GR12, balsamina and pigs dung

25th July 2007 in beautiful Lier. This little clean town in the Kempen has ancient narrow streets, nice church, colourful clock tower and a cosy Begijnhof. The start at 9.30 could not be better. Above that, the sun shone and we had a light breeze. With other words: perfect hiking conditions.
I left town from the south walking along the Nete and hiked through fields and small woods. Many roads were unpaved and some very grassy to Mississippi’s delight. On approaching Mechelen there are many glass houses. The yellow-white GR signs were often at odd places but with some intuition I was lucky not to get too far off track. I entered Mechelen along the Dyle river and hit a main street where I took bus 561 to Lier railway station, walked some distance on the cit wall to my car and at 17.00 off we went to a cool Leffe beer (at home)

I enjoyed this part of the GR12.

Total distance: 30 km. Flat. Ratio: crows flight/distance: 2,3. Avg.speed (rest incl.) : 4,0 km/h.
Personal rating: ***

GR12. 2nd lap from the BD border

18^th July 2007.

From Rivierenhof restaurant to Lier railway station. The weatherman’s forecast became true. Warm and dry. At 10.00 exactly I parked the car at the Sterckshof museum. We (the dog and I) walked up to the Rivierenhof restaurant. Here the GR5a and GR12 cross. The park is quiet but stopping meant being a target for the hungry mosquitos. The noise of the E313 left up gradually and the green surroundings of Fort 2 was obviously a good place for people making the paths a means to do some sporting activity. In Wommelgem I almost lost track at the roundabout south of the church. The red-blue marking was hidden in a little alley. The town itself I found not very attractive but the surroundings were nice with many pathways between the houses.

After 8,5 km. we took a rest because it was getting quit warm nearing midday. We entered fields and passed a some woods before entering Ranst. In Broechem the dog looked desperately for shade and we took another rest and some food at km 17 at the corner of a street . Passers by looked amused when the saw the old man and his dog. At least that is what I interpreted from their facial expression. Just byond Emblem I hit the Nete canal and Kleine Nete river and went in, to my surprise, northerly direction. The sun was not in for a compromise when walking the
banks of the river but lots of shade was waiting in the wetlands and the Kessels heath where I
lost the signs again and had to follow the highway in NE direction to get onto the right track again. The fort of Kessel and the Lier fishing clubs “battlefield” were the last spots of interest before I reached the bus stop at the Lisper Steenweg. Bus 423 did not arrive and I took one of the frequent trains back to Antwerp. Bus 21 brought me near the Sterckshof. It started raining.

Distance covered: 32 km. Length of GR: 29,3 km. Flat. Ratio crow’s flight/distance path: 2,5!!

Personal rating:***

GR12 from Brasschaat castle to Deurne Rivierenhof cafe.

About 1 year ago Simone and I walked from Putte to Brasschaat and now I went with the dog from here 14 km further south. The relentless snoring sounds of the motor ways were never far away. Yet, most of the time I had trees lining my path and I trod mainly honest grass and soil. That went on right before I entered Deurne. At the Rivierenhof cafe I met Simone and we sat at the rather cold terrace having a hot coffee. The weather had been rather unpredictable with virtually no sun, an occasional mild shower and temperatures peaking at 18 degrees.

All in all not a bad section of the GR12.

Distance: 14 km. Flat. Avg. speed: 4,8 km/h.

Personal rating: **

GR129

From bus stop Ooike Loweg (line 83) to bus stop Schoonbroekstraat (line 21) on the GR129 was 24 km. The first bus on this Sunday left at 9.45 from the railway station at Oudenaarde. It is cool and bright when I start off. After leaving the busy main road the GR takes to the fields west of the city. It appears that all Belgians got on their racing bikes to tour this area but only few take the hiking paths. An old man with no bell nor proper brakes gets a near accident with the dog. I felt very upset not having Mississippi on a leash and started arguing with my conscious.

Oudenaarde is a beautiful city with lots of marvellous buildings. The carillon made my lunch after some 10 kms on the banks of the river Scheld a serene event. After crossing town we went east of the railway line down south. I walked mainly surfaced roads but they were extremely quiet. The undulating fields with mainly maize and beets and the interspersed hamlets made me think of the Ardennes. Via the Muziekbos we (me and my dog) arrived at the Kanarieberg where a real Chimay beer made me slightly dizzy but the last part of the track was only 1,5 km and went downhill. I had to wait for 45 min. at the bus stop and felt happy when the dark clouds gradually drove towards Ronse. Bus, train and car took me after 6 hrs back home.

Total distance 24 km. I went 326 m uphill with a maximum altitude at 134 m

Personal rating: ****