Houdeng-Goegnies lift circular

Park in the cemetery car park.

(S/E) Take the main street on the left until the first intersection on the right. Go down Rue du Gros Saule and at the bottom turn right until you reach the canal.

(1) Walk past lift no. 1 and continue along the right bank. Pass the Cantine des Italiens (2) to reach Pont Capitte (3), which is currently under construction. Go around the construction site to reach the temporary footbridge (4). There, you will join the towpath and continue along the right bank. You will soon see the pillars on either side of the canal, remnants of the old mining bridge (5).

After a right turn, you will see the Houdeng swing bridge (6), which you will pass by staying on the same bank. This will quickly take you to lift no. 2 (7). The path veers slightly downhill and leads you to lift no. 3 (8), which you will also go around.

At the bottom of this slope, you will walk alongside the engine room building (9). You will then pass the Bracquegnies swing bridge (10) without crossing it. You will do the same a kilometre further on at the Bracquegnies drawbridge (11).

Continuing along this bank, you will first come to the broken bridge (12), followed by another swing bridge (13).

From there, continue towards lift no. 4 (14), whose metal structure you can see, and leave the towpath via a path on the right. Cross the street towards the Thieu marina (15) and take the first path on the right, which will take you along the new Canal du Centre (16). After the bend, you will see the imposing Strépy-Thieu funicular lift (17). Go around it on the right to reach the upper part of the towpath. Continuing along this path, you will cross the Sart canal bridge (18).

After another bend, you will see the structure of the Blanc Pain gatehouse (19). Leave the towpath via a wide path on the right just before it.

Walk up Rue du Lait Beurré (20). Once you reach the top, walk about a hundred metres to the right and you will be back at the car park (S/E).