A stroll through the Palingbeek estate

Car park in front of the military cemetery (Spoilbank Cemetery), at the entrance to the estate (11 Vaarstraat, Ypres for GPS).

(S/E) With your back to the cemetery, head right and turn left onto the second path.
At the fork, turn left and follow the canal branch.
Look for the first footbridge and continue to the second (marker 75).

(1) Cross the canal and turn left onto a paved path. After 500 m, look for a path on the right that winds uphill.

(2) Take this path and continue to a signpost.

(3) Head left towards number 17 (17 and an arrow on the back of the marker) and reach another marker.

(4) Head right and reach a fork. Turn right onto a lovely lane and head towards a building.

(5) Just past the building, turn onto the grassy path on the left. At the T-junction (opposite the playground), turn right and reach a three-way junction.

(6) Continue straight ahead, along the middle path which slopes to the right and joins a track. Follow it to the left, reach another junction and turn right.
Pass a path on the right. A little further on, the path slopes to the left. About fifty metres further on, there is a flight of steps on the right.

(7) Climb the steps and you’ll come to a gate. Enter (be careful, the heavy gate closes quickly) and follow the path (there are steps, so take care!) to cross the “Crater Wall The Bluff”. At the exit (gate), turn right and follow the wide, straight path. Pass a junction and reach a T-junction.

(8) Turn left, pass a junction and reach a T-junction.
Turn right. A little further on, at the T-junction, turn left. Pass a pond (on the left) and reach a path. Follow it to the right to reach a meadow.

(9) Cross it diagonally towards a signpost. Continue through the woodland and arrive facing the canal. Turn left onto a paved path and reach a road.
Cross it (pedestrian crossing with a chicane to slow down hikers going too fast?). Turn left, then immediately right and follow a small road for about a hundred metres to marker 12.

(10) Then turn left towards marker 27 on^{the GR®®.} At the T-junction, turn right and continue along the same path (roughly heading north).
Pass some ponds on the right, then between two others (a lovely area with heather).
A little further on, at the fork, take the path on the right.
You’ll reach the Caterpillar Krater (a huge mine pit, now occupied by a pond)

(11) Go round the crater on the right, pass marker 27 and turn right towards 26: a fairly straight path that joins a road.
Follow it briefly to the left, then turn right onto a concrete path at the roadside.
After 200 m, look out for the path branching off to the right.

(12) Follow this path, which turns left further on. 50 m further on, turn right.
Cross a small road; 100 m further on, turn left and reach a T-junction.

(13) Turn right and, at the next T-junction, turn left to pass between two ponds.
At the T-junction, turn right and reach a crossroads.
Turn left and you will reach a military cemetery.

(14) Just before the cemetery, take the path on the right. Walk alongside another cemetery and reach a T-junction. Turn left and, 100 m further on, turn left again.
After 150 m, turn right and reach a wider path.

(15) Do not take this, but continue straight on until you reach a wide path.
Follow it for a few metres to the left before turning right into the woodland (marker: around 18).
Cross a small stream and reach marker 18.

(16) Turn right towards marker 19. Follow this beautiful, unspoilt path to Vaarstraat.
The car park is on the right (S/E).

The route is entirely on paths.
If the weather is wet, make sure you wear suitable footwear.