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Pajottenland

Calling itself “the pearl of the Pajottenland”, the little town of Gooik sports a civic shield of three hammers. When we arrived for a walk in the area, those hammers could have easily represented the cold, wind and rain.

Yet if Flemish towns like Gooik retain a certain unchangeable character, the skies above them remain as unpredictable as a colt. On the last third of the route, the sun put in a shock appearance and the colours of the landscape were suddenly revealed.

• Walking route: Gooik – Neigembos – Gooik (loop) detailed commentary
• Distance: 14km
• Original route by Gert Sonck at Originele wandelingen in België

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Pajottenland

Walking on a wet and windy day as winter starts to take a hold of the Flemish plains.

 

The work of Pieter Bruegel the Elder – much inspired by the views and people of the area – reminds us that there’s always plenty of activity going on under those massive, moody skies. The Pajot fields have long been the bread basket of Brussels and today, people spend many weekends in the garden, tending their donkeys and chickens or building ugly new houses.

Detailed commentary

Larger map of this route

1. From the Sint-Niklaaskerk at Gooik, descend the Dorpsstraat and take the right fork. Turn left onto Lindestraat and immediately after, go right onto Groebbestraat which becomes a track and eventually reaches the Rozembroekstraat, onto which turn right.
2. Cross the Stuivenbergstraat, take the right fork at a Y-junction soon after and continue into the fields. About two hundred metres on, turn left onto a track as far as a crossroads of five ways. Go straight over (Wijngaardbosstraat).
3. After a half mile or so, go left at a wooded triangle and turn left onto a track at the top end of the triangle, following it as far as the Drie Egyptenbaan.
   Turn right onto the Drie Egyptenbaan and take the first right again onto a track. Go straight through a small copse until the path reaches an inn and the road (Wijngaardbosstraat again), at which turn left and the road eventually merges into the Woestijnstraat.
4. At a crossroads with the Berchembos, turn left and then first right into Neerstraat as far as the Neigembos. Just inside the trees, at a gate turn right. The path descends almost to the edge of the woodland, so turn left deeper into the woods.
5. After another quarter of a mile, turn left onto the GR (red/white stripe). Follow and when the GR turns left, go straight onto the well-known gangway, descending out of the forest to a pottery studio, at which turn left onto the road.
6. At the first bend to the right, go straight off the road and onto a track running alongside a stream. At the entrance of a house on the left, follow the narrower path along the stream. On reaching a private road to the left, go straight ahead alongside willow trees and eventually reach a crossroads, going straight over onto Kroonstraat.
7. After three hundred metres, turn left onto Kelenbergstraat. At the end of the Kelenbergstraat, turn right onto Ekelendriestraat. After a left turn at a chapel and another right onto the street, go right soon after onto a grassy path.
8. At a solitary house, go straight onto the drive and turn right onto the Kindekensstraat. Eventually turn left onto Letterbeekstraat. When the road bends to the left, go between houses numbers 65 and 65A and onto a narrow path. After the gardens, the path runs across the fields.
9. On reaching a track, turn right onto it. On reaching the Hof Ter Eycken, turn left onto Strijlandstraat, then first right onto Hoezenbroekstraat. Turn left at house number 18 onto a cobbled path. At the end, turn right onto Thibautstraat.
10. When the road bends right, turn left onto a path running alongside fences as far as Lombergstraat onto which go right and turn left again at the restaurant Zwaart Schaap. A few meters further on, turn left again onto a grassy path. Go straight to a chapel, then go straight through a gate and onto another footpath running between pastures. These pastures might be full of grumpy bulls, but the fences are electrified and sturdy, so don’t worry!
11. Reaching a meadow, keep to the edge on the right and continue as far as the road (Terlostraat) left onto which turn left. Pass Blokstraat on the right, then take the next path to the right which heads back to the centre of Gooik.