Nature around Mouscron

Park near the Piro Lannoo restaurant, 42 Rue du Piro Lanoo in Mouscron.

(S/E) With your back to the restaurant, turn left onto Ruelle Forestsraat and follow it to the end, then continue along the path on the left. Follow this path until you reach a T-junction. Turn left onto Schreiboomstraat and continue for 100 m.

(1) Turn right onto Wandelingpad (marker 12) and follow it for 350 m, cross Weimeerslaan and continue along this path, which runs alongside the sports grounds on your left. At the end of the path, turn right and then immediately left onto Rue Tulpenpark.

(2) Cross Tombroekstraat, carry on straight towards the wooden building and continue along this path for approximately 2 km, passing under the motorway, crossing three roads and reaching Walleweg in Zwingel.

(3) Turn left, then immediately right onto Priesteragestraat until you reach a T-junction. Continue along this new road to the left for about 1.8 km. Pass the (closed) entrance to the ‘round’ industrial building on your right and continue to the next junction.

(4) Head right for about a hundred metres and take the first road on the left to reach Marionetten Street.

(5) Follow this street to the right and turn immediately left into Cannaertstraat. At the end, turn right and you’ll reach the entrance to a park on your left. Walk straight through the park, continuing along the main path for about 650 metres.

(6) Leave the park, follow Rue Bosstraat to the right for a few metres and take the path on the left. At the end of the straight stretch, turn right onto a tarmac road and head towards Sint-Anna Road.

(7) Turn left and continue along this road. Go over the motorway and reach the Vanhauwaerts Chapel, dating from 1776 (landmark 24).

(8) Turn right onto Wolverijdreef, which curves to the left and joins Bergstraat. Carry on straight ahead along Steertstraat; on your right, you’ll see the Hoogmolen mill.

(9) Continue straight on along Steertstraat and, when you reach Talpenhoeks Street, turn left.

(10) At the three-way junction, follow Kruisboomstraat to the right for about 1 km.

(11) At Luingnestraat, turn left, then turn left onto Klene Lampestraat just after a house and a wayside cross, which is somewhat hidden by the vegetation. At the end of the street, turn right and return to the starting point (S/E).

At the end of your lovely walk, do make the most of it and pop into a restaurant for a meal – it’s well worth it.

(4) “Les Marionnettes Vertes” town park.

(8) In Aalbeke, you can take a look at the Hoogmolen on Luignestraat. This listed building is a fully operational grain mill dating from 1717, which underwent extensive restoration between 1993 and 1995.