On the 18th of January we were at it again. The small stretch that was left from Zoutleeuw to Sint-Truiden was our goal today. A fairly easy target since this is only 10Km.
We took the bus from Sint-Truiden to Zoutleeuw at the railway station, back to the place where we had left off the week before.
From there we set out and completed the last part of our "frontdoor to Frontdoor" walk along the GR128. Once in Sint-Truiden we had a nice meal together and decided to continue the GR all the way to Aachen in Germany, with as aim to get to Aachen by Christmas, so we could enjoy the Christmas market there.
Friday 26 August 2011
GR 128 - Vlaanderen Route. Hoegaarden => Zoutleeuw
On January 10th 2011 Cilia and I decided to pick up our door to door walk along the GR128 again. We were hoping to complete the last part of this project. The GR was to take us from hoegaarden, through the Gete valley and past Zoutleeuw and Wilderen to Sint-Truiden. By road the distance would be about 20km, but the GR wouldn't be the GR if it wouldn't take a (big) detour to show you the different landscapes of the region along the way. So in stead of the 20 road kilometers we set out for 48km.
We started the day with high hopes and in good spirits in the railway station of Tienen... but after walking through the better part of day, walking got harder and harder. But when the going gets tough, the tough keep going, so we trotted along till our trotting turned to, well stumbling along at times.
Falling darkness (no flashlights in pack, because we had hoped to be in before dark) and sore feet made us stop in Zoutleeuw. So near to our goal... both a bit disappointed. We called my dad to pick us up in Zoutleeuw and takes us to Sint-Truiden (where not only I live, but my parents do too). Together with my folks we had "frietjes" for dinner and decided complete the last part really soon...
We started the day with high hopes and in good spirits in the railway station of Tienen... but after walking through the better part of day, walking got harder and harder. But when the going gets tough, the tough keep going, so we trotted along till our trotting turned to, well stumbling along at times.
Falling darkness (no flashlights in pack, because we had hoped to be in before dark) and sore feet made us stop in Zoutleeuw. So near to our goal... both a bit disappointed. We called my dad to pick us up in Zoutleeuw and takes us to Sint-Truiden (where not only I live, but my parents do too). Together with my folks we had "frietjes" for dinner and decided complete the last part really soon...
03/01/2011 - New Year's walk in the Voeren region with CIndy.
As a welcome to the new year, Cindy (also a member of team Alba 2011 and although our friendship is still rather recent, I call her a very good friend already!)and I decided to take a walk in the Voeren region, which actually lies in the Belgian province of Liege, but is part of the province of Limburg. (Don't ask me to explain... Belgian politics... it is a huge pile of nonsense)
Another cold and snowy day and as the pictures will prove, quite slippery in some places too. Snow was knee deep at places and on the windy parts of the walk through the open fields, it was actually quite cold too.
We ended the walk with a nice cup of soup in a local tavern and got back to Cindy's car at nightfall. Another very fond walking memory.
Check out the pix.
Another cold and snowy day and as the pictures will prove, quite slippery in some places too. Snow was knee deep at places and on the windy parts of the walk through the open fields, it was actually quite cold too.
We ended the walk with a nice cup of soup in a local tavern and got back to Cindy's car at nightfall. Another very fond walking memory.
Check out the pix.
18/12/2010 - Walk on the snowy slag heaps in Heusden.
December 18th was the day Angela (a.k.a "the Captain". A self-proclaimed sister of mine. a long time friend and one of the Alba 2011 team) and myself took a walk on the snow slag heaps of the (now closed) Heusden coal mine. It was not a long, nor a very strenuous walk, but it was absolutely beautiful.
We had a very nice time, and had a lovely evening meal after that, followed by some nice drinks to get warm again... a very nice day in my walking history :-)
We had a very nice time, and had a lovely evening meal after that, followed by some nice drinks to get warm again... a very nice day in my walking history :-)
GR 128 - Vlaanderen Route. Leuven => Hoegaarden
As we did this walk on the 10th of December last year, my story is not as accurate as it should be, but the pix speak for themselves I'd say.
