Kabouter (Gnome) hiking route
Extended route description
Gnomes, with their short legs, would give up on this challenging route. You start in Flobecq, where the language border runs parallel with some natural barricades in many places. Brave hills and waterways, traverse beautiful forests, discover the chapels of Zeven Weeën, find dozens of natural springs and pass through the beautiful Bos-ter-Rijst. In La Houppe, some cosy cafés and restaurants will satisfy your hunger and thirst.
Starting point La Houppe - Node 6
La Houppe – or D'Hoppe in Dutch – is a hamlet on the northern wooded flank of the Pottelberg. In the early 20th century, it was a lively meeting place, dotted with 'ginguettes', or popular dance tents where our grandparents let loose their legs on Sunday afternoons. Later, La Houppe became well-known for rampant sand mining, for which large areas of forest were cut down. There are no dance halls to be found today, but there are a handful of cafés and restaurants that we'll leave for the end of our route.
Node 6-9 Pottelberg
Pottelberg is located on the border of Hainaut and East Flanders and at the node of an elongated ridge of hills starting to the west at Kluisberg and a ridge starting north-south from La Croisette near Ellignies-lez-Frasnes. Two masts adorn the summit, visible far and wide: one belonging to the Belgian Air Force and the other to the Walloon radio and television broadcaster RTBF.
Node 6-9 CHALET RADAR
At the edge of the Pottelberg forest, you will pass by the sports grounds of Chalet Radar – named after the giant Air Force mast that stands prominently in the backyard – which houses a tennis and padel club. The 'clubhouse' is a fully fledged bistro with fine cuisine, where casual passers-by are also welcome for a bite to eat and a drink.
Node 9-7 AQUA FONS VITAE
Springs are found just about everywhere in the region, but rarely are they so inviting as the little fountain along the hiking footpath connecting the hamlets of Queneau and Haizette (between nodes 9 and 7). Under the Latin inscription Aqua Fons Vitae ('water brings life'), a face in bas-relief treats passers-by to drinkable water: ideal for filling your water bottle or just refreshing your face.
Just past node 7, you'll end up at a dilapidated farmhouse. Step past the ruin on the left and turn along the path.
Node 52 BOS TER RIJST
The sprawling Bos-ter-Rijst is a well-kept hiking forest, dotted with springs that feed into the Molenbeek further down the valley. Until the 18th century, the forest was used for coppice wood. Every five to ten years, young trees were cut down to the ground. Branches sprouted from the remaining stump, which were allowed to grow until the next felling. The felled branches were tied together into bundles – brushwood, hence the forest's name – to quickly heat up the ovens of bakeries and the boilers of breweries.
Node 52-6 Cave of La Houppe
The cave of Saint Mary of Hope – Grotte Sainte-Marie de l'Esperance – was built in 1938 with small stones from the cave of Lourdes to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Mary's apparition in the French town. The chapel next to it dates from 1888. It was built by Baron Lefevre so that locals no longer had to travel to Brakel, Flobecq or Schorisse to attend Sunday Mass.
Node 6 LA HOUPPE and its hospitality
While cafés and restaurants are few and far between on the road, you'll be spoilt for choice in La Houppe. Chalet Gerard and Ancienne Belgique like to keep it classic, 't Barakske does it bric-à-brac and Brasserie D'Hoppe serves simple dishes with an Austrian touch. Wherever you end up, the beer flows in equal abundance and you will be just as warmly welcomed in both Dutch and French.
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