A short walk around Hamois

Park in the large car park, which has several dozen spaces and overlooks the Municipal Office for Tourism and Culture (OCTC).
Avoid parking in Rue de la Boverie, as local residents are vigilant about enforcing the no-parking rule.

(S/E) As you leave the car park, turn right into Rue de la Boverie. At the T-junction at the bottom, turn left to reach the Ravel after about 250 metres.

(1). After the joinery workshop, take this tarmac path – reserved for non-motorised transport – to the left, towards Hamois and Ciney. Stay on this path as you pass the Plaine de Hubinne and its many sports grounds, the Office of Tourism and Heritage (another possible starting point) and the school. Take care when crossing Rue de Hubinne; it’s best to use the pedestrian crossing rather than the Ravel, then continue along the pavement until you reach a bus shelter.

(2) At the bus shelter, turn left via the pedestrian crossing towards the chemist’s and Rue Saint-Pierre, which you follow as far as Saint-Pierre Church.
Admire the restored mill below and carry on, leaving Rue Chestrée on your right, then Rue de Cheumont on your left, before finally turning left into Rue du Tonnelier. This will take you onto the^GR®575‘Through the Condroz’. Follow Rue du Tonnelier from one end to the other, until you reach the junction with Rue d’Alvaux.

(3) Here, you have the option to continue the walk:
- if you’re pushing a pushchair, leave the^GR® here and head down Rue d’Alvaux to the left. Then turn left into Rue de la Vieille Voie and right into Rue de Cheumont. After about 500 m, you’ll reach point 6. This also shortens the walk by about 1 km.
- without pushchairs, follow the^GR® towards the uphill path on the right.

(4) Opposite No. 22, take the first path on the left, which then descends towards a farm. Pass the farm on the left and continue along the sunken path as it climbs. Please note: this path can become very muddy in heavy rain or snow. You’ll rejoin the tarmac road.

(5) Leave the^GR®575and head left to descend and make your way back towards Hamois. Pass the few large farm buildings whilst staying on the main road, then turn right into Rue d’Alvaux to join Rue d’Emptinne. Take this road to the left, keeping to the left-hand side of the road, as it can be quite busy.

(6) This is also where the pushchairs join us, as they turn left here.
Go straight ahead at the next roundabout to stay on Rue d’Emptinne, avoiding Rue de Cheumont. Cross over the Bocq and turn right onto Rue du Trou Maroit, which is uphill. This will take you onto the Ravel; follow it to the left to head back towards Hamois station. Cross Rue d’Emptinne, then walk alongside the SCAM and Macors buildings. Walk alongside the few metres of disused railway track and continue to the old Hamois station.

(7) At the railway carriage, leave the Ravel to the right to cross the Chaussée de Liège via the pedestrian crossing opposite the bakery, to reach Rue d’Achet, almost directly in front of you. Take care again when crossing here.

Carry on along Rue d’Achet, past the shops, the Ateliers Communaux and the underground glass recycling bins. Before you reach the ponds, turn left into Rue Sainte-Agathe. Cross the bridge over the Bocq and walk alongside the Espace Valgorge, keeping to the right. Continue to the end of the street, which is a dead end for cars, and take the small footpath that leads uphill (“Cherreau”), using the central handrail if necessary.

You’ll reach Rue de Hubinne, near the “Tilleul du Centenaire de l’Indépendance” and the CPAS. Walk up Rue de Hubinne (to the right), towards the OCTC. Leave Rue des Deux Ponts on your right and turn left onto Rue de la Boverie to return to the starting point and the car park (S/E).

The village of Hamois has all the necessary shops (mini-markets, a bakery, a butcher’s, a bookshop, hairdressers, a bank, a post office, etc.) and even a 24/7 pizza vending machine. Restaurants and a chip shop (opening in 2023?) are also close to the route. There are also a few bus shelters along the route. Unfortunately, there are no public drinking fountains on the route.

The walk is easily accessible by bus (on weekdays) via route 126b, which departs from Ciney station. There are bus stops at various points along the route, notably at (S/E) (Hamois Hubinne) and opposite the chemist’s (Hamois station).

This walk offers the option of two circular routes around the Ravel, which passes through Hamois and partly follows the ‘Mes aventures d’Enchanteur’ route, the Yellow, Blue and Green routes of the Maison du Tourisme, and certain sections of^{the GR®575}‘À travers le Condroz’. The section between points (4) and (5) can be slippery and muddy, and is only accessible on foot or by bike.

Along the route:

• The former girls’ school, now converted into a cultural centre following its refurbishment as the Municipal Office for Tourism and Culture (OCTC), including an exhibition gallery (Espace Robert Delieu) and meeting rooms for local organisations.
• Note the beautiful, restored Condroz-style farmhouse (“du Condroz”) and its ponds, which you will walk past, keeping it on your left between the start and point (1).
• A few geocaches, mainly around the Ravel
• Numerous information boards about the Ravel, situated near a house just after the Church of Saint-Pierre in Hamois (mainly concerning flora and fauna), on the corner of Rue Chestrée, and around the many ‘minor heritage’ monuments encountered along the route
• Office of the Tourist, Culture and Heritage Board (OCTC)
• Sports grounds and halls (tennis, football, etc.) and a local primary school.
• Numerous local shops.
• Starting points for other walks, including ‘Mes aventures d’Enchanteur’.
• Moulin sur le Bocq (private), opposite Saint-Pierre Church.
• Saint-Pierre Church and the ‘Maison des Jeunes’ (actually a ‘parish hall’).

In the immediate vicinity of the route.

• Sainte-Barbe Chapel, next to the bookshop.
• Bois de Cheumont: play facilities for children and a picnic table (instead of crossing the road shortly after the point (6) to join Rue du Trou Maroit, continue for about 150 metres along Rue d’Emptinne before turning left onto the path leading to the Bois de Cheumont. The signpost is not visible from this direction on the walk! To rejoin the route, continue along Rue d’Emptinne and turn left as soon as you reach the Ravel, to resume the route towards Hamois station, passing the SCAM and Macors buildings. Including a visit to the Bois de Cheumont, the total walk is 6.7 km.
• Hubinne Farm and Chapel (listed buildings).
• Linden tree marking the centenary of independence.