On a foggy, cold winter day, we decided to tackle the next part of our GR128 project. As you may remember, this started out as a walk from Cilia's front door (Mechelen) to mine (Sint-Truiden). We decided to walk from Leuven to Hoegaarden on this next stint. I remember the GR crossing and passing and the E40 motorway and railway line 36 between Liege and Brussels.
It was a tiring walk in difficult conditions and although our research had promised us beautiful sights and splendid landscapes... we bare noticed any, because of the mist and the wintery conditions.
We did however have a good laugh and had fun in the snow, which was knee deep at some points.
On a foggy, cold winter day, we decided to tackle the next part of our GR128 project. As you may remember, this started out as a walk from Cilia's front door (Mechelen) to mine (Sint-Truiden). We decided to walk from Leuven to Hoegaarden on this next stint. I remember the GR crossing and passing and the E40 motorway and railway line 36 between Liege and Brussels.
It was a tiring walk in difficult conditions and although our research had promised us beautiful sights and splendid landscapes... we bare noticed any, because of the mist and the wintery conditions.
We did however have a good laugh and had fun in the snow, which was knee deep at some points.
Sloppy updating...
Ever since February I haven't updated my walking Blog and even then I was talking about walks I did in October of last year. So sorry for that...
A lot has happened since last october. I did some more prep-walks for Scotland and between the 21st and 29th of April 2011, I did achieve 2 goals. I went to Scotland with my friends Cindy and Angela and it was fantastic. It was everything I had hoped it would be. A beautiful country, with majestic landscapes and very friendly people. Once there, the three of us completed me second dream... we walked the West-Highland Way. Not with day-packs, from hotel to B&B with a luggage carrying service.... No! We did it the proper way. With hiking-pack, tent and sleeping bag... all the way from Glasgow to Fort William. I am very proud to have achieved this and discovered in the process that this is my new hobby. Walking and hiking. A healthy and relaxing way to spend your time off from work.
Tell you what... since I decided to continue this, I will briefly describe what walks I did between October 2010 and today and I promise I will keep this blog updated every day after a new walk or adventure. Thanks for reading and may our never-ending roads will cross one day... cheers Lieven
A lot has happened since last october. I did some more prep-walks for Scotland and between the 21st and 29th of April 2011, I did achieve 2 goals. I went to Scotland with my friends Cindy and Angela and it was fantastic. It was everything I had hoped it would be. A beautiful country, with majestic landscapes and very friendly people. Once there, the three of us completed me second dream... we walked the West-Highland Way. Not with day-packs, from hotel to B&B with a luggage carrying service.... No! We did it the proper way. With hiking-pack, tent and sleeping bag... all the way from Glasgow to Fort William. I am very proud to have achieved this and discovered in the process that this is my new hobby. Walking and hiking. A healthy and relaxing way to spend your time off from work.
Tell you what... since I decided to continue this, I will briefly describe what walks I did between October 2010 and today and I promise I will keep this blog updated every day after a new walk or adventure. Thanks for reading and may our never-ending roads will cross one day... cheers Lieven
Tuesday 1 February 2011
GR571, Vallees des legendes - Ardennes rivers part II
On Tuesday, October 12th, Cilia and myself tackled the second part of our walk along the GR571. We started out at Aywaille, where we left off at the end of the first part.
From the railway station, we crossed the bridge and immediately started to climb towards a nature reserve called "la Heid des Gattes". We passed a veiwing point overlooking the town and its bridge. Over here there was also a small remembrance plaque for the allied soldiers and the resistance people that liberated Aywaille at the end of WWII. From there we climbed towards the top of the ridge where we entered the reserve.
From the top of the ridge the GR slowly descends towards Sougne.Along the way passing another viewpoint in Falize, with a spectacular view over the Ambleve valley. A little bit below the viewpoint we passed and old gun emplacement defending the valley.Finally you arrive in the village of Sougne at the bank of the river. Here the path follows the riverbank and passes underneath a large overpass that lets the E25 motorway cross the valley, without all the traffic having to descend into the valley itself.
