Walk Two. Oldest tree, artists and a Grotto.
Walk length 4km
We start at the intesection of Golflaan (yes, there's a driving range and 3-hole golf course just nearby, the Golf Club Rhode-St-Genèse) and Brassinelaan. There's usually parking available along this stretch of the road. None of the houses around need street parking after all.
We start at the intesection of Golflaan (yes, there's a driving range and 3-hole golf course just nearby, the Golf Club Rhode-St-Genèse) and Brassinelaan. There's usually parking available along this stretch of the road. None of the houses around need street parking after all.
You'll see a little gap in the border of the forest, go in and turn left. On the walk you'll come across some patches of wild garlic in the spring.
You'll see on the Google Map that there is a stream leading into the forest nearby - you'll follow this on the first part of the walk. So take the first right onto Schone Eikweg (literally, Path of the Beautiful Oak). The path does what it says on the tin - takes you past one of the remarkable trees of the forest. The other named oaks are featured in walks one and four.
Shortly you will obliquely cross a cycle path - watch out especially at weekends! Continue to follow the path and cross over the Drève de Lorraine. A major arterial path, it is difficult to avoid on this side of the forest and if you do Walk One you will come across it again. You will see the stream with its tortuous meanders on your right. You have entered a Nature Reserve and in it the forest is left to its own devices with trees being left where they fall to decay and provide habitat for flora and fauna. That is, unless they fall across the path (no cyclists allowed in this reserve, admonish those who are oblivious to the signage) when a section is cut out creating 'gates'.
Shortly you will obliquely cross a cycle path - watch out especially at weekends! Continue to follow the path and cross over the Drève de Lorraine. A major arterial path, it is difficult to avoid on this side of the forest and if you do Walk One you will come across it again. You will see the stream with its tortuous meanders on your right. You have entered a Nature Reserve and in it the forest is left to its own devices with trees being left where they fall to decay and provide habitat for flora and fauna. That is, unless they fall across the path (no cyclists allowed in this reserve, admonish those who are oblivious to the signage) when a section is cut out creating 'gates'.
After the second 'gate' the path continues a slow curve to the left and when the stream meanders abruptly towards you, on your left stands the unsigned oldest tree in the forest. This is the De Bruyn Oak, named after a former minister for agriculture. It is 4.2 m in circumference, 40 metres high, 4 centuries old and difficult to get a nice photo of with a phone.
Carry on up the path a short distance and you will see this stone on your right (15).
This stone marks the Picturesque Canton and was placed here in the 1920s. It also commemorates Henry Carton de Wiart, the first president of the Friends of the Fôret de Soignes from 1914 to 1951. The idea was to manage the tree plantings in line with the forest of Fontainebleau used by The Barbizon School of Art. As you turn left onto Proefteeltenweg (Path of test plantings) look up to your right. Here you will see sequoias and thuyas which are definitely not native to the forest. Now you know why they are there. Hornbeam, ash, birch, larch and Scots pine were also added to the mix of native beech and oak.
Continuing up the path you have the reserve to your left and the managed landscape to the right. There has been a lot of clearing going on with the aim to restore heather moorland. Continue over the horse track and up ahead you may make out the the intersection with the Drève de Lorraine. You turn left when you reach it and as you continue notice (and smell at this time of year) the hawthorns. After a short distance you will turn right onto Schone Beukweg (Path of the Beautiful Beech). Almost immediately there is a rustic bench made of beechwood and behind it stands the eponymous tree.
Continue up the path and you come to Brassinelaan. If you turn left you will come back to the start of the walk. But wait, 500m to right is the
Around 1910 local nun, Sister Estelle had a miraculous intervention for a heart ailment. Giving thanks to intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes she decided to build a little shrine amongst the branches of a poplar tree. Quite quickly pilgrimages started coming and the shrine gained renown for intercessions for legal as well as medical matters. So in 1930 it was decided to build this grotto here. The spiritual centre within which it stands was built by a student of Horta's, Antoine Courtens. You can return to your car. Or bicycle or bus stop on the Chaussée de Waterloo. Pop into Stonemanor if you fancy.
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