The upper Crinchon valley at Bailleulmont

Parking at Bailleulmont Cemetery.

(S/E) Set off with the cemetery on your right along the path, which climbs gently. You’ll reach a T-junction. Turn left, ignore a path on the right and reach a Fork in the road just before the power line.

(1) Take the path on the left. It is a lovely, wild track, sometimes damp (especially in the lower section, which can be very wet and difficult) and eventually joins a wider path. Follow this to the right until you reach a T-junction.

(2) Turn right. You’ll soon reach a Fork in the road; turn left to reach a T-junction.

(3) Turn right, cross the (little) Crinchon and take the first path on the left. You’ll reach another T-junction. Turn left and after 300 m, the path turns left.

(4) Turn right along the Crinchon (if it is too wet, go left then right twice to reach point 5). The path runs alongside the Crinchon for a short while, then turns left. You will immediately find a path on the right.

(5) Follow this path (don’t worry about the gate; the path starts to the right of it) which joins a small road (D62, Rue d’En-Bas) at the entrance to Bailleulval. Follow it to the right to reach a cobbled section. Ignore the street on the left and, when the main road turns right, take the road opposite for about 50 metres.

(6) Turn right onto the first path. Follow the road slightly uphill before reaching a T-junction. Turn left, then immediately right to reach another T-junction.

(7) Turn right. About 200 m further on, look out for the hairpin bend on the left (sign for the military cemetery).

(8) Take the lovely path through the woods that runs alongside the military cemetery, then crosses a pasture and eventually joins the D34 (towards the end, you can take a lovely path through the woods on the right that runs parallel to the track).

(9) Follow it to the left and, just after the bridge over the Crinchon, turn right onto a lovely path. Then follow the Crinchon Valley (in the distance) and join the D7 near Rivière. See practical information

(10) Head left onto the main road (take great care!) for 150 m, then turn left onto the^GRP®® de l’Artois. You’ll soon reach a Fork in the road where you continue straight ahead along a lovely path (still^{the GRP®®}). After a stretch through the woods, you’ll reach a T-junction.

(11) Leave^{the GRP®®} and turn right. You’ll come to a junction. Turn right to reach the traffic lights.

(12) Then take the hairpin bend to the left (barrier) onto the Voie Verte (gravel-surfaced! Spot the mistake). You’ll reach a junction. Leave the Voie Verte and take the wide path on the left. 200 m further on, look out for the path branching off to the left (closed with a ribbon in September 2022, but there’s no problem).

(13) Take this narrow path which passes between two rows of barbed wire and descends towards Basseux. At the water tower, turn left and follow Rue d’En-Haut to the D1.

(14) Follow it to the right, pass by the church and take the first road on the right. Walk gently uphill and ignore a turn-off on the left (see practical information). Reach a T-junction.

(15) Turn left and head south-west for 2 km. Pass above Bailleulval (on the left), then past a water tower (on the right). A little further on, find the grassy path that descends to the left.

(16) Take this path to reach a junction. Follow the D1 to the left for about 100 metres.
Just before the wayside shrine, take the grassy path on the right and reach a T-junction. Take the small road on the right and after about a hundred metres, turn right into Rue de l’Église. At the end of the square, turn left, pass in front of the church and reach a crossroads.

(17) Head straight ahead and, about 50 metres further on, take Rue du Four on the right. Ignore the path on the right and, just after that, the path turns left. You’ll reach a junction near the school. Follow Rue du Château on the right, pass in front of the “castle”, then the street turns left and reaches a Fork in the road.

(18) Leave the road and follow the path on the left. You’ll reach a Fork in the road.
Turn left onto the lovely grassy path and join the D 1.

(19) Follow it to the right.
After the bend, at the fork in the road, turn left to reach the Bailleulmont cemetery (S/E).

No real difficulties, apart from the distance and the condition of some of the paths (especially in wet weather).

Good walking shoes and walking stick(s) are strongly recommended.

At point (9): in late September 2022, I took a descending path opposite to cross the Crinchon at the ford (it was dry!). I then found a superb path on the right that runs alongside the Crinchon valley and joins the D7. Turn left to reach point (10) and continue the walk.

This summer (2021), after point (14), I followed the path that branches off to the left. It ends after 100 metres. I then walked along the edge of the field on the right, then followed the hedge on the right to rejoin the path after point (15).
It’s not too difficult and you avoid a bit of tarmac.

Note: If you’ve got a bit of energy left, Rivière Town Hall has created a lovely heritage trail. I’ve included the link to the map.
https://communederiviere.fr/wp-content/u...
The section marked in green dotted lines is really lovely (canals, waterways and monuments with information panels) and short!

Ruins of the keep and motte