Intro
Labour Day should be an active day, so we went for a solid hike. We continued our journey on the GR 12 trail at the place where we got lost last time. This time we managed to get it right and we were rewarded with a beautiful hike. We even saw the first rocks since the start of the trail.
Remark:
According to the topoguide the distance between reference points 20 and 27 is 19 km. Due to several changes along this part of the trail, the actual length of our hike must have been more or less 3 km. shorter.
Back and forth:
From Antwerpen we took the 7.54 am train to Bruxelles-Midi. It was an IR train with quite a few stops between Mechelen and Brussels, but the alternative was a Talis train and that would have cost us a fortune compared to the time it would have gained us. In Bruxelles-Midi we had to wait half an hour for the L train to Braîne-le-Comte (’s Gravenbrakel). At 9.56 am we arrived at Hennuyères.
For the return trip we took a bus from Arquennes to Nivelles (Nijvel). From Nivelles we continued by train to Antwerpen. Traveltime: almost 2 hours.
The hike:
Hennuyères was the nearest train station to get us to reference point 20 at the Rue du Pire. Yet we still had to walk 3 km. before arriving there. Fortunately we had the map in the topoguide showing us the way. However, since the road had been slowly mounting towards the Bois de la Houssière we were well warmed up by the time we entered the forest. On top of that the sun was present too and would stay with us for the rest of the day.
(click the picture for more images on Picasa)
Reference point 20 remains a mystery to us. At that spot in the Bois de la Houssière the GR 12 trail does cross the Rue du Pire (an asphalted road through the forest), but we couldn't find any signs of the GR 121 trail that was supposed to split off from our trail at this place. The only explanation possible is that GR 121 doesn't pass here anymore. The website of the Sentiers GR organisation doesn't mention anything about this, so we still don't know what happened.
Just like we did on our previous passage here we crossed the Rue du Pire and continued straight through the forest. About 500 m. further we arrived at another road crossing and that's probably where we went wrong last time. The topoguide mentions a small asphalt road (the remains of an old tram railway) which is indeed still here, but it's in a lousy condition. The trail would briefly follow this road to the left and then turn into a forest path, indicated as the Sentier d’Henripont. We did find a GR sign, but it didn't point us to the asphalt road. It led us onto a wide forest path which goes away from the asphalt road. Last time we followed the signs on that path and then it went wrong ...
This time we ignored the signs and followed the instructions in the topoguide. Some 50 m. further we found the Sentier d’Henripont. The GR signs had gone but we noticed they were covered with grey paint. That's the normal procedure when a trail is modified because the old signs would confuse the hikers. At least, now we're sure there's a trail change here, but it's not documented on the website of the Sentiers GR organisation.
Usually there's a good reason to change a trail. It may be that paths are not accessible anymore, or the trail designers may have found a more interesting alternative. However, if the change is not documented somewhere, there's no way of knowing where it will lead, nor how long it will be. Last time we didn't even notice there was a trail change here. We followed the new signs and somewhere along that new trail we must have started following the signs of the GR 121 trail, who's track probably also has been modified.
Anyway, we decided to take the risk and followed the original trail along the Sentier d’Henripont. It all went fine and some 3 km. further up the trail we arrived at the village Henripont on the road to Braîne-le-Comte. The trail through the Bois de la Houssière was filled with hyacinths, gathering their last strengths to show their enchanting blue carpets. A feast for our eyes.
Near Henripont, at reference point 21 the GR signs popped up again. They now come from the other side of the road. We were back on the right track and that was a relief.
The trail now takes us around the village of Henripont. Soon we found out that the trail had been changed here too. It won't be the last one on this hike. The track now comes closer to the center of the village, a good opportunity to walk up to the church. Like so many other churches it was built where once stood a Roman temple. The Romans knew how to pick the most beautiful places for their temples. The hight offers a splendid view of the valley of the Senette. The inhabitants of the graveyard certainly won't complain. At moments like these, you'd wished there was life after death. In the distance we can now distinguish the tower of the Ships Slope of Ronquières.
We decided to follow the modified trail. The signs still led us to the bedding of the former railway line Ecaussines – Tubize, but much further up that line then was originally the case. We now walked over that bedding for 3 km (instead of 2) before reaching the center of Ronquières. These old railway beddings often perfectly illustrate how nature reclaims abandoned industrial constructions using a lot of imagination. An old signal-cabin has been completely overgrown, forming an extravagant canopy on top of it. A funny picture.
