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Starting from the large Espace Orneau car park, the walk passes through part of the grounds of the Faculty of Agronomy and more or less follows the railway line towards Le Zémont, before returning towards Liroux and the Escaille nature reserve.
The pond is a former settling basin from the Gembloux sugar factory that has been returned to nature.
The ruins are those of a former mill on the River Orneau, predating the sugar factory, probably dating from the Middle Ages and refurbished as a mill-farm by the Benedictine Abbey of Gembloux, before being partially demolished for the industrial needs ofthe 19th century.
The heritage orchard and its Ouessant sheep are much more recent!
After a short detour towards Sauvenière and Baudecet, the route heads off towards Ernage, with its wind turbines, its new water tower and the Arbre du Diquet, which fell in 2022 during a storm and has now been replaced by an oak tree less prone to being uprooted.
Return to the starting point via paths and tracks suitable for non-motorised transport and the old Roman road.
The Escaille Certified Nature Reserve and the Gembloux countryside
As indicated in the title, this walk explores the agricultural countryside of the plain north-east of Gembloux towards Sauvenière, the hamlet of Baudecet and Ernage. The highlight is probably the Escaille Nature Reserve, with its pond, birdwatching posts, old ruined mill and heritage orchard.
Details
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Activity: Walking -
Distance: 11.87 mi -
Average duration: 5h 40 -
Difficulty: Moderate -
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Back to start: Yes -
Ascent: + 217 ft -
Descent: - 213 ft -
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Highest point: 561 ft -
Lowest point: 459 ft
Photos
Description of the walk
Waypoints
- S/E : mi 0 - alt. 469 ft - Espace Orneau
- 1 : mi 1.3 - alt. 554 ft - A place known as Zémont
- 2 : mi 1.83 - alt. 531 ft - Liroux Path
- 3 : mi 2.89 - alt. 463 ft - L’Escaille Nature Reserve
- 4 : mi 4.65 - alt. 502 ft - N29
- 5 : mi 5.89 - alt. 512 ft - The hamlet of Baudecet
- 6 : mi 7.47 - alt. 515 ft - A place known as Diquet
- 7 : mi 7.9 - alt. 495 ft - The village of Ernage
- 8 : mi 8.45 - alt. 515 ft - Capitaine Grüdler sunken lane
- 9 : mi 9.37 - alt. 512 ft - (Former) Roman road
- 10 : mi 10.17 - alt. 528 ft - RAVeL
- 11 : mi 11.21 - alt. 505 ft - Gembloux station
- S/E : mi 11.87 - alt. 469 ft - Espace Orneau
Notes
Accessible by train or bus from Gembloux station rather than from the Espace Orneau car park.
Please note: plenty of concrete / tarmac / cobblestones / soft mobility paths / RAVeL routes / land consolidation and village streets.
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