The Bois d'Elloo

During this route, walkers will pass through the Tournehem National Forest, which covers 988 hectares. They will see old windmills and the Hem valley.
This is a signposted trail maintained by the Pays de Saint-Omer Urban Community.

Details

42376314
Creation:
Last update:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 15.40 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 182 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 182 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 134 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 26 m

Description of the walk

The start is at the top of Place de la Comtesse Mahaut d’Artois in Tournehem-sur-la-Hem, where parking is available.

(S/E) From the start sign, turn left. Before the junction, take the pedestrian crossing and then turn right. 

(1) At the crossroads, go straight on to join Rue du Général de Gaulle. When you reach this street, turn left: head towards Licques until you reach a crossroads. At the crossroads, turn left then immediately right onto Rue Blanche: head towards Nort-Leulinghem.

(2) At the junction, continue straight on until you reach the fork in the road. Turn left, then further on, take the dirt track on the left. At the crossroads (marker 56), turn right and you will reach the road.

(3) Turn left onto this road (Chemin de Saint-Ome) and, 400 m further on, turn right onto the dirt track until you reach a fork at the Vallée du Wat.

(4) Continue straight ahead. After the mill, at the junction, take the dirt track opposite between the two hedges. At the end, cross the road and go up the hill. Cross the D221 to reach a fork at a place called Bas de la Motte.

(5) Turn right. At the end of the path, turn left then immediately right. Continue to the road with a hedge. There, turn right and go up the hill to Mentque. At the top, turn left for 150 m until you reach a fork.

(6) Turn right (Rue d’Amont). Continue straight on until you reach the farm. There, take the path on the right that leads downhill.

(7) After the gate, turn right twice. At the end of the path, turn left. When you reach the road, turn left at the forest house.

(8) Turn immediately right. When you reach the road, turn right. At the junction, turn left. Do not take the two paths opposite, but climb the hill at a place called La Justice to reach a fork.

(9) Turn right, then immediately left, until you reach the reservoir at Rue Blanche.

(10) After the reservoir, turn left then take a grassy path on the right. Follow this path downhill to rejoin the road.

(2) There, turn left to return to the starting point (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 29 m - Place de la Comtesse Mahaut d'Artois. Near the - Hem ou Tiret (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 0.07 - alt. 27 m - Crossroads
  3. 2 : km 0.49 - alt. 49 m - Crossroads of the circular loop
  4. 3 : km 2.35 - alt. 99 m - Chemin de Saint-Omer
  5. 4 : km 3.21 - alt. 70 m - Place known as Vallée du Wat
  6. 5 : km 5.14 - alt. 74 m - Bas de la Motte
  7. 6 : km 6.76 - alt. 98 m - 8, Rue d'Amont
  8. 7 : km 8.6 - alt. 115 m - Barrier
  9. 8 : km 10.97 - alt. 102 m - Forest house
  10. 9 : km 12.72 - alt. 112 m - Place known as La Justice
  11. 10 : km 13.77 - alt. 92 m - Reservoir
  12. S/E : km 15.4 - alt. 29 m - Place de la Comtesse Mahaut d'Artois. After the - Église Saint-Médard (Tournehem-sur-la-Hem)

Notes

The hunting season runs from the third Sunday in September to the last Sunday in February. During this period, for your safety, we advise you to check the hunting calendar for the Tournehem State Forest.

The recommended difficulty level for this route has been revised due to the terrain. It is a hilly route with gradients of between 10 and 15% on both ascents and descents.

There is an alternative route for this course. The distance is 7 km.
At (4), turn right; then, at the end of this path, turn right and rejoin (9).

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
Papycoureur62
Papycoureur62

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Given the freezing temperatures, we didn’t come across any other walkers; but the route is excellent, with very little road walking and a hilly terrain;
For keen walkers, it takes barely 3 hours; we covered 16.5 km (due to a wrong turn) and it took us 3 hours.
JG:

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PatrickQ
PatrickQ

Hello,
It’s very strange because I’ve always followed the same markup.

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capso
capso

Hello Sir,

Thank you for your feedback. The yellow crosses on the trees in the Tournehem state-owned forest are not part of the signposting for this trail.

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PatrickQ
PatrickQ

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

There’s a problem in the woods: there’s a Yellow Cross indicating to go straight, and if you go straight (the only option), after about 70 metres there’s another Yellow Cross, but no other options!
I went straight on anyway and after about 300–400 metres (no longer in the woods) I was back on the right yellow route!!!

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riquita
riquita

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely route, especially in the sunshine!!! After a picnic in the gardens of Tournehem Library, we continued along the route towards Saint Louis Chapel.
Landscapes alternating between woods and forests, fields and meadows.....In the distance, the coast from Calais to Dunkirk. Grass-covered paths alternate with a bit of tarmac.
Very nice!
Just so you know, there’s a café for walkers on Tournehem square.

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WitchKing
WitchKing

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Not very busy, quite muddy and not much woodland, contrary to what the title suggests , but a pleasant walk all the same

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jean-luc C
jean-luc C

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy walk. The route description and map correspond exactly to the signposting. The scenery varies between plains, hillsides and forests.

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