In the previous post I wrote the first part of my solo hiking adventure through Belgium. If you haven’t read that post, then head over there first before continuing here.
Waking up after the first night
After a surprisingly satisfying night of sleep it was time to start clean up and packing my stuff again in order to start hiking to my next destination. Today, I will be crossing the Belgian language border (that separates the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders from the French-speaking counterpart of Wallonia) which also means that I’m going to brush up my long overdue capabilities of speaking French.
Before I went to sleep yesterday evening, my host told me that she saw some rats running around the area where I was going to set up my tent. She wasn’t sure whether she should tell me or not, but luckily I’m not that scared of rats and they didn’t pay me a surprise visit in the middle of the night. The only thing that did bother me a little was the cold. Because of the clear skies at night, the temperature dropped below 10 degrees Celsius and this was something I was not prepared for. My sleeping bag was only rated for temperatures above 15 degrees, which (in hindsight) proved to be an issue ๐ .
I put on my thick sweater, survived the cold and woke up at around 7 am, after which I started to prepare my breakfast. This most important meal of the day consisted of a mix of muesli and milk powder which I weighed and mixed in beforehand and to which I only needed to add some cold water. This combination was surprisingly tasteful and provided me with the energy to kickstart my day. I was really looking forward to a magnificent hike on a day that started with lots of sunshine โ๏ธ.
Today, I wanted to hike 35 km from Horebeke to a very little town called ลudeghien (part of the somewhat larger Frasnes-les-Anvaing municipality). This distance of 35 km sounded like something I should be able to do in one day (I have hiked long distances before), but I soon found out that carrying a very weighty backpack along the way is something that shouldn’t be underestimated.
My host was still asleep when I left my camping spot at 8 am, so I made to sure to be very careful and not make too much noise. Soon after I started the hike, I was greeted by a lovely cow who was enjoying life in the shade of the only larger tree in her surroundings.
In search of local pastries
First point on today’s agenda was going to the only shop I was going to pass all day along my hike. In order to cut down on weight and space required for all of my food, I planned beforehand to pass by a local supermarket and restock on food for today there. I needed to make a detour of 2 km to arrive at the small Delhaize of Schorisse (including more elevation change than anticipated), but it served me well. All snacks in my backpack have been restocked and I bought some lunch. Snacks are, in my opinion, one of the best things about these hikes ๐.
It was already 11h30 am and I started to get hungry. I was already on the road since 8 am this morning and hiking just requires you to eat more and go hungry faster. So, I started to keep my eyes open for a place to eat my lunch and quickly decided that the “Forest of Brakel” (Brakelbos) would be a very nice location. In spring, a lot of people are hiking there to take a peek at the magnificent fields filled with bluebells all throughout the forest. There are only a few places in the world where they can be seen in such abundance and it’s definitely worth a visit. Unfortunately, they are no longer there at the end of summer, but I was still enjoying the beautiful scenery during my lunch nonetheless.
After lunch, I was still feeling a little bit hungry and I could really do with some dessert ๐ง. Since I’m situated not too far from Geraardsbergen, I should be able to find one of their local delicacies, mattentaartjes, without too much problems. A mattentaart (I don’t think there is a fitting English translation for them) is made from some kind of curd that’s produced from milk. It tastes a bit like buttermilk mixed with a little bit of sugar and is very slightly moist (a good mattentaart should never be dry!). The outside is crisp and made from puff pastry.
At the edge of the “Forest of Brakel”, there are some different small restaurants and bars and I was lucky enough to find one that sells these delicious pastries. And, as soon turned out, I was not only very happy to have found this place, but they were also very glad to see me. Apparently, the gas stove was acting stubbornly today and they didn’t have any matches to get it going ๐. They saw me coming in with my big hiking backpack and were lucky enough that I brought some. I should have haggled for a free drink, but I was too shy to do so ๐ . Should you ever come for a hike here, and be in the mood to try some of these delicious little cakes, I can recommend Caplette.
Off to the next garden!
Now, after my lunch, I head off to my next campsite. I’ve done over 15 km by now and my shoulders are slowly starting to suffer under the weight of my enormous backpack. I crossed the border with Wallonia a few minutes ago and all the streets signs turn from Dutch to French. From this point on, I still have to cover 20 km and the sun is starting to heat up the landscape. The route is very diverse and when I pass through the dry sandy fields, I can see some dust devils rising up from the difference in heath between the ground and the air. I start to sweat and take off my sweater for the first time today.
After a couple of hours, I arrive in a small town called Ellezelles. This is where I will be greeted by the last place to eat or drink something for today (I’m one of these guys that checks all possibilities where I can find something to eat or drink beforehand ๐) and I decided to take another small break and grab a drink. If you’re a fan of fruity beers (like me), I can recommend you to go to Au Martyre. The host is very friendly and they offer a lot of different, unique beers.
Off to the last part of the route now. I am heading straight for my second host now. I don’t want to arrive there too early since I don’t want to disturb them too much, so I decide not to walk too fast and take some breaks in the fields or the forest. Suddenly, I stumble along a very quiet and peaceful place where the sunshine rays are casting through the bright green leaves of the trees that surround me. I grab the towel out of my backpack, inflate my pillow and lie down there for a little while. I feel completely relaxed and out of this world. It’s such a nice feeling to escape for just a few moments from our busy and noisy world. And its these small moments where you feel at peace with your surroundings and like you can concur the world.
Meeting my wonderful hosts in ลudeghien
Around 7 pm, I arrive in the tiny village of ลudeghien. I’m only a few minutes away from my hosts for my second night now and I follow the course that Google Maps has planned for me. On the corner of the street, I am already greeted by a little sign that says “Welcome to my garden”. I made it to the right location ๐. By following the sign, I quickly find my second garden and I can hear a car engine starting. I walk along and see a car leaving the driveway. The car with an elderly couple stops and the woman greets me. She’s thrilled to see me and she quickly shows me around their garden. They were just about to leave for dinner with some friends and I can tell that she’s a little bit disappointed that they don’t have the time to talk and guide me around a bit longer. These two lovely people are so kind and have prepared me a local drink for me. Just before they head off, the man asks me if I’m interested in some freshly baked pistolets from the local baker tomorrow. I don’t want to disturb them too much and tell them that I brought all the food I require, but I was touched by these kind gestures from two people that I just met.
I drink the local beer they prepared, put up my tent and go to sleep early. I’m really tired (but fulfilled) from this special day and go to sleep with a big smile on my face. I managed to hike a total of 35 km today in approximately 11 hours (including breaks). If you’re interested, you can find the full route in this Strava activity.
1 Comment