Hello there!
I'm a guy who has an interest in the immediate world around me; its history, geography and culture. This is a collection of walks designed by me in the forest next to where I live, featuring snippets of information along the way.
I've found that many published walks are at least 10 km long and often I don't have the time to do them. Short walks can be just as interesting and invigorating and when you want a change, just do it in reverse! You'll be surprised at what you'll notice.
These walks are all under 10 km, some under 5 km. Ideal for taking the kids!
The forest is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, having been given this status in 2017 as part of the Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and other regions of Europe. So pretty special.
If you have any extra information about anything I mention or maybe something I could've mentioned, let me know. You'll get a credit on this site and my forever thanks.
Read the info under the General tab before setting off.
I've found that many published walks are at least 10 km long and often I don't have the time to do them. Short walks can be just as interesting and invigorating and when you want a change, just do it in reverse! You'll be surprised at what you'll notice.
These walks are all under 10 km, some under 5 km. Ideal for taking the kids!
The forest is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, having been given this status in 2017 as part of the Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and other regions of Europe. So pretty special.
If you have any extra information about anything I mention or maybe something I could've mentioned, let me know. You'll get a credit on this site and my forever thanks.
Read the info under the General tab before setting off.
Why?
Are any of you old enough to remember I-Spy books? Maybe you had to 'catch them all!' ?
This set of walks was inspired by a conversation I had with one of the Amis de la Fôret de Soignes. I had seen a memorial stone in the forest near me (it's on Walk two) and there was no inscription left. Not only did I get the answer but I was directed to the Forest Museum at Groenendaal where there was to be found a tableau featuring 21 such stone monuments.
So this is to be a set of walks which will help you tick off them all and where you see numbers in the text these refer to numbers on the tableau. It is a work in progress but I've already found others and you'll have to do the walks to see them ....
This set of walks was inspired by a conversation I had with one of the Amis de la Fôret de Soignes. I had seen a memorial stone in the forest near me (it's on Walk two) and there was no inscription left. Not only did I get the answer but I was directed to the Forest Museum at Groenendaal where there was to be found a tableau featuring 21 such stone monuments.
So this is to be a set of walks which will help you tick off them all and where you see numbers in the text these refer to numbers on the tableau. It is a work in progress but I've already found others and you'll have to do the walks to see them ....
The 21 Stones
If the any of the following are in bold then there is a walk already written which you can follow. Locations are those provided by the tableau at The Forest Museum, Groenendaal.
1. Mile Stone, Drève de Lorraine-Drève du Caporal, Uccle Walk three
2. Memorial Stone, Drève de Lorraine-Drève du Haras, Uccle Walk five
3. Boulders, Zevenster, Park van Tervuren
4. Stone Bench, Arboretum, Tervuren
5. Boulder, Arboretum, Tervuren
6. Memorial Plaque, Rouge Cloister, Auderghem
7. Coat of Arms, Rouge Cloister, Auderghem
8. Spirit of the Forest Spring, Auderghem
9. Memorial Stone, Auderghem
10. Memorial Plaque, Chapel of Our Lady, Hoeilaart Walk four
11. Menhir, Arboretum, Groenendaal
12. Gravestone, Test Station, Groenendaal
13. Stone Bench, Groenendaal lakes
14. Border Stones, Groenendaal lakes
15. Menhir, border of Hoeilaart and Rhode-St-Genèse Walk two
16. Foresters Memorial Henge, Grasdelle, Uccle Walk one
17. 75th Jubilee Stone, Grasdelle, Uccle Walk one
18. 100th Jubilee Stone, Grasdelle, Uccle, Walk one
19. The Bossaert Cross, Watermael-Boitfort
20. The de Rosée Cross, Drève du Lorrain-Drève de Deux Triages, Uccle Walk three
21. The Roodenbeke Cross, Etang du Fer du Chèval, Uccle Walk Three
1. Mile Stone, Drève de Lorraine-Drève du Caporal, Uccle Walk three
2. Memorial Stone, Drève de Lorraine-Drève du Haras, Uccle Walk five
3. Boulders, Zevenster, Park van Tervuren
4. Stone Bench, Arboretum, Tervuren
5. Boulder, Arboretum, Tervuren
6. Memorial Plaque, Rouge Cloister, Auderghem
7. Coat of Arms, Rouge Cloister, Auderghem
8. Spirit of the Forest Spring, Auderghem
9. Memorial Stone, Auderghem
10. Memorial Plaque, Chapel of Our Lady, Hoeilaart Walk four
11. Menhir, Arboretum, Groenendaal
12. Gravestone, Test Station, Groenendaal
13. Stone Bench, Groenendaal lakes
14. Border Stones, Groenendaal lakes
15. Menhir, border of Hoeilaart and Rhode-St-Genèse Walk two
16. Foresters Memorial Henge, Grasdelle, Uccle Walk one
17. 75th Jubilee Stone, Grasdelle, Uccle Walk one
18. 100th Jubilee Stone, Grasdelle, Uccle, Walk one
19. The Bossaert Cross, Watermael-Boitfort
20. The de Rosée Cross, Drève du Lorrain-Drève de Deux Triages, Uccle Walk three
21. The Roodenbeke Cross, Etang du Fer du Chèval, Uccle Walk Three
More stones
These are ones I've found :-)
B1. End of WW1 stone, Grasdelle, Uccle Walk one
B2. 175th Jubilee Stone, Chemin des Tumulis-Chemin du Pivert, Uccle Walk five
B1. End of WW1 stone, Grasdelle, Uccle Walk one
B2. 175th Jubilee Stone, Chemin des Tumulis-Chemin du Pivert, Uccle Walk five
Remarkable trees
These are the trees with names. All of them are oaks which in general live longer than beech which is the predominate species in the forest. According to The Woodland Trust oaks generally have a lifespan of 600 years, but this can be very much exceeded. They are classified as 'Notable' (150 + years), 'Veteran' (200+ years) and 'Ancient' (400+ years). The De Bruyn Oak is ancient. Beech generally live for 250 years, being 'Notable' at 75 years, 'Veteran' at 125 years and 'Ancient' at 225 years.
The list will be updated as I come across them.
T1. The Crahay Oak Walk one
T2. The De Bruyn Oak Walk two
T3. The Liernard Oak Walk four
T4. The Centenary Oak Walk five
The list will be updated as I come across them.
T1. The Crahay Oak Walk one
T2. The De Bruyn Oak Walk two
T3. The Liernard Oak Walk four
T4. The Centenary Oak Walk five
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