Between free woods, village beauty, and war relics

Today you explore a landscape that fundamentally differs at first glance from what the Ferraris map shows. In 1777, when the map was created, Houthulst did not yet exist. However, present for centuries: the Houthulst Forest, or the Free Forest. To the north of the Free Forest was an agricultural area, where a growing community of poor charcoal burners lived.

The Free Forest was privatized and partially logged starting in 1830. On the edge of the forest, Houthulst emerged. During World War I, Houthulst found itself right on the front line. Both the village and the forest were completely destroyed, but soon after the war, the village and forest rose like phoenixes from their ashes.

This walking route follows as many roads as possible that are shown on the 1777 map. Along the way, you'll discover how the Houthulst landscape changed over the centuries. On the other hand, you will find that surprisingly many elements mentioned on the Ferraris map are still visible today.