Zotte Zennetrail (Weerde-Zemst-Hombeek-Eppegem) (32,2km; 20Mi)

This trail along the Senne is a generous extension of my Zennetrail https://www.routeyou.com/route/view/658255/wandelroute-zennetrail-weerde-zemst-hombeek-135km.nl. It is 98% unpaved.
The GPX of the drawn loop starts at the intersection of the Vredelaan with the Klokputweg and leaves the Klokputweg (Northeast train station Weerde). You can park your car at the train station in Weerde and afterwards recover from your efforts in café de Rut. You can of course start your loop anywhere or only do part of it.

If you want to (partly) walk out of this trail without having to wade through the Senne, take this trail: https://www.routeyou.com/route/view/736314/wandelroute-zotte-zennetrail-dry-track-weerde-zemst-hombeek-eppegem-322km-20mi.nl

This Zennetrail is particularly unique because it serves the only remaining flow-meanders of the Senne from Brussels (natural heritage): Between the south of Brussels and Eppegem, the Senne has been filled in, shorted and/or vaulted, and north of Zemst the meanders have been shortened and shorted over the centuries.

In Zemst, too, modern times have unfortunately wounded this living heritage.
In Eppegem, due to the shortening of the Senne in Vilvoorde, many meanders were used as landfills for household and construction waste. But there are still unique meander gems visible in the Dorent nature reserve above Cargovil (unfortunately these are no longer flow-through meanders).
And at Zemst, due to the frequent heavy floods at Eppegem and Zemst, a shortening of the Senne was built in a concrete trench. In addition, the construction of the E19 and associated new roads (Schumanlaan, for example) has made the Senne inaccessible at various points. Despite these (admittedly important) adjustments, the original Zennnemeanders retained their flow-through function there.

By fixing this route on the Zennemeanders, additional attention can also be given to the roads that were used between the surrounding communities before the arrival of the car. Nowadays these roads are called 'slow roads', and they are in need of a revival because it is felt that king car has not only brought progress, but also greatly hinders and even makes dangerous the current mobility of many journeys.
For example, the 'old' Zemstsesteenweg between Zemst and Hofstade, the 'old' road between Weerde and Hofstade, the 'old' road between Weerde and Elewijt, and the 'old' road between Weerde and Eppegem are also included in the loop via this loop.

To do this, click on the POIs and the accompanying explanation. If this trail (= 98% unpaved road, sometimes with some dense summer vegetation) is a bit too long, take a piece from this Zotte Zennetrail around the POIs that are interesting for you.

Because of all this, this trail is unique: All existing flow-meanders from Brussels are followed, including the still some existing closed meanders in the Dorent nature reserve. Important roads from the past are integrated into this loop as a 'slow road'. And to make this route a loop (no overlaps), the trail paths along Zennever discounts are also used, so that not only the 'old' winding Senne but also the 'more modern' straight Senne is addressed.

The name of this trail (ZOTTE Zennetrail) is inspired because a (still currently prohibited) crossing is taken at 1 place; a passage has been declared 'forbidden' in 1 place very recently; and in a third place a passage is (for the time being) dangerous.
These are in order of the loop (also look at the POIs):

1. Forbidden: With the arrival of the E19, the inhabitants of Weerde and Hofstade could cross the Weerde-Hofstade railway line. A staircase was provided to go up the roadside so that the road cut by the E19 between the two communities could still be used. This staircase was removed after years, so that there is no longer a connection between the nearby communities and recreational areas, but also between more distant green zones and (cycle route) networks. We have to wait until there is a bicycle and walking bridge that makes this old passage safe and possible again (see also https://www.facebook.com/FietsEnWandelbrugE19).

2. Banned since February 2013: Waterways and Sea Canal (perhaps) has closed the weirs at the branch of the shortening of the Senne (Eppegem) and the (more northern) weir downstream at the confluence of this shortening with the original Senne (Zemst) with a fence. A particularly regrettable evolution for the slow road user, knowing that there has been a passage over the lock gate at the Zennegat for years (as long as it was not an alternative). There is currently no alternative in either location.

3. Pay attention: Due to the arrival of the E19, the Schumanlaan was built, which cut the community in Weerde. You can follow the Zennemeanders 'over' the Schumanlaan (be careful that you allow time to get between the guardrails of the central reservation: see the POI). Here you have to wait for a safe 'underbridge' of the Shumanlaan on the Senne, as is also the case in various places in Mechelen (Mechelen Zuid on the Binnendijle, Mechelen Noord on the Vrouwvliet).

This full trail is unsuitable for non-sporty people who avoid a physical challenge.

ON-BE-PAST: This is a REAL trail of which a reasonable part of the trails ARE NOT MAINTAINED! In the nettle season, only walk this trail in long pants: 1/5th of the trails are fairly overgrown by nettles or have become so narrow that you inevitably come into contact with them. During and after the growth spurt in nature, certain paths are also overgrown by tall grasses, so you have to turn with your legs 'over them' or you risk a fall because your legs get stuck. In any case, a wonderful experience in every season.

For the sports enthusiast, this trail offers you an unforgettable experience along many old slow roads and unpaved paths along the Zennemeanders.

More information about the uniqueness of this trail can be found on this Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/FietsEnWandelbrugE19 . Click on 'Photos', then on the 'Albums' button, and select the album 'Presentation material Information evening 22 March 2013', pages 3 to 13.