the stream, at the T-junction to the right and at the end of the path turn right again, in front of a large building in red and black. Around the corner you have the Lijsterbespark 4 on the right with beautiful water features. Walk past the water to the right and to the left at the chapel. On the asphalt track turn left again and after 100 meters at the library to the right. A path at the back of the left takes you to the August De Boeckstraat. Old feudal court Cross and walk into the Spiegellaan. Ignore Lombardenveld and go straight across Mandsteenweg, next to house number 31 on the right into a gravel path. Turn left, go straight on the asphalt and after 75 meters to the left. Ignore all the side lanes and turn right at the T-junction, then left past the station car park. Where the track turns perpendicular to the left, you go straight ahead next to house number 31 on a narrow path. At the end of the path continue straight into the Oudstrijdersstraat. Ignore Meutersweg, Mieregemlaan and Robbroekweg and walk to the right at the fork in the Slagmolenlaan. Ignore the Paardenblokstraat and where the concrete track turns to the right, you go straight on a gravel path. Turn left. • The field road becomes an asphalt road after 400 meters and brings you to the Appelkot and the Hof ter Spelt 5, once a walled burghoeve from feudal times. At the fork, turn right. The asphalt road becomes gravel road and brings you to another asphalt road. Turn left and continue straight until the T-junction where you choose left again. Cross the Brusselsesteenweg and walk into the J. Stallaertstraat. This takes you after a left turn past an allotment park and the back of the cemetery. Through an opening in the cemetery wall you can see the tombstone of August De Boeck (1865-1937), tone poet and well-known Merchtemnaar. • Past the cemetery, go straight on a gravel path, cross the asphalt track and go straight on a tiled path. Back at the asphalt track straight ahead and then to the right (sign Keureroute). Next to house number 21, take the asphalt lane to the left. This takes you over the Molenbeek and to the Binnemolen 6, a watermill from 1269, now renovated as a tavern-restaurant, De Passerel. The starting point at the church is nearby, left around the corner.