Walking through the West Flemish Hills

The West Flemish hill country lends itself to unforgettable walks. In this rural area near the French border, the peace and quiet of yesteryear still reigns. This route takes you through the forests of the Kemmelberg and Domain de Warande.

The Warande
De Warande Castle dates from 1925 and is currently used as a town hall. The adjacent park is laid out in the English landscape style. You walk past meadows and ponds in the Willebeek valley. Here and there are loose groups of trees, often of exotic origin. On the flanks of the Kemmelberg you walk into a varied deciduous forest where you see many sweet chestnuts. Beech, oak and maple trees also grow here. A wonderful place for some shade on sunny days.

Belvédère lookout tower
At 156 meters, the Kemmelberg is one of the highest hills in Flanders. Here you walk through a hard-fought location from the First World War. So heavy that after that war the hill was left bare and was replanted with deciduous trees. On top of the hill is the Belvédère, a monumental and recently renovated lookout tower from the period around 1920. On clear days you can see the North Sea from here. A restaurant is located in the building.