#191025 - Piétrebais, Bois de Beausart, Cocrou and Sart****

Beautiful hike from the village of Chapelle Saint-Laurent in Piétrebais. Right at the beginning, one is enchanted by the view at the end of the narrow section of Chemin de la Procession. You cross the Chaussée de Jodoigne near the spot where, on February 18, 2018, Florence, an impolite 39-year-old mother, lost her life when she collided with a tree that had fallen onto the road. Afterwards, the path leads to the plateau of Beausart, which borders the grounds of Beauvechain airfield, visible in the distance. The constant coming and going of the noisy small single-engine training aircraft of the army is the only blemish on this route. The view on the descent to the Bois de Beausart is magnificent. At the entrance to the forest, a large clearing can be found, in the center of which stands the Château-Ferme de Beausart, an impressive listed building, of which you can only see part of the farm while the neoclassical castle (1835) is hidden in the west. The path that runs along the edge of the forest is truly delightful. You then enter the majestic forest. Beautiful clearings to the west, partly with vines. The few hundred meters before crossing the Chaussée de Jodoigne are on poor cobblestones, the descent is quite steep, be careful. Crossing the hamlet of Cocrou, which has beautiful old houses. Then there is a very nice (and long) climb to the plateau of Hèze along the fields of the Ferme de la Sarte, which specializes in the delivery of rolled turf (www.quickgazon.be). The descent into the village with the church tower of the chapel in sight offers a great perspective. This route is really worth it.

Text and photos: Pierre Becquart - royalty-free.