Between Zenne and Lembeekbos

During this beautiful trip, you explore nature gems in Flemish Brabant and a bit in Walloon Brabant. We start at the Lembeek station.

Text and photo Mark Dedapper

Lembeek, a district of Halle, is located by the Zenne and the Brussels-Charleroi canal, just above the language border. We cross natural treasures such as Berendries, Maasdalbos, Lembeekbos, Malakoff domain, and the castle park in the village center. These pieces of nature are part of the ‘Boommarter’ plan, which aims to grow and connect them, in collaboration with several nature associations. In the first three km of the walk, we use the green arrows of the walking route within this project. After that, we only encounter them sporadically. Just past halfway, we take a picturesque detour through Walloon Brabant. Lembeek is also the village of brewery Boon, where lambic beers and geuze are traditionally made.

Pasar 2021/5 – Last route check 2021/3

The Route

Leave the parking and Lembeek station (V) turn left (Stationsstraat). At T (end of Claesplein) turn left towards the church (1). After the church, at the small roundabout, turn right into Bondgenotenstraat. Just before the castle park, turn left onto Hoefstraat. You cross the Zennesluis and the canal. 50 m past the bridge, turn left. From here follow the green arrows to Maasdalbos. Ignore the 'Private road' sign. At the end of the road, turn left and after 100 m take the narrow path to the right through Berendries (2). At the T of paths, turn right over a small bridge. At the X turn left. At the roadway, turn left and 100 m further at the chapel, take the path on the right. After 250 m at the bench, turn right. At the roadway, briefly turn right and immediately left into a forest path through Maasdalbos (3). At the X of paths, you leave the green arrows and continue straight ahead to a small pond with a bench – turn left and at T with the forest path turn right. Attention: at the next X of forest paths take the narrow ascending path to the left (so not straight ahead towards the traffic signs). At T, follow the path to the right until crossing with the roadway. Ascending path straight ahead (footpath F20). At T, turn left (path F38). At the crossroad, 500 m further, take the narrow ascending path straight ahead between the fields and at the next roadway turn right. Past an old farm (house no. 9) opposite a chapel (4), take the nice narrow path to the left, a piece of Walloon Brabant. At the roadway, turn right, and shortly after at the fork, follow the right branch. Past house no. 23, the street to the right turns into a path. At the end of the path, turn left onto a forest road. At the X of paths, 100 m further, turn right through the swinging gate. You come over the parking of a restaurant – cross the road and follow the forest road straight ahead through Lembeekbos (5). At the fork, 80 m later, turn left. 600 m further, past a white house, turn gently left. Further on, cross an asphalt path and continue straight ahead between the fields. At T with the roadway, turn right. 150 m further, field road to the left (Botermelkstraat). You enter a slightly hollow road. At the next roadway, turn left and 100 m further, past house no. 54, take the path to the right. This path runs past the Malakoff tower (6). At the end, at the canal, sharply to the right onto the bridge and then left over the bridge. 40 m past the Zenne lock, take the narrow path to the left, which runs with steps over the ditch. At the end of the steps, take the path to the right. Follow this path through the castle park (7). Keep following the main path until you exit the park (gate). Continue straight ahead to Claesplein in front of the church. At the end of the square, turn left to Stationsstraat, which you follow to the right until the station.

Hospitality: around the church in Lembeek
Not suitable for wheelchairs and strollers

Distance: 12.2 km