Intro
It's hard to imagine that there's still a lot of green and open space to be found between Mechelen and Brussels. On Friday September 26, 2008 we not only got convinced of the opposite, we found a landscape that's really worth discovering.
Back and forth
Mechelen is easily reached by train. From the station it's only a 500 m. walk to the Brusselpoort, where the hike starts.
From Grimbergen there's several bus connections towards Brussels North and/or Vilvoorde. We took bus 821 to Zaventem, got off at Vilvoorde and took an IR train to Antwerpen. Travel time: 1 hour.
The hike
(click the picture for more images on Picasa)
The impressive Brusselpoort is the only remaining city gate of what used to be the ramparts around Mechelen. Everything – except for this gate - was destroyed in the 19th century and replaced by a walking boulevard. Of course later on that was replaced by a multi-lane road. As a result the old gate now stands in the middle of a hectic intersection of traffic roads.
The GR signs lead us towards the Leuvense Vaart, a canal like any other, if it weren't that the construction of this canal in the 18th century caused a lot of quarreling between the cities of Leuven and Mechelen. For ages all shipments of goods from and towards Leuven used the winding Dijle river which took a lot of time and caused many problems. Mechelen knew that a straight canal would considerably improve the economic power of Leuven and they strongly opposed the plans. The canal was built anyway ... It makes us curious to know how this discussion would turn out if the present mayors Tobback and Somers were involved.
Soon the trail enters the Vrijbroekpark. With its 45 ha. this park has a lot to offer: sports fields, a traffic garden, a dog's playground, a fish pond, flower gardens, etc. We were impressed by the rose garden and the solemn avenues bordered with old plane-trees and chestnut trees. In this season we were bombarded by chestnuts. All we could do was listen carefully for the chestnuts that could be aiming for our heads ...
Having crossed the park the hike takes us underneath the E19 highway and continues over a gravelroad towards the river Zenne. It's a green area, but the highway stays close to us. We can't see it, but we hear all the more. The following kilometers we won't get rid of that ever-present background noice. The notion 'silence' certainly has a different meaning here. We're now on the territory of the village Hombeek.
Somewhat further we walk on a path separating the river from the Eglegemvijver (a lake). There's fishermen at work (?). Looking at all their equipment (tents, high-tech fishing rods, nets, bait, …) we wonder what can be relaxing about this ’sport’.
Having passed the lake we now definitely leave the river Zenne. At the same time we left the province of Antwerpen and are now in Vlaams-Brabant. Walking along the castle of Relegem we arrive at the hamlet of Wormelaar where the GR 12 and GR 128 trails meet. The trail signs are somewhat confusing here, but with the map in the topoguide we manage to stay well on track. A few hundred meters further we notice a hiking pole marking the place where the trails come together. That must be a mistake.
No problem, for 5 km. both trails have joined and advance in a quiet rural area.
At Humbeek-Sas we're at the sea canal Brussels – Rupel, also called Willebroekse Vaart. The lifting bridge is 50 m. high and is visible from kilometers away in this flat landscape. When we arrive the bridge is lifted and three big ships are passing. A nice break. This is the place where GR 128 leaves our trail towards Kemmel and Wissant.
Having to wait we were looking for a café, but there's none. So, we decided to enter into the center of Humbeek, instead of following the trail signs. At the church we find two possible pitstops. One belongs to an old people home, the other one looks more attractive to us: In ‘t Goe Gedacht (In the Good Idea). Hearing the regulars talk we realise the dialect language has changed. The sounds and accent point to Brussels, not to Antwerpen anymore.
Having had our break we walk back to the GR 12 trail and make a wide curb around the village of Humbeek.
We still have a distance of 6 – 7 km. to cover before reaching Grimbergen. The trail winds itself through corn fields and pastures. Near the (invisible) Lint castle we follow the fence of the old airfield.
The last Monuments Day drew a lot of attention to this place. The airfield features two hangars, designed and built in 1947 by Alfred Hardy. They're unique for their 'mushroom' design concept and built entirely in concrete. Today they're architectural heritage. The airfield itself was built in 1939 by the belgian army. It was used briefly when the Germans invaded our country, but our pilots and equipment were no match for the well equiped and prepared Luftwaffe. The airfield fell in the hands of the Germans and they continued using it for their own purposes. By the end of the war it was again used by the allied forces.
Immediately after the war it was used for private recreational aviation purposes in an attempt to free up the resources of the national airport which at the time was Melsbroek.
As a consequence of the state reform the airfield is managed by the Flemish Community since 1989. More information can be found on this website .
Accompanied by the sounds of an occasional airplane taking off, we arrive at the Tommenmolen (a water mill) at the Maalbeek. We're in Grimbergen now. The landscape is now slightly slooping. We've definitely left the flat plains behind us.
The Tommenmolen is a picturesque spot. There's a little museum and a tavern. A bit further we pass by another mill, the Liermolen. Looking through the trees that surround the brook we're offered nice views on the baroque Sint-Servaas church, this hike's destination.
An impressive entrance gate and a completely transformed farm are all that's left of the Norbertines abbey that used to dominate the place. It was abolished and destroyed by the French. The present buildings date from the 19th century when the monks settled again later on.
The church was never completely finished but it's one of the finest baroque examples in our country. Just walk in let yourself be overcome by the exuberant decorations.
The square next to the church features some interesting 18th century façades and completes the image of Grimbergen as a nice historic pearl.
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