Around Olhain

Park in the square near the church in Gauchin-Légal.

(S/E) With your back to the Chaussée Brunehaut (D341), head left to reach Rue Bocquet. Follow it to the right, then turn left onto Chemin d’Héripré. Cross the Ruisseau de Caucourt and reach a T-junction (castle on the right). Take the street on the left, then Rue Petite immediately on the right, but it’s quite a steep climb. You’ll reach a T-junction.

(1) Turn right onto the small road and continue for 1 km until you reach a fork.

(2) Head left to follow the Bois de Gauchin (before this, you could possibly make a short detour to the ford). The path eventually veers to the right and heads due south. After 250 m, it turns sharply right.

(3) See practical information. Take the narrow path opposite (difficult path, especially in wet weather. It was in very good condition at the end of March 2026). Reach a small road. Cross it to follow the path opposite (also difficult, but well-cleared and fairly clean at the end of March 2026). Very soon, you’ll reach a junction.

(4) Take the road opposite. After a good hundred metres, turn onto the path on the right. It turns at a right angle and leads to a T-junction. Take the road on the right and reach a T-junction with the D73.

(5) Turn left to reach the village of Caucourt. You’ll arrive opposite a chapel.

(6) Go round it on the right to find a lovely grassy path that joins Rue Fidèle.
Follow it for about a hundred metres to the left, then turn right. Cross the Ruisseau de Caucourt (footbridge) and reach a T-junction. Follow Rue du Moulin to the left. At the fork, take the street opposite to reach the church.

(7) Then head off to the right and, immediately at the T-junction, take the small street on the left which very quickly becomes a path that is sometimes quite damp. Reach a crossroads.

(8) Turn right onto the correct path under the trees. After a short climb, you’ll reach a T-junction.

(9) Head left onto the wide path. After 800 m, you’ll reach a fork.

(10) Turn right to reach the plateau and the wind turbines. At the T-junction, turn right and reach another T-junction (wind turbine just to the left).

(11) Take the road on the left. At the first fork, turn left and at the second, turn right. You’ll reach another fork, opposite a wind turbine.

(12) Continue straight ahead, keeping to the path, to reach and pass through Hermin. At the church, continue straight on (D72) until you reach a fork.

(13) At the exit, take Rue de Barafle on the right. Reach the Chaussée Brunehaut (D341). Cross it with care and , going downhill, reach the hamlet of Barafle. A short steep climb then leads to the D57.

(14) Cross it carefully and take the path opposite (cemetery). Climb up to reach the edge of the Bois d'Olhain. At the top, take the path on the right to enter the woods. You will immediately reach a fork.

(15) Turn left onto a gentle uphill path. Stay on the track, which eventually joins a wider path marked with yellow signposts.

(16) Follow this path to the right (caution: limestone area, sometimes very slippery!). You will come to a tree marked with a Yellow Cross.

(17) Take the steep path on the left. You will come within sight of the buildings. Take either the first (unmarked) or the second (marked in yellow) path on the right to reach the great plain of Olhain.

(18) Cross it diagonally to the right (you can stop to enjoy the view from the southern tip) and reach the edge of the plain.

(19) Enter the woods and keep well to the right along the barbed wire (a few GR® markings). After a descent, reach a large junction opposite the golf course.

(20) Take the GR®127 on the left and the Via Francigena, which we will follow until we reach the outskirts of Verdrel. Always stay close to the golf course and take care, as this path is seriously neglected! (but surprisingly clean at the end of March 2026!!) The muddiest sections can be avoided by taking side paths.
Start with a steep climb, followed by a flat section with a lovely path (yes, it is possible in Olhain!) and finish with a steep descent (a bit tricky) to reach the D57E3.

(21) Cross with care and take the path opposite. Ignore the first track on the left, but don’t hesitate to take the second one, which is more pleasant than the path. Still following the red-and-white markings, and trying to avoid the muddiest sections, you’ll eventually reach the D57 on the outskirts of Verdrel (a beautiful sandstone cross on the left).

(22) Follow the B-road to the right and reach an isolated house at the top of the hill.

(23) Leave the tarmac and take the narrow path (artistically lined with barbed wire) on the right which descends to Fresnicourt. At the bottom, follow Rue d’En Haut (!) to pass in front of the church and reach the War Memorial (castle on the right).

(24) Cross the D57 (watch out for cyclists coming down) and take the path opposite. After crossing a stream, you’ll reach a T-junction.

(25) Follow the path on the left uphill to reach the top at a place called La Pauvrelle.

(26) Turn right to join the D73.

(27) Follow it to the left to reach Brunehaut. Cross it and return to the junction from the outward journey.

(1) Take the street on the right and, following the reverse route of the outward journey, head to Gauchin-Légal, Place de l'Église (S/E).

The paths can be very muddy, so be sure to wear appropriate footwear.

At point (3), it is possible (reasonable?) to continue on the good path that branches off to the right. At the T-junction, turn right, then very quickly left to reach the D73. Follow it to the right to reach point (5).

It is possible to start (and the hike is a little shorter) from Fresnicourt or Hermin, but parking is not easy.