Nodes: 6 – 612 – 611 – 622 – 623 – 628 – 627 – 631 – 630 – 629 – 609 – 608 – 602 – 603 – 605 -606 – 607 – 6.

The lively Galmaarden is the beating heart of Pajottenland: the birthplace of gueuze, a source of inspiration for Brueghel, and a patchwork of rolling meadows and vast forests.

Text and photo Guido Elias

We mapped out an almost 15 km long original route in the heart of Pajottenland along the Pajottenland walking network. It traverses the hilly landscape through meadows and woods, picturesque streams like the Mark, along slow roads, through sleepy hamlets and quiet villages like Tollembeek, where comedian Urbanus is from. Here and there, you can sometimes admire a retired Brabant draft horse in the meadows. Our journey starts at the Baljuwhuis of Galmaarden, which also houses the tourism office of the region. We walk from node to node and reach the first node, 6, at the Market Square by the flower pot opposite Café Felix. Immediately the beginning of a solid yet highly varied walk.

The route

After Café Felix (V) take a right into the narrow alley and follow node 612. Along a field and through Tasseniersstraat, you reach this point. Then continue right towards 611. Through the quiet area Dender-Mark and past a large farm (great ice cream!) until you reach an extensive beet field. Attention: the narrow walking path runs through that field. At the end, turn right, through the lane with old trees, follow the ascending concrete road, and at the end of this Sint-Leonardusstraat, at the T-junction is 611. Now go left and after 100 m you reach 622. Follow 623 here. Further along the Grunselborrestraat which later becomes Oulstbergstraat. At 623 go right towards 628. The road climbs, take the left turns up the climbing path, across a grass path, a bit further keep right and then turn right (Huismanstraat), the road descends, then follow left always to 628 until you reach an X with a bench and a crucifix. Here is node 628. Now follow 627 among others through Ezelveldstraat (climbs at the end), cross the X after the end steps carefully. Past the chapel further right on Repekouter. After Wegkapel (right side of the road), go right (pay attention, the sign for 627 is in the wrong place) until you reach the whitewashed farm. Here is node 627. Now go left to 631 (broad path, becomes narrower). You can already see the church tower of Vollezele. At the end of the path turn right and just before the church (1) you reach 631. Follow right with the bends through Bakkerstraat, now follow the signs for 630 (at the chapel) for 500 m. Now turn right and immediately left towards the Cemetery and 629. Over a grass path and along a cornfield until the asphalt road, now turn right and keep straight to 629 (at the municipal sign Tollembeek). Now follow towards 609 straight and then right along the field road, at the end go left to 609, at the chapel with benches (2). Further to 608 via Nemerkendries, at the X follow right Modrielaan. Just past the bridge over the Mark is 608 at Kwadestraat. Now go left and follow 602 and after a bit of a walk, you come to the X, cross and continue straight along Zeuningenstraat. Then left and at the end of Senneveld is node 602. Now to 603 through the Flieterkouter neighborhood. A few times with the bends and at the end follow right Statiestraat, over the railway crossing (train station Tollembeek), keep straight until you reach 603. Now to 605. A bit uphill and at Hazendries (chapel) is point 605. Here turn right and after about 100 m further is 606 (before the railway crossing). Continue straight to 607. Just before the bridge over the Mark (waterwheel) (3) is point 607. Now go left via a wooden staircase, across the meadow (cows!) and always follow the meandering Mark. The center appears on the right over the new bridge on the bank, left and then follow until the endpoint, 6, at the Market.

Shortcut: from 608 directly to 607 (along the Mark, total 11.1 km).