WALKING T(R)IP: KRAVAAL FOREST

The Kravaal Forest is somewhat hidden away on the border between Flemish Brabant and East Flanders, meaning it has stayed under the radar for a long time. This unspoilt nature is a huge asset for this ecologically valuable forest, where spring bloomers and hop vines grow apace.

Distance: 7.9 km

Departure point: Putstraat 116, B-9310 Aalst near café Bij Stinne

This route was composed based on the Brabantse Kouters walking node network.

To node 47 – Bij Stinne

The typical local café Bij Stinne has been a fixture in Meldert for more than fifty years. Neighbourhood residents took up the torch from Stinne Aelbrecht and gave it new life. The interior could stay – just like the coal-fired stove and the local football team – and some regional beers appeared on the menu. Bij Stinne has since enjoyed national fame, as the café was used as a setting for two Kampioenen films.

Node 47 – 99 – Molenbeek

A forest path will take you along the Molenbeek and the many source streams that bubble up in and around the Kravaal Forest.

Node 47 – 99 – Faluintjes

Aalst's four sub-municipalities of Baardegem, Herdersem, Moorsel and Meldert together form the Faluintjes and are Aalst's little green goldmines. You'll find some hop vines there! On the last weekend of July, the four Faluintjes municipalities together organise the harvest festival De Pikkeling – recently recognised as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Flanders –with demonstrations of old harvest rituals, traditional music and regional gastronomy.

Node 40 – Meldert village

On the village square in Meldert, you can discover the stories behind the Meldert sandstone, the Kravaal Forest, the Affligem abbey and the importance of the local hop cultivation around Aalst.

The former brewery of Goossens stopped producing beer and vinegar in 1928, after all the copper – so including the hop boilers –were confiscated by the Germans during the First World War. The building stood empty for years, until it was renovated in 2017 with respect for the historical context into a cosy neighbourhood inn, Hof den Tuitelaar.

To node 50 – Kravaal Forest

The Kravaal Forest is a remnant of the age-old Kolenwoud and is now around 80 hectares in size. In the Middle Ages, the forest gained great fame for its sandstone quarries. Sandstone was mined at the initiative of Affligem abbey. Kravaal comes from ‘car’ and ‘vaal’, which mean ‘stone’ and ‘valley’. In the spring, wood anemones and wild hyacinths turn the forest white and purple.