We passed reference point 22 and are confronted with the first rockface since we started our hikes on the GR 12 trail in Bergen-op-Zoom. For a couple of Flemish hikers this is always an important event, after all, we're living in an extremely flat country. This doesn't mean that the rocks we're seeing here are a natural phenomenom. They became exposed as a consequence of the construction works for the railroad. Still, to us rocks are the essence of Wallonia. From early childhood on we associate Wallonia with rocks and steep valley slopes. This is our first taste of this 'other' country on the GR 12 trail.
All the time we're staying close to the small Senette river that follows this valley.
We're arriving in Ronquières. What a contrast! It's the 1st of May and there's a big flea market going on. Everywhere cars are looking for a parking spot and visitors stroll around looking for bargains and barbecued sausages in noisy food and drinks stalls.
The center of the flea market is situated at the top of the Ships Slope, but there's lots of stalls along the slope too. Our GR trail happens to walk up that slope. It's a new experience, for once we'er surrounded by a crowd of people. We have to take care where to put our feet. Before you know it you're stepping on a small frightened dog or you get tangled up in invisible leashes that are always attached to a big boss ...
One would almost forget that all this hustling and bustling happens next to an impressive industrial construction able to lift several ships in two enormous water tanks over a hight of 68 meters. The water tank rolls over a slope of 1.432 m. length (5% inclination angle) at more or less the speed of an average hiker. On this holiday the installation wasn't operational, but a few years ago we had the privilege to witness the whole procedure as passengers on a ship. It's almost frightening to think how immense powers, volumes and weights are controlled by only a set of cables and counterweights. Ironically enough, this industrial masterpiece was built at a time when it wasn't really needed anymore. It was part of the project that had to facilitate and increase the transport of coal on the canal Brussels - Charleroi. But by then the coal industry was already declining and doomed to disappear. Since the inauguration of the Ships Slope of Ronquières traffic on the canal has been steadily decreasing ... the Ships Slope turned out to be a useless investment.
As soon as we've left the big parking lots near the top of the Ships Slope, we're all alone again. One kilometer further, the GR signs should turn left, but they're pointing straight ahead. Another change in the trail. At the time, the trail descended here towards the old canal Brussels– Charleroi and led to reference point 25 (Pont-à-Lalieu). Now the trail continues through the fields. It still leads us to the old canal, but much further up that waterway. The change shortens the hike by 4 kilometers, an unexpected surprise for us.
Ever since the new canal was dug the old one (running parallel to the small Samme river) has been abandoned and turned over to the forces of nature and the fishermen. The old lock chambers have been modified into small cascades each throwing the water a few meters lower into the next section of the canal. It took 55 lock chambers to get the ships from Charleroi to Brussels. Their capacity only allowed ships up to 300 tons. The new canal can accommodate ships up to 1.350 tons.
Every lock chamber had a house for the sluice guard. The houses are still there. Some have been thoroughly renovated, but most of them still show the original style and carry the number of the lock chamber.
In between lock chambers 23 and 22 we walk along the Château de la Roque (sometimes written as Rocq). The castle mainly dates from the 17th and 18th centuries, but the robust tower above the gate goes back to the 14th century. Castle and park have been beautifully restored. The complex now belongs to a prestigious chain of meeting and congress centers. You can't visit it, unless you're a participant or a supplier ... A thick line of shrubbery has to protect the complex from our curious looks, but it's winter, so we still manage to catch a good glimpse of it.
It's along this part of the trail that we get in touch with the pilgrims paths to Compostella. GR 12 has been integrated in one of their routes to France. From now on we'll regularly notice the Compostella markers, a yellow shell on a blue background.
The rest of this hike follows the old canal all the way to Arquennes.
At Arquennes we called it a day. The picturesque village is worth a visit: the impressive stone pillars of the former railway bridge over the canal, the metal swing bridge, the cozy little squares and streets made with the typical local building stones ... all witnesses of better times. There used to be several stone quarries in the area but they're all inundated now. An army of banker masons and 19th century artists have left their marks in several monuments and building.
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