Woods, footpaths and mining heritage around Lapugnoy

Lapugnoy, car park near Rue Cyr Bouchart

(S/E) Head towards Rue Cyr Bouchart and follow it for a few metres to the right. Just before crossing the Clarence, turn left and head towards a car park. At the end, turn right (cross the Clarence without seeing it), then immediately left to walk alongside the Résidence du Parc. Reach a small road and follow it to the right before turning left to cross the Clarence again (now visible). Turn right into the small park. Leave it very quickly (via the steps) to reach the main street of Lapugnoy. Follow it to the right for about a hundred metres. Just after an electricity pole, marked with a yellow hiking arrow, take the small path on the left. There are then two gates to go through (please ensure you close them properly). Walk uphill until you reach a T-junction.

(1) Head left and, about 200 m further on, turn right to enter the Bois de Roquelaure, passing through the gate. Walk uphill a little and you will come to a hiking marker (see practical information). Take the correct path on the left, staying close to the edge of the woods. Ignore a path on the right and continue to a fork.

(2) Take the path on the left and head uphill to reach a T-junction. Take the wide path on the left and exit the woods (gate). Follow the track leading to the Calvary of La Motte. Just past the Calvary, take the track on the right to descend via a rustic staircase and reach the first houses of Lapugnoy.

(3) Turn right and you’ll immediately reach a fork. Leave the tarmac and take the path on the right that runs alongside the woods. Join a small road and follow it to the right, still at the edge of the woods. At the very end, take the path on the right which leads to Rue Barbusse. Take the road opposite to reach the military cemetery.

(4) Take the wide farm track (GRP®) on the right. 1 km further on, turn left. Pass a detached house and reach a cluster of houses. Continue straight on for about 100 metres and find a path on the right (end of the GRP®).

(5) Take this path between the hedges until you reach a crossroads.

(6) Take the path opposite, between the hedge and the field. Follow this somewhat difficult path until you reach a road (Rue Louis Dagneaux). Follow it straight on for about ten metres and you will find a small lane on the right.

(7) Follow it (Sentier d'Allouagne). At the junction, continue straight on until you reach a T-junction. Take Rue de la Longue Raie on the left and, 50 metres further on, take Rue du Trou à la Marne on the right. Follow it to the first pedestrian crossing.

(8) Take the Voyette des Amoureux on the left. At the end, turn right and continue to a junction. Take the street opposite towards the church. At the fork, take the right-hand path to join Rue de la Riviérette. Follow it to the right. At^{the first roundabout} , take the street opposite, and at^{the second}, take the street on the left towards the cemetery. After the cemetery, continue straight on for another fifty metres or so to find the entrance to Ruelle des Jardins on the left.

(9) Follow this winding (and sometimes damp) lane until you reach a small street. Follow it to the right and you’ll come to a square. Go up the small flight of steps on the right and cross the square diagonally to reach Rue Salengro. Follow it to^{the first junction} .

(10) Take Ruelle du Touquet on the left. At the end, take the street on the left, then the one on the right.

(11) Cross the Busnettes and join the D183 opposite the café. Cross with care and follow the road opposite to the roundabout.

(12) Continue straight ahead onto Rue des Champs d'Arras. Follow the^{first path} on the left through the fields until you reach a T-junction. Turn left onto the path (which can be muddy) that zigzags before reaching another T-junction.

(13) Turn onto a path on the left, and, just before the mast, turn right to enter the Town Hall Park. Go round the back of the town hall, then walk alongside a large block of flats. Go down the small flight of steps on the left to find a small lane leading to the D183. Follow it to the right until you reach the pedestrian crossing. Cross over and take the small street opposite. At the T-junction, turn right to reach another T-junction opposite the sports hall. Head left for about a hundred metres and find a grassy path on the right (opposite Rue du Docteur Delahousse).

(14) Follow this poorly maintained path until you reach a farm. Facing the wall, continue along the edge of the field to the right. The path then turns left and becomes more pleasant before joining the D188. Follow it to the right until you reach the roundabout. Take Rue de Pernes on the left, and follow it until you find a path branching off to the left.

(15) Follow this track for 300 metres, then turn right onto a grassy path going uphill. At the top, take the track on the left to arrive opposite the La Manaie care home.

(16) Turn left, then left again at the^{second street} (Rue du Mont Cenis) to reach the D183. Follow it to the left for about 50 metres to reach the entrance to the Vallée Carreau site.

(17) Turn right into the site and follow the small path to reach a junction.

(18) Take the path on the left and continue straight on (nice view of the Auchel slag heaps) to reach the area near the Bon Air care home.

(19) Just before the tarmac, take the path on the left running alongside the field. A little further on, turn right, cross a wasteland and go round the back of the care home. Continue straight on (either through the grass or by joining the path on the right) until you reach Cité Sainte-Barbe.

(20) Turn right, then take the^{second street} on the left (Rue de Bruxelles) to reach the D188. Cross over (there’s a pedestrian crossing a little to the right) and take Rue du Mont Éventé, opposite, towards the school. At the fork, take the right-hand path. Pass the riding school and head down towards Lapugnoy. You’ll reach a green space and find a lovely grassy path on the right.

(21) Follow it until you reach a road. Follow it uphill to the right. At the end of the bend, follow a wide grassy path downhill to the left to join the D70. Follow it to the right, staying on the grassy section, until you reach a pedestrian crossing.

(22) Cross the D70 and take the wide path opposite. Cross the Clarence and arrive opposite the Morieux warehouse. Turn right, cross the railway line and head left: there is traffic, so walk safely on the grass on the left (this could easily be improved...). 300 metres further on, you’ll reach a green gate on the right.

(23) Go through the gate (passage on the right) to arrive opposite the slag heap. Then head towards the marker post opposite, either by crossing the ditch or going round it on the left.

(24) After the marker post (Randonnée du Ravisoir), the climb up the slag heap begins. (This section, up to point (26), can be very muddy). You’ll soon reach another marker post. Do not follow the signposting, but head downhill to the right (small stream in the hollow). You will reach a T-junction (it is not shown on maps).

(25) Turn left. Stay on the fairly well-marked path. Ignore two successive turnings on the right (between two fairly damp patches where you often have to walk around the side). You will then reach a field. Follow it to reach the entrance to the Bois des Dames.

(26) Head left along the road and continue to the D181. Cross it, go over the railway line and arrive at the entrance to Parc de la Clarence.

(27) From there, head straight back to the car park or (alternative route): turn left into Parc de la Clarence. Cross the playground, then the cyclo-cross track to reach a footbridge on the right. Cross it and head left onto the grass, following the lake. You’ll arrive near a small footbridge.

(28) Turn right and you’ll come to a wide path. Cross the footbridge and turn immediately right to follow the river and reach the car park (S/E).

Be sure to wear good footwear.

There is probably a water source in the Allouagne cemetery.

At the entrance to the Bois de Roquelaure, you can turn right for a stroll through the woods. See description in the hike "From wood to wood starting from Labeuvrière" (between points (2) and (6). But the distance increases by more than 3 km.

The path along the edge of the forest between points (25) and (26) crosses several wet valleys: stay alert, even when the ground is frozen!