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Start: Remilly-Wirquin Grande Place, Rue de la Moulière.
(S/E) With your back to the road, head towards the containers and reach a street which you follow to the left. At the end, turn right to cross the Aa. Just after, turn left into Rue des Prés.
(1) At the crow's-foot, turn right into Rue Bertin, and at the end of this street, go straight ahead on the footpath leading upwards. At the T junction, turn right onto the D192.
(2) Shortly before the D192, turn left onto a wide track. A few metres before a wind turbine, turn left towards the edge of the wood on the GR® 145.
(3) At the crossroads, continue straight ahead (GR®), first at the edge of the wood, then in the undergrowth. At the next crow's-foot, follow the GR® to the right (it's well signposted!) to cross the Bois d'Esquerdes on a superb path. Reach a T-junction at the cemetery. Turn left to reach a crossroads.
(4) Then turn left, then immediately right with GRP®. Leave the GR® which goes off to the right. Stay on this wide path, ignoring the right-hand departures. Climb gently to reach a crossroads where you continue straight on GRP®. Descend to the Aa valley along a beautiful, steep path: the view is magnificent!
Reach a crossroads.
Turn right onto the small road. After about 50 m, a small rustic staircase on the right joins an overhanging path. Follow this to the left. After a sunken passage, a rustic staircase leads back to the tarmac on the left. Go right, past the cave and through a gate. Shortly afterwards, another barrier appears on the right.
(6) Cross it to begin the climb up the hillside (stairs or path depending on your preference and the state of the ground, which is very chalky and therefore potentially slippery). Cross another barrier (take advantage of this flat part to enjoy the view over the Aa valley, Elnes and its castle). You'll reach 2 posts bearing blue "juniper trail" markers. Turn right and climb up to a clearly visible barrier.
(7) Cross the barrier. A path crosses a bramble bush, then veers right towards an embankment. Follow the slope to the left. A few metres further on, climb a little to the right to reach another field (wheat in early August 2021). Go along it on the left (this passage is signposted in the other direction, so it is authorized) and join a good grassy path which joins a small road. Follow it downhill to the left. Shortly after a 90° right-hand bend, look out for a post with a blue beacon on the left.
(8) Leave the road and head for a passage, on the left, in the embankment marked with blue markers. Cross the fence (it's landscaped, but be careful, especially if it's wet). Follow the steeply sloping path (well cleaned in February 2022).
Turn right and eventually reach a T-junction. Turn right to quickly find a staircase on the left. Follow it and reach tarmac. See practical info.
(9) Follow the tarmac to the left, ignoring a left-hand turn-off to join the river Aa, which you cross. Just after the bridge, turn left into Rue du Courtil Moulin. At the T-junction (the château is on the left), turn right. Opposite the church, turn left to join the D192 (you can cross the cemetery to find a watering hole at the exit to the D192).
(10) Follow this for a few metres, then turn right onto the D132 (Rue Jules Caron). Ignore the 1st street on your right and turn right into the 2nd street (Rue des Grands Camps). Follow this wide, gently sloping road for almost 3 km. After passing under the power line, reach a crossroads.
(11) Take the small road on the left, again passing under the power line. Shortly afterwards, when the road bends to the left, leave it to take the path opposite (there are markings). After a tricky start, it improves. Descend until you reach the D132, which you follow to the right until you reach a fork in the road. Continue straight ahead.
(12) Shortly after the right-hand bend, don't miss the path on the left. After an often damp dip, it veers to the right (in very wet weather, you may have to cross a stream) and offers us a fine climb (the path is very cluttered at the end: you have to contend with nettles, brambles and other thistles). At the summit, turn right at the T-junction, then immediately left (IGN map wrong at this point) and continue for about 300 m.
(13) Don't miss the grassy path to the left. Join a small road which you follow in front of you. When it bends to the right, continue for a few metres. After about 100 m, you'll find a path on the right (it's a cow path, it can be muddy, but the layer of mud is not very thick and the bottom is stony) which will take you back to the tarmac.
(14) Go left and reach a T-junction (hamlet of Campagnette). Turn right. After a right-hand bend, reach a fork. Go left and round the farm to the right to cross the small stream (often dry). After the bridge, turn left. The path skirts the Ravin de Campagnette, then climbs up to reach a T-junction.
(15) Turn left onto a wide track. At the next T-junction, turn right, then cross the D225 to reach the hamlet of Plouy.
(16) At the crossroads, turn left. When the road bends to the right, ignore a track on the left and continue on the track opposite for a descent of about 1km.
(17) At the crossroads, just before a small wood, turn right for a final short climb. The path joins the 225 E1. Follow it to the left to reach Remilly-Wirquin (S/E).
