These routes are made for walking

You probably didn’t think of Flanders. But you should, because the region is criss-crossed by over 3,500 kilometres of long-distance footpaths. Modelled on the Grandes Randonnées of France, these GRs (Grote Routepaden) are clearly indicated with characteristic marks consisting of a white stripe above a red stripe.

One example is the GR12 Amsterdam to Paris footpath, which enters Flanders just south of Bergen Op Zoom. It will lead you along the River Nete and through the attractive towns of Lier and Mechelen. Admittedly, once you reach the Atomium you will need to gird up all your courage to cross Brussels, but once you reach the southern limits of Ukkel the path south through Beersel and Dworp is much more hiker-friendly.

Also entering Flanders north of Antwerp – in Essen – is GR5, which originates in the Hook of Holland in the Netherlands. The first Flemish leg takes in the beautiful if windswept Kalmthout Heath. It then continues through the woods and fields of the Kempen and the Hageland. Along the way you can get to know delightful small towns such as Averbode, Scherpenheuvel and Diest. Then it’s time to push deep into Limburg, visiting Hasselt and Genk – or maybe Bokrijk open air museum – before crossing the Dutch border at Lanaken. Continue for a while longer on this trail and you’ll end up on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice.

If you want to keep within Flanders, then GR5A is probably the one for you. It’s a 557-kilometre circular route. Of course, you can get on and off where you like, but it’s been designed to start and finish in Antwerp. On the way you constantly jump back and forth over the Dutch border as the trail takes you east to Bruges before hitting the coast near De Haan. Then it’s an exhilarating walk along the seafront and through the dunes to De Panne. The path takes you right up to the French border before turning sharp left into the area of West Flanders known as Flanders Fields. The former tobacco fields of Wervik pass by as you hike along the picturesque River Leie. There’s even time for some gentle hill walking in the Flemish Ardennes before the path turns north and heads through Aalst to Dendermonde, where you follow the River Schelde back to Antwerp.

Of course, these routes are for serious hikers. To complete one, you would need the whole summer, or several years of free weekends. But there are less demanding alternatives. “There are also shorter, regional GRs marked with red and yellow signs,” says Bram Aertsen, Coordinator of Grote Routepaden vzw, the organisation that maintains and publicises the GRs in Flanders. “They still fall under the definition of long distance but can easily be completed in a week.”

One of these is the 80-kilometre Mol-Om GR, established in the 1970s and the first GR created outside France. Expect plenty of fresh air as you follow the circular route along canals and lakes and through pine forests.

If you are thinking of walking a Flemish GR, whether for a weekend, week or longer, your first question is probably “where am I going to stay overnight?” Plan your trip in advance and you will be spoilt for choice.

“The type of accommodation depends greatly on your hiking experience, spirit of adventure and budget,” says Aertsen. “Well-seasoned hikers will probably take their tents and camp on one of the many approved camping sites along Flemish GRs.”

If you prefer a roof rather than canvas over your head, 25 youth hostels are dotted around Flanders, many of them on or near a GR. You have to be a member of the Flemish Youth Hostel Federation or Hostelling International, but membership only costs €15 a year. And you don’t even have to be a youth! You can book a bed online, with prices ranging from €15 for a bed in a standard dormitory room to €31 for a private room. As these prices include breakfast, they are extremely good value. Also along each GR are numerous bed and breakfasts, while the larger towns and cities have hotel accommodation.

However basic or luxurious your choice, you have to carry a heavy rucksack full of clothes and food. But there’s an increasingly popular alternative in Flanders called the GR hiking holiday, in which your luggage is moved from hotel to hotel. All you have to do is walk, with only a small knapsack on your back. The price includes evening meals at each overnight stop, along with all the maps and packed lunches you need. Grote Routepaden vzw offers a selection of two to four day GR hiking holidays in all Flemish provinces. Prices range from €108 to €299 per person in a double room.

With any form of exercise, good training is essential. “We have devised a series of one-day circular walks between 15 and 20 kilometres,” adds Aertsen. “They run through the most beautiful parts of the Flemish countryside, and are ideal ways to build up your strength and endurance before taking on a longer route.”

Books and maps describing in detail all the GRs in Flanders can be bought on the Grote Routepaden website. If you become a member (€29 a year) you have access to a wealth of valuable extra information, such as recommendations for the best pit-stops and overnight accommodation.

So, now that spring is here, it’s time to dust off your hiking boots and look for those GR signs.

www.groteroutepaden.be

www.jeugdherbergen.be