The hillsides of the Clarence

Park at Place du Général de Gaulle in Camblain-Châtelain.

(S/E) From the square, head north to go round the school on the right. Follow the path running alongside the stream to reach Rue du 11 Novembre. Follow it to the left until you reach a junction. Go straight ahead and you will soon come to a fork. Keep right (Chemin du Mont à Cailloux) and 100 m further on, you will find another fork.

(1) Turn right and head uphill alongside the Bois de Camblain. Ignore two paths on the left and, staying on the main track (which may be quite wet in places), you’ll reach a fork near Floringhem.

(2) Stay on the right-hand branch of the main path to reach the D183. Follow it to the left. Further on, it turns right at a right angle and eventually joins the D916 in the centre of Floringhem.

(3) Cross at the pedestrian crossing and follow the D916 to the right. After the bakery, leave the main road and take the path on the left. You will come to a wayside shrine.

(4) Then turn right and you’ll come to a T-junction.

(5) Turn left, walk past a wood and find a grassy path on the left.

(6) Follow this path, which widens, and you’ll come to a track branching off to the right.

(7) Follow this track (isolated house in the distance opposite). Continue to the house: a place called l’Alouette.

(8) A quick left/right turn leads onto a wide track heading due south. Ignore a track on the left. A little further on, the track becomes more rugged and begins to descend (sometimes slippery). Look out for a track branching off to the left (yellow markings).

(9) Follow this lovely path along the edge of the field (view of Pernes) which eventually turns right and descends steeply towards Pernes. Continue to a T-junction and turn right into Rue de Blaringhem. Walk past the care home (it’s nicer to take the grassy path) and reach a junction with the D90.

(10) Cross it and take Rue d'Aumerval opposite. Follow it to the Grand' Place.

(11) Turn right onto Rue du Château. At the fork, take the path on the left and join the D70.

(12) A quick right-left turn takes you onto Rue de Pressy. At the fork, turn left onto Avenue Corbier and reach the D916. Follow it to the left towards the centre of Pernes. Ignore a small lane on the right and, just after that, you’ll find a grassy path on the right as well.

(13) Follow this path. After about fifty metres, turn left onto a grassy path (and indeed very grassy in May 2026). Join Rue du Guit. Follow it to the left, cross the Clarence (small park on the left, nice for a break) and, just past the residential block, find a path on the right.

(14) Follow this path straight on to reach the D70 (Rue de la Gare).

(15) Follow it to the right. Pass the entrance to the quarry, then the spillway on the Clarence. The road curves to the right and crosses the Clarence before reaching a junction on the outskirts of Pernes.

(16) Take the middle lane towards the recycling centre and Ourton. Cross the level crossing and continue for a further 200 m before reaching a crossroads just before the recycling centre.

(17) Turn right into the countryside and follow the path to the Marest level crossing.

(18) Turn left, then, immediately at the chapel, left again onto a path that climbs towards the woods. At the edge of the woods, you’ll come to a fork.

(19) Take the path on the right (you can also take the other one marked with yellow signs). A lovely, slightly slippery (limestone) climb through the undergrowth awaits you. A well-marked path eventually leads out of the woods, finishing the climb at the edge of a field and joining a track.

(20) Follow this path to the right. From here, there is a section that can be muddy and slippery (excellent in May 2026). The best option is then to leave the path and follow the edge of the field (there is a gap in the hedge near a metal post). You can walk to the end of the field (fallen trees in March 2024): there you will find a gap in the hedge (be careful, the wire fence is quite low!). Then follow the path to reach a T-junction near a farm.

(21) (See practical information). Then turn left to cross the Bois de la Lihue. This beautifully restored path joins the^D86E2.

(22) Follow it to the right (see practical information). It isn’t very busy, but do take care all the same! About 1 km further on, you’ll find a path on the left (starting at a large open area).

(23) Take this path. At a wood, it turns right. Continue to the end of the wood.

(24) Take the path on the left and head towards a T-junction opposite a wood.

(25) Turn left and follow the wide path until you reach a small road.

(26) Take the road on the left, cross over the railway line and reach a junction.

(27) Turn left onto Rue de l’Égalité and walk alongside the cemetery before turning right onto Rue du Cimetière (see practical information)to reach the D70.

(28) Cross at the pedestrian crossing and follow the road to the left for about 100 metres. Turn right into Rue de la Bourgogne, cross the Clarence and reach Rue Jean Jaurès. Follow it to the right to return to the starting point (S/E).

Good walking shoes are essential, as are walking poles.

At (22), it may be better to take the small, badly damaged and very quiet road opposite. After a good kilometre, you’ll find a path branching off sharply to the right. Follow it and, just past the wind turbine, rejoin the^D86E2. Follow it to the left to reach (23) 200 metres further on. This adds about 1.5 km to the route.

It is more pleasant to head to the cemetery (small car park) and walk through it. Be careful, however: the final entrance is beyond Rue du Cimetière. You must therefore turn right at the exit, then left onto Rue du Cimetière to reach the (28).