From sougne, the route continues towards the Ninglinspo area. We stopped there and had our lunch, before continuing along the river towards the Chefna valley. The Ninglinspo stream has a beatiful valley, with its own walk as well, but we chose the less well-known and certainly less touristic Chefna valley. Marching past the river at les fonds de Quarreux, you see huge rocks lying in the water. A local legend tells of a miller that owned a mill. He wanted a bigger mill and made a pact with the devil. In exchange for his soul the devil would build him in bigger mill in just one night. The miller's wife, concerned for her husband's soul, hid inside the mill wearing a medal of Notre-Dame de Dieupart, preventing the wings of the mill from turning. The devil, outraged by his failure, destroyed the mill and rocks landed in the nearby Ambleve river.
After les fonds de Quarreux, the GR turns left across the motorway, climbing out of the Chefna valley. Al slow gradual ascent through the forest along the fast-flowing Chefna. Once on top of the hill a borders the moors. In this part of the walk all signs of civilisation ar far away. Nothing but nature and green as far as the eye reaches, only disturbed by the obligatory cross that was erected by a lost traveler who miraculously found his way back out of the moorland and erected a cross to thank his god for saving him.
Once out of the moors, a road descends the hill flank all the way to Stoumont.
Once here I changed my shoes at the bus stop, where we took the bus to Coo a gew minutes later. Timing had really been immaculate.Once arrived in Coo we had 40 minutes left before the train arrived. We went to see the little waterfall and had a hot chocolate in a tea-room near by. After that we took the train home, proud to have finished the second part of our GR571 walk.
Pictures of this walk can be viewed here.
From the railway station, we crossed the bridge and immediately started to climb towards a nature reserve called "la Heid des Gattes". We passed a veiwing point overlooking the town and its bridge. Over here there was also a small remembrance plaque for the allied soldiers and the resistance people that liberated Aywaille at the end of WWII. From there we climbed towards the top of the ridge where we entered the reserve.
From the top of the ridge the GR slowly descends towards Sougne.Along the way passing another viewpoint in Falize, with a spectacular view over the Ambleve valley. A little bit below the viewpoint we passed and old gun emplacement defending the valley.Finally you arrive in the village of Sougne at the bank of the river. Here the path follows the riverbank and passes underneath a large overpass that lets the E25 motorway cross the valley, without all the traffic having to descend into the valley itself.
From sougne, the route continues towards the Ninglinspo area. We stopped there and had our lunch, before continuing along the river towards the Chefna valley. The Ninglinspo stream has a beatiful valley, with its own walk as well, but we chose the less well-known and certainly less touristic Chefna valley. Marching past the river at les fonds de Quarreux, you see huge rocks lying in the water. A local legend tells of a miller that owned a mill. He wanted a bigger mill and made a pact with the devil. In exchange for his soul the devil would build him in bigger mill in just one night. The miller's wife, concerned for her husband's soul, hid inside the mill wearing a medal of Notre-Dame de Dieupart, preventing the wings of the mill from turning. The devil, outraged by his failure, destroyed the mill and rocks landed in the nearby Ambleve river.
After les fonds de Quarreux, the GR turns left across the motorway, climbing out of the Chefna valley. Al slow gradual ascent through the forest along the fast-flowing Chefna. Once on top of the hill a borders the moors. In this part of the walk all signs of civilisation ar far away. Nothing but nature and green as far as the eye reaches, only disturbed by the obligatory cross that was erected by a lost traveler who miraculously found his way back out of the moorland and erected a cross to thank his god for saving him.
Once out of the moors, a road descends the hill flank all the way to Stoumont.
Once here I changed my shoes at the bus stop, where we took the bus to Coo a gew minutes later. Timing had really been immaculate.Once arrived in Coo we had 40 minutes left before the train arrived. We went to see the little waterfall and had a hot chocolate in a tea-room near by. After that we took the train home, proud to have finished the second part of our GR571 walk.
Pictures of this walk can be viewed here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)