The Castle of Beersel was built by Godefroid de Hellebeke in the 13th century for the purpose of defending Brussels and Brabant from Flanders. It’s one of few remaining examples in Belgium of a military fortress from the Middle Ages.
The Castle of Beersel is truly a formidable architectural structure, with three tall defensive towers that give it an interesting triangular shape. This, along with its incredibly thick brick walls and moat made it a serious stronghold back in the day. The castle is unique in that it was only conquered once - in the uprising of Brusselaars against Maximillian of Austria (Beersel was supporting Maximillian). The castle remains largely unchanged from how it appeared when it was restored towards the end of the 15th century.
In sharp contrast to many Belgian castles, this one is not a private residence and it hasn’t been restored to perfection. Part of the castle still lies in ruins, which gives it a slightly creepy and intimidating edge. But something about the castle’s rugged state makes it easier to imagine the gory medieval battles that took place there. You can almost picture soldiers using the many machicolations - or openingsaround the castle to throw stones and pour hot oil onto their attackers.
The Kesterbeekwandeling (Kester brook walk) is a 7.5 kilometre loop through the idyllic Pajottenland countryside with its green, rolling hills and fertile farmland. The walk starts and ends very close to the castle. This is a relatively easy walk but does involve some narrow, uneven paths and hills. About half of the route is paved. If you go at a steady pace, it should take a couple of hours to complete the loop. You can order a map of the Kesterbeekwandeling and five other regional walks (€6) from the Flemish Brabant tourist office: www.toerismevlaamsbrabant.be.
I started my walk from the train station, but you can also begin from Herman Teirlinckplein (Beersel’s village square). From the station, head east towards Beukenlandschap and then make a right at Karpatten (from the centre, head left on Beukenlandschap and make a left at Karpatten). The route is well marked with white, hexagonal signs that say “Kesterbeek wandelpad” in red lettering.
The route takes you down a narrow path that passes through fields and long, hedged-in corridors. If you are lucky, you might even see some stout Shetland ponies along the way. Soon you’ll cross over Laarheidestraat and then Sanitoriumstraat.
Take a left on Klutstraat. After walking on this paved and tree-lined road (Klutstraat 24) you’ll come upon a veritable visual feast. Peek past the fence to view the tuin der onlusten (garden of distress), an artistic project of the New Flemish Primitive Art School. This open-air collection of fascinating, vibrantly coloured objects and sculptures makes for a truly unique botanic-artistic experience.
After about half a kilometre, the road bends to the right. Soon you’re in the midst of a beautiful valley. You’ll pass a pretty meadow and take a meandering footpath. Eventually, make a left on Grote Hertstraat. You’ll traverse an old, cobbled road and pass fields of wheat, carrots and potatoes.
Take a left on Begijnbosstraat and head towards the forest. On a hot summer’s day, the path through the Begijnenbos will offer a welcome respite; its stately deciduous trees provide ample shade. This is truly a gorgeous and peaceful setting and one of my favourite parts of the walk.
When you arrive at the western edge of the forest, you’ll make a right. This is Wortelenberg (Carrot mountain), which is fitting because of the surrounding carrot fields. The road soon becomes Kleine Hertweg. Follow this until you get to Josef Hauwaertstraat and then turn left. The scenery along this quiet and narrow street alternates between residences, pastures and trees.
Soon after Jozef Hauwaertstraat intersects with Ast, you’ll pass a noteworthy roadside shop called Hoeve Cuvry (www.hoevecuvry.be). It’s a family business and farm where pigs are naturally raised (without antibiotics or genetically modified feed). Hoeve Cuvry sells fresh pork directly to consumers as well as other tasty local goods like produce, juices and lambic. They also offer farm tours complete with samples of their products and a glass of beer.
Continue to follow the Kesterbeek wandelpad signs. You’ll move to a skinny dirt path along pastures lined with a fence. Along this downward slope of the route you have a nice view of Beersel and even Brussels off in the distance.
Around this point, my companion and I came across what appeared to be a very friendly horse. Turns out he was just looking for a handout. There are numerous signs along the walking route asking people not to feed the farm animals. So even if you do encounter such endearing begging, it’s best to resist the temptation and heed the warnings.
You’ll soon cross Kesterbeeklaan and Kerkhoflaan and continue straight onto a path called Blarenveld (Blister field, maybe appropriately). This trail features a contrast of scenic orchards and greenery amidst houses and office buildings. Follow Blarenveld all the way back to the village and to Beukenschap to complete the loop.
With the exception of Mondays, you can visit the castle every day from 1 March to 15 November (10.00 to 12.00 and from 14.00 to 18.00) for €2.50. Guidebooks are available in English. You can also take a virtual tour: www.clubneptune.be/VISITE.htm.
The Beersel Castle is easy to reach by public transport, as it’s only a few minutes’ walk from the Beersel train station—just west on Lotestraat. Beersel is located between Brussels and Halle. By car, you can reach the castle via the E19, Brussels-Mons, exit 19.
The Pajottenland is renowned as the home of lambic beers. This very distinctive, sour style of beer gets its complex taste from special wild yeasts that are highly concentrated in this particular region of Belgium. A trip to Beersel is the perfect excuse to sample lambic, or geuze or kriek, all of which are made from lambic. Beersel is home to the highly respected lambic blender (and previous lambic brewer) 3 Fonteinen (Three Fountains) . 3 Fonteinen has a restaurant in the centre of Beersel where you can both drink their brews and try traditional Belgian dishes that incorporate them, like rabbit cooked with geuze and guinea fowl in kriek. Herman Teirlinckplein 3, Beersel
If you are just in the mood for a quick bite, there is also a Croissy in town. This French-style bakery chain offers up tasty and reasonably priced sandwiches. Beersel’s Croissy sells local products too, like the delicious, organic Pajottenlander juice. Try the apple-pear juice; it’s outstanding. Hoogstraat 6, Beersel
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