Mont des Cats and the Helleketelbos Nature Reserve

Car park at Godewaersvelde, Place Verte.

(S/E) Head south-west along the GR®128 to reach Rue du Mont des Cats. There, you’ll find an excellent path (an old railway line) slightly to the left opposite. Follow it (still on the GR®) to reach the vicinity of the D69.

(1) Just before the departmental road, take the small road on the left. Follow it to the left. When it turns left, carry on straight ahead along a wide path (marked ‘fraudeurs’) until you reach a T-junction.

(2) Follow Cruys Straete to the left until you reach a junction. Carry on straight ahead, then turn into the first street on the right (Chemin de la Boulangerie). Look for a path leading off to the right through the woodland (gate).

(3) Go through the gate and follow the path: there are some lovely huts. You’ll reach a small road.

(4) Follow it to the left until you reach a crossroads. Carry on straight ahead to the wayside cross.

(5) Turn left up a steep slope and reach the road. Continue straight ahead: go through the gate and, following the monastery wall, rejoin the road. Follow it to the left. Ignore the path to the Vicarage (Calvary) and reach a bend to the left.

(6) Then leave the road and head down to the right to reach a wide path. Follow it to the right (PR® path, marked in yellow), passing under the chapel (you can also walk past it, of course).
Shortly afterwards, the path turns right and joins the Chemin du Moulin à Huile, at the foot of the mobile phone mast.

(7) Turn left (still on the PR® path) to cross the woodland (very busy, so the descent can be slippery in wet weather!). You’ll reach a bend in a small road; follow it to the left until you come to a T-junction (with a wayside shrine). Turn right for about a hundred metres until you reach a crossroads.

(8) Take the path on the left to reach a small road (Rue des Cinq Chemins Verts). Follow it to the right until you reach the junction.

(9) Walk a few metres to the left and you’ll find a path on the left. 

(10) Follow it to a junction.

(11) Turn right. Ignore the road on the left and continue to a Fork in the road. Take the right-hand fork, which leads slightly downhill. After a short climb, turn left to arrive opposite the Moulin de l’Ingratitude. Then turn right to reach the D 10. Follow it to the right until you reach the junction.

(12) Take Rue du Bona, keeping well to the left. At the Fork in the road, turn right onto the lovely path that runs alongside the cemetery and joins Rue de L’Arneau.

(13) Follow it to the right. At the junction (with a wayside shrine on your left), carry on straight ahead and, about 200 m further on, you’ll arrive near a farm (at a guess, a pigsty!).

(14) Turn left onto the wide track (a farm track which can be in quite poor condition), until you reach a small road (and the border). Follow it to the right for about 400 m.

(15) Turn left onto the wide track (GR®5A). Follow it (in poor condition in January 2022) until you reach a road.

(16) A quick right then left takes you back onto the Lyssenthoek. Follow it until you reach the junction with the N 38.
Cross with care and head straight on to reach a T-junction. Turn left onto the small road and continue to a large farm. Carry on for a further 200 metres and you’ll find a path on the right (marked with a hiking post).

(17) Turn right (fairly damp section; still^{on the GR®®}). You’ll reach a stream. Follow it to the right, then cross it (footbridge) and turn right, walking alongside it (fairly damp area). After about a hundred metres, turn left to reach a point near the N 333.

(18) Just before reaching it, follow the path on the left which runs alongside it and eventually joins the road. Carry on straight ahead until you reach the T-junction facing the woods (a shortcut is possible –see Practical Information).

(19) Turn right onto the small road. Walk past a few buildings (‘t sparrebos’) and, 50 metres further on, turn left (you will then leave the GR®) onto a path. Ignore a path on the left. Shortly afterwards, the path veers to the right before reaching a T-junction.

(20) Turn right and head for one of the site’s exits (Heksenhuisje on the right). Do not exit, but continue straight on to the edge of the woodland. Again, do not exit, but turn left (before the gate) onto the path at the edge of the woodland (damp but roughly marked out). Make a quick left-right turn, then turn right (staying at the edge of the woodland) to reach a T-junction (damp area but roughly marked out).

(21) Turn left, then left again to reach a wide path in a straight line.

(22) Then turn left, then immediately right (marker 51) to reach a gate. Enter the pasture (large sheep in autumn 2021). Go to the right of the first building (picnic table and marker 70), then head towards the second (smaller) one and follow a sunken track to reach a gate at the edge of the field (marker 68). Do not go out, but follow the edge of the field on the left (the closer you are to the edge, the drier it is!) until you reach another gate.

(23) Head right, going through the gate, and reach a small road.

(24) Turn right (either onto the road or onto the path running alongside it to the right, which is “quite” muddy). About 200 m further on, take the path on the left. Further on, it turns right (very wet) and reaches a T-junction.

(25) Turn left and wade through the mud (a good path has formed through the undergrowth on the right) until you reach another T-junction. Turn left and, 300 m further on, turn left again. Walk past a house and return to the starting point. (24).

 (24) Follow the road to the right for about 200 metres, then take the path on the left. Further on, it turns right and joins a small road which you follow to the right to return to the point (19).

(19) Carry on straight ahead until you reach a T-junction. Turn left and follow the small road until you reach another T-junction. Turn left and continue for about 200 metres.

(26) Turn right between two houses (it looks like a dead end) to reach a small road, which you follow to the left. 500 metres further on, just past a house (De Hannekamp), you’ll find a path on the left.

(27) Follow the track to the left (Hanekampweg) and join the N333 (don’t forget to say hello to the customs officer as you pass!). Cross the road, then follow it to the right until you reach the edge of the village. Just past a pond on the left, a good path branches off to the left.

(28) Follow this track straight on until you reach the N38. Cross it (take great care!) and continue along the track opposite for about fifty metres until you reach a crossroads.

(29) Turn right onto the old railway line. Godewaersvelde is straight ahead! Pass two junctions before reaching the D139. Cross it and take the small road opposite.

(30) You’ll immediately come to a path down to the right (footbridge). Follow it through the woodland until you reach a small road. Cross it and carry on straight ahead. At the end, go through the barrier and pass the playground on the right. You’ll arrive at the school; walk alongside it to reach the Place Verte (S/E).

There are plenty of wet areas. Good footwear is essential.
As for the walking stick, it’s certainly not a waste!

You can shorten the walk by turning left at point (19) to reach point (26), but that’s a shame.

I didn’t choose the easiest route through the nature reserve. Using the OpenStreetMap hiking base map, it’s easy to change the route.

The large grassy plain between points (19) and (20) is very wet. Crossing it diagonally requires great care, unless you want to end up with water in your boots.

Moulin de l’Ingratitude: https://www.jaimemonpatrimoine.fr/fr/mod...

Helleketelbos: https://www.tvb-en-drome.fr/nl/portail/1...

Chapel: https://nord-decouverte.fr/la-chapelle-d...