This walk goes through the gently sloping landscape of the Den Dotter nature reserve, which owes its name to the marsh marigold, a yellow flower that grows abundantly here in spring. The valley of the Molenbeek is the blue thread on this varied walking route.
Distance: 12.5 km.
Time: 3h00.
Grade: Moderate.
Type: Circular.
Gps Track: Yes.
Route description: Yes.
Wheelchair: Not suitable.
Dog: Allowed.
Height gain: 132 meters.
Trail: Paved and unpaved.
Marking: Red square and Blue rectangle.
Hiking shoes recommended.
Molenbeek valley.
From the starting point you will soon arrive at the Kruis chapel and an information panel from Natuurpunt. You continue through the Den Dotter nature reserve with hay meadows, trough forests and valuable coulters along the way. The rolling landscape means that you can also enjoy beautiful views. When you are almost in Erpe-Mere, you return at the fishing pond and go through the Blauw forest to the valley of the Molenbeek. This stream owes its name to the many water mills that used to be here. Now you only come across the Gotegem mill on the way and the Engels mill at the very end of the walk.
Download PDf for route description.
Some paths can be soggy.
POI 1 - Den Dotter.
Den Dotter in Haaltert offers a colorful combination of natural landscapes and is therefore ideal for walking. Spot the marsh marigold, after which the area is named, or one of the many bird species. The varied landscapes offer an ideal hiking scene. The blue thread through the area is the Molenbeek. On the lower parts you will find wet meadows and hay meadows, bushes and brook forests. The higher and drier parts consist of open, undulating coulter areas, which have been worked for centuries. The walking route takes you past a very varied landscape of meersen, groves and open fields, intersected with two more small side streams, the Vorsinkbeek and the Holbeek. On the higher open fields you always have beautiful views and you see the valley of the slowly winding Molenbeek. Within the nature reserve there are two classified water mills: the Engelsmolen and the Gotegemmolen. Den Dotter is located between two hamlets with a Frankish name: Brantegem and Gotegem. Brantegem refers to the residence of the Branda family (branda + inga + hem). Gotegem or Guthinghem is the home of the Guti or Guta family. The name Guthingahem already occurs in the charter of Saint Bavo from the blessed year 966.
Natuurpunt.
www.natuurpunt.be.
