Circuit d'Ecques par les landes

Starting point: large car park at the entrance to Ecques on Rue de Cauchy (near the traffic lights, close to the cemetery).

(S/E) Head towards the back of the car park (between the school and the cemetery) to reach Rue de Clarques. Follow it to the right until you reach a T-junction. Turn right to reach the square. Turn left and continue straight ahead, ignoring the turn-off on the right. Turn left at a right angle and continue for about 100 metres.

(1) Take the path on the right (a little hidden but visible and marked in yellow). Initially tarmac, it quickly turns into a narrow, difficult path between hedges. It climbs gently and then joins a T-junction.

(2) Turn right onto the GRP® de l'Audomarois. Go straight ahead at the first and second crossroads, staying on the GRP®. Pass a few houses (hamlet of Islenghem) and continue for another 200 metres.

(3) Just before reaching the road, leave the GRP® and take the path on the left. Stay on this path, which runs alongside the Melde and eventually reaches a small road.

(4) Follow it on the left. Go around the church of Heuringhem and the cemetery on the right (you can also enter the cemetery and go around the church on the left).

(5) At the crossroads after the church, turn right, and at the next fork, turn left onto Rue de Saintes on the GRP®. Continue to the crossroads.

(6) Continue straight ahead on the GRP®. A nice climb takes you towards the woods. Continue for 150 m after a right-hand bend.

(7) Leave the road and turn left, entering the Landes through a gate. Follow the path, which eventually turns sharply to the right. After 200 m, you will reach a junction.

(8) Turn right to pass between two ponds (footbridge). At the end of the ponds, turn left to cross a footbridge on the right and arrive in front of a large pond. Take the path that runs along it on the left (very wet in early December 2023) and eventually join the large avenue opposite the car park.
Enter the car park (barrier) and cross it on the right to reach the departmental road.

(9) Follow it to the right, then, at the crossroads, turn left onto Rue Sous le Bois. Continue until you reach another crossroads.

(10) Continue straight ahead to enter the Rietz de l'église. Keep following the GRP® on the right path until you reach a junction at the exit of the Rietz.

(11) Leave the GRP® and turn right, then immediately left onto Rue de l'Épinette.

(12) Just after number 165, take the small road on the left which will take you into Bibrou. Follow the path opposite for about 500 m, then take the first path on the right (you can also continue straight ahead until (15): this is a little shorter and also very pleasant). You will soon come to a barrier.

(13) Do not go through it, but turn left downhill to reach a beautiful staircase that leads to a small road (known as Le Bibrou). Follow it to the left for about 300 m until you reach a fork.

(14) Take the small street opposite. You will soon reach a barrier. Go through it to re-enter Le Bibrou. Follow the path slightly uphill and you will reach a barrier on the right.

(15) Go through it and turn right until you reach a T-junction.

(16) Keep right on Rue de Baudringhem.
You will reach an artistically barred entrance to the woods, and just after that, you will find a chicane that allows you to enter the woods (just before the houses).

(17) You will immediately come to a fork.

(18) Turn right (blue arrow on a tree in early August 2025) to enter the woods and follow the well-marked path (not shown on maps, so approximate route) which is damp in places. You will eventually walk alongside gardens before reaching the exit chicane.
Then cross the plain diagonally (blue arrow) and reach the D 190.

(19) Follow it on the left to arrive at a barrier on the right (at the 50 km/h speed limit sign).

(20) Cross the road to go through the barrier. A path, which is often spongy, runs alongside a housing estate (on the left). Eventually you will reach a small road: follow the GRP® Tour du Pays d'Aire signs almost to the end.

(21) Follow it to the right and you will soon reach a T-junction.

(22) Turn right (the path opposite is now closed off by a series of barbed wire fences!) and immediately left (stairs), then cross a stream on a wide footbridge (if you slip, you'll end up in the Melde, but not up to your neck!) before reaching a small road.

(23) A quick right and left turn will take you to a beautiful grassy path. Cross a small road and continue on a grassy path until you reach the D195.

(24) Follow it to the right, along the attractive pedestrian walkway, until you reach the roundabout. Go straight ahead (still on the pedestrian walkway) and head towards the centre of Quiestède.

(25) At the church, turn left onto Rue d'Ecques.

(26) Just after number 31 (guest house), leave the road and take the well-marked path on the left. A slightly difficult path climbs up and enters the woods. Follow the clear markings! At the edge of the woods, the GRP® turns left towards a road.

(27) Leave the GRP® and turn right for about 100 metres until you reach a metal barrier (on the right).

(28) Take the sometimes spongy path on the left. Ignore a path on the right (see Practical Information) and turn left to join the D190. Follow it for about 100 metres on the right.

(29) Turn right towards Ecques on a small road and reach the D189. Follow it to the right until you reach the traffic lights to return to the car park (S/E).

Avoid Sundays during hunting season.
Walking is prohibited in the Lande de Blendecques on Sundays and Thursdays (during hunting season). Please check, as I did not see any signs on 3 August 2025, but the information can be found online. Reserving a nature reserve for local meat eaters is a bit much!

Good shoes and walking stick(s) are essential.

For a slightly more "fun" return after point ( 28): 150 metres after the (28), take the path on the right. Initially slightly downhill, it eventually climbs back up to a wider path. Follow it to the left and you will reach a T-junction. Turn right. After 200 metres, the path turns left. Just after that, find a path on the right and follow it to a T-junction. Turn left downhill and you will arrive at a wasteland. Then turn left at the edge of the woods (there is no path, but there is usually a trail). You will come to a gate. Take the path on the right that leads to the cemetery. Follow it until you reach a small road and find the description after the point (29).