Multiforest walk

From: Bosgatstraat, 9688 Maarkedal, Flanders, Belgium
To: Bosgatstraat, 9688 Maarkedal, Flanders, Belgium

Routing: Walking - the most beautiful.

Strenuous yet very beautiful walk that crosses various forests on the witness hills. Largely via slow roads.

Thematic walk with stunning vistas and especially a lot of forest. From the viewpoint Bosgat (Schorisse) through Bos Ter Rijst, Pottelbergbos, St Pietersbos (next to Muziekbos), Bos Ter Eecken, Waardebroeken (where the horrific tree killer struck last year) back to t Bosgat. Good for a small 20 km calf-biter (including detours and getting lost). A real recommendation!

Departure at the viewpoint in Bosgatstraat (Schorisse) and enjoy the wide panorama.

We start with a pleasant descent to Bos Ter Rijst, a 25 ha large nature reserve managed by the Agency for Nature and Forest. This rich and varied deciduous forest is recognized as a Natura 2000 area and is part of the Flemish Ecological Network. The name refers to the coppice management that was applied there until the 18th century. Young trees were previously cut down to the ground on average every five to ten years. This "coppice wood" was bundled in bundles and used to fire the ovens.

At the entrance to Bos Ter Rijst stands a memorial stone for Marcel Nachtergaele, a pioneer of the environmental movement in the Flemish Ardennes. He helped to establish the environmental associations Wielewaal (the predecessor of Natuurpunt) and Stichting Omer Wattez (now Milieufront Omer Wattez). Thanks in part to the efforts of Marcel Nachtergaele, there is still a Bos Ter Rijst today, as in the 1960s there were plans to divide the forest into a kind of holiday village. The monument is made from the local Balegem stone.

After the forest, we head towards d'Hoppe (Vloesberg/Flobecq), a picturesque hamlet on the language border between the Flemish Ardennes and Le Pays des Collines.

Anyone who wishes can briefly reflect at the Lourdes cave and view an original Stations of the Cross (Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes).

Just past the cafés and restaurants of d'Hoppe, we dive into the Pottelbergbos, or at least what remains of this beautiful cathedral-like forest. After all, the once powerful Pottelberg (157 m) was largely excavated for sand extraction. Just like the nearby Modderode (Mont de Rhode), which used to be known as the "highest mountain of Hainaut". To make matters worse from an ecological standpoint, the sand pit on the Pottelberg was then turned into a dump. Only after years of intense protests and a forest occupation action was the illegal dump finally closed in 2005. However, the imposed cleanup is still awaited...

We return to Flanders via some smaller woods and a spring with delicious fresh drinking water. Aqua Fons Vitae reads the inscription, "water is the source of life".

Then we cross the Sint-Pietersbos, which lies right next to the much better-known Muziekbos. The Sint-Pietersbos is a particularly valuable mixed forest, also because it is older than the other forests on the witness hills. Most of these forests (like Brakelbos, Muziekbos, ...) were cut down during WWI by the German occupier. After WWI, they were replanted with beech trees from Germany. However, the Sint-Pietersbos is much older. In 2011, the Flemish government acquired the forest from the noble family that had owned it until then.

Next follows another path through Bos Ter Eecken.

Which we conclude with the Waardebroeken, the place where a terrible tree massacre was committed in 2019.

Back at our viewpoint, we can enjoy the magnificent view once more.

Forests, slow roads, and beautiful vistas.

Really enjoyable!

Route assembled thanks to the hiking network of Milieufront Omer Wattez and Tourism East Flanders. Part of the route overlaps with the Kabouterroute of Tourism East Flanders.

For those who love junctions: 23 52 6 9 7 93 path through St Pietersbos (Q8 Q7 Q9 R5 on the MOW map) 37 38 just towards 40 but then at the main road N454 left and first farmers’ road back off left down to Waardebroeken (R4 R3 R1 on MOW map) 20 99 22 23.