Around La Haie Jadot, in the Condroz countryside

At the foot of the glass and clothing recycling bins, a semi-paved car park can accommodate a few cars, just outside the village of Hamois, heading towards Miécret. It is an ideal place to park and start your walk. The “Hamois Côte D’Hubinne” stop (official TEC name) is less than 50 m from the start and allows you to reach it easily from Ciney station during term time.

(S/E) The glass and clothing recycling bins are located at an H-shaped junction, between Rue de Miècret, Rue de Philippeville and Rue d’Asneux. With the bins behind you, head slightly downhill to the right along Rue de Philippeville, whilst Rue d’Asneux descends more steeply to the left. A few hundred metres further on, after the first houses, you leave the road at the first public path on the left, which cuts across the road’s triangle. At the end of the path, you take the road straight ahead and then turn slightly left onto Rue des Genêts, avoiding the slightly steeper climb to the right. After a few dozen metres, there is another junction.

(1) Turn right onto the road closed to vehicles over 10 tonnes. This is Rue Fontaine des Botteresses. Staying on the road, after passing a farm on the left, ignore the forest track on the right at the bottom of the descent. Halfway up the next climb, after a few buildings, you’ll join the RAVeL for Line 126.

(2) Turn right here, heading towards Huy, passing a railway platform and a few information boards detailing the area’s rich history. Further on, the RAVeL is joined by a high-voltage power line. Stay on the RAVeL until you reach the first marker in the middle of the path.

(3) You now leave the paved path and turn right onto a lovely path at the edge of the forest, which climbs slightly. You then descend slightly to join a road where traffic can be quite fast.

(4) Turn left and keep well to the left of the road, as traffic here is quite fast (a 90 km/h inter-village express route) and accidents, sometimes fatal, have occurred. At the next junction, cross carefully and turn right onto Rue de la Cave Romaine. Again, keep well to the left-hand side of the road for the same reason as before. On the first uphill stretch, stay on the road and ignore the first right (Rue de Chéricou), as well as the forest track that leads off opposite it. Do the same with the next farm track on the right and continue to a five-way junction.

(5) Take the^second path on the right, which climbs slightly, between the road and the cross-country track. On the climb, in the middle of the fields, ignore the flat, perpendicular path and continue straight on towards the woods. Shortly after entering the woods, a forest ranger’s house and its facilities, under CCTV surveillance, offer a chance for a short break. Continue along the path through the woods and the countryside. You arrive at Clinchamps, in the middle of the countryside.

(6) This point is marked by a signpost showing various trails, including the^GR® 575-576 "Through the Condroz", which we ignore for the time being, to continue straight ahead, veering slightly to the right, towards the nearest woodland. At the entrance to the woods, ignore the private path running alongside a house and continue straight on, following the property’s hedge. By keeping close to the property, you’ll avoid an area where young people (and probably older ones too) clearly come to ‘do jumps’ on bikes or off-road motorbikes. At the edge of the woods, at the foot of a “potale” (a regional word for a niche housing a statue of the Virgin Mary or a patron saint), you leave the path and reach a crossroads. A sign informs you that you are at “Coin du Bois” and offers various directions, such as to Clinchamps.

(7) Here, you turn sharp right onto the “Ferme du Bois de Rémont” road, in the shade of the woods. A little further on, you join the^GR® 575-576 and stay firmly on the road, heading towards the magnificent tree-lined avenue leading to the Ferme du Bois de Rémont. At the entrance to this avenue, leave the farm on your right and continue along the^GR® towards the woods. Cross the woods in a straight line. At the exit, you’ll see another signpost for “Les Quatre Verges”.

(8) Turn left onto the gently sloping road to avoid heading back into the woods. Ignore the road coming up on your left.

(9) At the bottom of the descent, at the edge of a woodland on the right, take a path to the right and then immediately left to cross a communal woodland in Hamois. As you emerge from the woodland, ignore the path on the right and continue straight on along the “tige” (a typical Condroz term for a path following a rounded ridge line). After a hairpin bend, at the edge of another wood, you rejoin the road and cross a rapidly expanding residential area with very recent buildings.

(10) At the next junction, turn right into Rue de la Tourlouette and follow it to reach the next village: Achet. You arrive at the foot of the descent, at a T-junction.

(11) Turn left, and at the next junction, about twenty metres further on, just past a mirror, turn right uphill onto Rue de la Creugette. Here you leave the^GR® 575-576 for good, as it veers slightly to the left towards the church.
You are now on a steep climb along the road and pass the school to reach the top, ignoring the side roads on the right. You head back down the hill, ignoring the small path that branches off to the left. At the bottom of the descent, you arrive at the entrance to the "Bout d'Hubinne".

(12) Keep to the right, avoiding a concrete road between two hedges, and to the left, the Rue d’Hubinne, and head straight up the Rue de la Creugette. At the top of this street, there is a T-junction with a mirror. This is the Rue de Miécret. Leave the chicane on your left and turn right. Walk on the left-hand side of the road as the traffic is once again very fast, even though you are on the outskirts of the town.
After a few hundred metres, you’ll be back at your starting point (S/E).

There are no major difficulties on this route, which is easily accessible and requires no special equipment as the paths are generally in good condition and well maintained; however, as with any hike, a good pair of shoes and walking poles are worth having.
As for supplies, there are no water sources or shops along the route. So make sure you come prepared.
A few bus shelters and a forest house (between (5) and (6)) can provide shelter in the event of heavy rain.

Along the route:
(2) Various information boards on the history of Bormenville, its sanatorium and the Counts of Berlaymont, the namesake of one of the European Commission’s most important buildings in Brussels.
(3) An information panel on the benefits of the high-voltage power line for nature.