Walk Four. Fragrant lady, a notable oak and a path for bears.
Walk length a little under 4 km.
We start at the small parking on the Brussels side of The Ring on the Chaussée de la Hulpe. If you can't go during the week then go early as there are only spaces for six cars or so. An alternative would be to take the 366 bus from near Boitsfort or Groenendaal train stations. Other possibilities exist so read on to when they will be mentioned.
We start at the small parking on the Brussels side of The Ring on the Chaussée de la Hulpe. If you can't go during the week then go early as there are only spaces for six cars or so. An alternative would be to take the 366 bus from near Boitsfort or Groenendaal train stations. Other possibilities exist so read on to when they will be mentioned.
From the car park cross over the road and walk up the Drève Hendrickx. Most of this walk is in a Zone of Protection which means it can be managed. There is an ongoing scheme to ensure a mix of ages of trees unlike you would get in a Forest Reserve which some of Walk Two goes through. There, trees lie where they fall and the forest is left to do its own thing.
Shortly you will come to a fork (just visible above) and take the left-hand path. Shortly after this you come to a pedestrian only footpath, the Sentier du Vallon des Chênes (Path of the Valley of Oaks).
As you can see, no bicycles or horses should go here! Doesn't it look inviting? As you walk along this path take your time to look around you - there are some impressive beech and oak trees around. One of these is the Liernard Oak which you will come to on your right. It is one of the designated 'Arbres Remarquables' of the forest. One of M. Lienard's legacies was to catalogue the trees in the Tervuren Arboretum, a reference work still relied on today.
Continue up the path, crossing over the Chemin du Moulin. I haven't yet found out which mill this path refers too although I'm pretty sure it no longer exists. So if anyone knows, let me know. It's a lovely cobbled path which runs from Boitsfort to Hoeillart.
Carry on, there will be a few paths crossing your way until you reach the Drève de Bonne-Odeur. It's not sign-posted but it is an obviously proper path. Turn right and take advantage of the pedestrian only path to the left. Particularly at weekends when cyclists abound.
This path will take you to the Chapel of Our Fragrant Lady. Although the first stone was laid here in 1485, this was a site of pilgrimage for many years previously. After having survived intervening wars, It was destroyed in 1864 as it was on the projected new route to Mont-St-Jean which where the ring is now. Rebuilt four years later 100m away, it remains a centre of pilgrimage. You can also read this from an excellent post by Monastic Belgium which tells you much more.
You will have noticed that there is a carpark here too. You can access it from the southbound section of The Ring, just after the Guide Dog training centre opposite the Chateau Prince Leopold. This Belle Epoque building from 1905 is an early example of a tourism specific development. It wasn't actually his.
Now that's all very well, but there's one of the stones (10) to tick off. A bit tricky this one as it's on the other side of The Ring. Don't attempt to cross the ring directly. Opposite the front of the Chapel is a path leading to a tunnel. When you come out, look to your right. The memorial stone is past 'Terblock' on the slip road on your left. Obviously.
Now that's all very well, but there's one of the stones (10) to tick off. A bit tricky this one as it's on the other side of The Ring. Don't attempt to cross the ring directly. Opposite the front of the Chapel is a path leading to a tunnel. When you come out, look to your right. The memorial stone is past 'Terblock' on the slip road on your left. Obviously.
This plaque commemorates two aviators who escaped on July 5th 1941 in a biplane hidden in a hangar on the Terblock estate (which you can see indicated on the left) and took valuable information concerning the German defences to the the Allied Forces.
Back under the underpass to the Chapel and take the path just to the right. This is the Drève de la Chapelle. You will follow this for less than a kilometre. At the time of writing the forest was being exploited sustainably by the company shown in the photo. Nice work.
Back under the underpass to the Chapel and take the path just to the right. This is the Drève de la Chapelle. You will follow this for less than a kilometre. At the time of writing the forest was being exploited sustainably by the company shown in the photo. Nice work.
Carry on a short distance an you come to the intriguingly named Chemin des Ours. I was brought up on this. Who knows what you may find if you go down to the woods. Anyway turn right here.
When you get to the Drève Hendrickx turn left. There is a path to the left of the main drag. Walk on this and admonish any cyclists who try to use it. You will shortly come back to the start of the walk.
Another one bites the bush.
Another one bites the bush.