Scherpenberg and Rodeberg, mid-season route

Starting point:park in Loker (Locres). There are a few parking spaces at the entrance to Kalissestraat.
Note: you can also park on the side of the N375, which connects Loker to Ypres.

(S/E) Head north-east on Kalissesraat and follow it for about 300 metres. Take the path on the right to cross the Hellebeek Nature Reserve: the path is well maintained, but the facilities are a little old. At the exit, follow the small road on the left and you will reach a crossroads (marker 49).

(1) Climb the stairs (short but the steps are high!) and turn right, following the small road. Just before you reach it, take the path on the left and follow it (north-east) to join a small road (marker 50).

(2) Follow it for about 100 metres to the right and find a path on the right (marker 51, large picnic table and slide!). Follow this pretty path to a crossroads.

(3) Take the small road (Kalissestraat) that curves to the left until you reach a T-junction.

(4) Take the small road on the left and you will immediately find marker 54. Continue straight ahead, pass a farm and arrive at marker 53.

(5) Take the road on the left. After 150 metres, take a beautiful grassy path on the left that runs alongside the road. At the end, turn right to rejoin the road. Follow it for a few metres on the left to find a small lane on the right.

(6) Follow this small lane which runs alongside the housing estate. At marker 14, keep to the left and, 100 metres further on, turn left at a right angle (marker: head towards 83) to rejoin the main road (church). Follow it on the left and find a car park.

(7) In the middle of the car park, take Kherkofweg on the right. At the end, turn left and follow the small road to a T-junction (marker 83). Turn left and, 100 metres further on, turn left again (marker 84). You will reach a T-junction.

(8) Take the road on the right, pass between the farm buildings and, continuing in the same direction, follow the path to a T-junction.

(9) Take the road on the left, pass marker 70 and reach the N 375 (marker 52).

(10) Follow it a few metres to the left before turning right (carefully!) onto Scherpenbeckweg. Follow it until you find an entrance to the woods on the right.

(11) Take the path on the right to climb Scherpenberg (often muddy). At the top, at the fork, take the path on the right, then immediately the one on the left (barrier). A pleasant descent through the woods leads to a wider path.

(12) Follow this path on the left to reach marker 48 and a small road.

(13) Follow it to the right and reach the N 375. Cross it (be careful!) and follow it to the left (paved path). Ignore the^{first road} on the right and a little further on, veer to the right to reach Rodebergstaat (petrol station and bread depot). Reach a crossroads.

(14) Turn right. About 400 metres further on, follow a path on the right. The descent is quite wet in the lower part. You will reach a crossroads between paths and a small road.

(15) Follow the road a few metres to the right, then take a path uphill to the left. At the top, you will find marker 29.

(16) Take the path on the left. 100 metres further on, at marker 28, turn right to reach marker 13. Take the path on the left to start the Sulferberg loop. Pass the summit (bench and cairns) and continue on this remarkably well-maintained path (decking and steps) to marker 12.

(17) Follow the path on the left and after a few metres you will find an entrance on the right (barrier in poor condition).

(18) Turn right (fairly steep and slippery descent) to find a recently restored footbridge at the bottom. Cross it and continue along a slightly cluttered path (two fallen trees in early February 2026, but this is not a problem) to reach a small road. Follow it to the left for 100 metres to find the crossroads between the path and the small road you passed earlier.

(15) Leave the road and turn right onto a path heading south. Apart from its lower section, this path is in very good condition. Join a small road at a farm (marker 27).

(19) Follow it to the right. 150 metres further on, in a right-hand bend, leave it (marker 26) and take the path on the left (wooden footbridge) to reach marker 90.

(20) Take the^{second path} on the right (in the undergrowth). Stay on the edge, then at the end, turn left to go uphill and reach a wide path (marker 25). Take this path on the left and arrive at marker 33.

(21) Turn right. At the^{first fork} , take the path on the right to reach a^second fork. Turn right and follow the path, staying as close as possible to the fence on the left. You will reach a wide lane and marker 23.

(22) Take the path on the left to quickly reach the edge of the woods. Turn left at the edge (path marked by hikers) and reach a T-junction. Turn left, staying on the edge, and reach marker 64. Continue straight ahead to reach marker 21.

(23) Take the road on the right and you will reach a crossroads. Take the wide path on the right (see practicalinformation 1) and you will reach marker 10 (crossroads).

(24) Turn left until you reach marker 19 (crossroads). Take the path on the left (very wet at first, but a nice trail has been created in the undergrowth on the left). You will reach a crossroads (marker 20) where you turn right onto a road (Schomminkelstraat). After 300 metres, you will reach marker 15.

(25) Turn left onto a path that joins the N 398. Cross it and take the footbridge opposite. Pass three deckchairs and join the Soldatenstaat. Follow it to the right to reach marker 7. Continue straight ahead, pass a barrier and walk along the path towards marker 8 (the ground may be quite spongy in places) (see practical information 2). Reach marker 8 (barriers).

(26) Make a quick first turn right then left and go through the barrier to reach marker 14 (GR® and well-maintained section). Staying in the undergrowth, you will reach the edge of the forest and marker 14 (barrier).

(27) Go down the road, turn right and then immediately left onto the tarmac (GR®) to join the N 398. Follow it for a while on the right, then turn left onto a small road (Kleine Bergstraat GR®). 300 metres further on, find a hairpin bend on the left (GR®).

(28) Take this path, which turns twice to the right and then once to the left to reach a small road. Follow this small road to the left. You will arrive at the entrance to a café. Here, I turned right to cross the courtyard and reach the edge of the woods (this may be a good opportunity to have a drink) (see practical information 3). Then follow the edge of the woods to the right. Further on, the path turns left to enter the woods and reach marker 65

(29). Continue straight ahead up a steep climb (stairs) to reach marker 38. There, turn right (end of GR®) and reach the main road. Follow it to the right (it is paved on both sides) to the crossroads (chapel and marker 39).

(30) Take the wide path to the left of the chapel, through the vineyard. After about 100 metres, turn left onto a wide path through the vineyards. Continue until you reach a copse. Then turn left along the copse and climb up to a small road (information board).

(31) Follow it for about 50 metres to the right before turning left, in a hairpin bend, onto a narrow path that climbs steeply. You will reach a crossroads where you continue straight ahead, still climbing, to reach the Moulin (Baneberg).

(32) Continue straight ahead on the tarmac road (large car park on your right). At the end of the car park (marker 37), take the path on the right which descends to Oude Bellestraat at marker 46. Follow it to the left and return to the starting point. (You can leave the road 150 metres further on and take the path on the left which runs alongside the vineyard, but access can be very muddy) (S/E).

The paths are generally in good condition with nice features, but the undergrowth can be tricky. Wear sturdy footwear and a walking stick may be useful.

Practicalinformation 1. A little further on, you can turn right, then immediately left to walk along the edge of the field. At the crossroads, you can continue along the edge of the vineyard before returning to the path shortly before marker 10.

Practicalinformation 2. At marker 7, you can also turn left onto a small road to find marker 14.

Practical information 3. If you are unsure about passing by the estaminet, continue straight on to marker 21. Turn right to marker 64 and turn right again at the edge of the field.