In the Sambre valley

Meet at the train station (V) of the historic town of Thuin on the Sambre, south-west of Charleroi. In the upper town you will still find several traces of the medieval heyday. Be careful, because this walk also passes through the Bois des Waibes. Hunting is allowed from 1/7 to 31/12 until 9am and from 6pm. Between 1/10 and 31/12 there are regular drifting yachts (info about this on mobile 0476-93 14 66). Walk to the left of the station through the pedestrian tunnel on the other side of the railway tracks, then climb into Telly Lane. At the top you turn right along the main road (Rue d'Anderlues) and 50 m after the first bend turn turn right into Rue du Nespèriat. At the T-junction, walk right, after 350 m on the left, ignore the Kennedy residence and stay 100 m further left on the asphalt. After 500 m, you will arrive at rue Jean Doye. Walk straight ahead and after 300 m by a barrier in the Bois des Waibes on a wide forest road (sign with blue cross). Ignore all possible exits and follow the signs with blue cross for more than 1 km. The forest road becomes a narrow forest road after 700 m and then descends quite steeply for 100 m. Once out of the forest, turn left onto the paved road. On the right is a water tower. Ignore the exit on the right and go straight. On the right is the castle of Hourpes 1. The water tower and castle are the remains of an industrial site that had a coke oven, blast furnace and six-furnace rolling mill here at the turn of the last century. In front of you are the workers' houses still inhabited from that time. Pass in front of the castle on the right and after 100 m on the left, then on the right. At the Sambre, turn right onto the towpath. This will take you to a railway bridge. Go to hourpes 2 station, with just 18 passengers per average weekday, the quietest train station in Belgium. Turn left onto the footbridge next to the railway bridge, then continue on the path next to the railway tracks. On the paved road, turn right, onto the bridge, then immediately left. After 350 m, ignore the exit and continue straight along the concrete road to the cemetery. After 1 km you will see a brewery on the left, but especially the ruins of the abbey of Aulne 3. The abbey was founded in 637 and has experienced periods of great splendor interspersed with disasters, wars and looting over the centuries. The ruins can be visited every day from 1/4 to 30/10, in winter only on weekends in good weather. After a possible visit to the abbey or brewery, retrace your steps and turn left on a dirt road and then immediately right, firmly on a narrow forest path (signs with green and yellow rectangle). Above, turn left and return to the concrete road on the edge of the forest. Turn left and after 600 m right onto Rue du Chène. Ignore all secondary roads and walk right after 1.3 km to the fork. A little more than 1 km further is a picnic area on the right with a beautiful view of the Sambre 4. Ignore all secondary roads and continue straight, first in the rue du Chène, then the avenue du Berceau and finally along the Rempart du Nord, with a magnificent view of the lower town. After 200 m, walk left in a narrow street (Ruelle Driane) and go back in time. Turn right into the Grand Rue and after 100 m you will be at Belfry 5 de Thuin, which was once part of the old collegiate church. You can also visit the belfry, with an exceptional view of the city and its surroundings after 194 steps. A nice possible extension of the promenade are the hanging gardens and the skipper's quarters. In the corner of the square in front of the Belfry, go down the stairs to the left and straight. 30 m after the round tower there is a staircase on the right that takes you to the lower town. Take the main road on the Sambre and return to the station (SNCB Station sign).