Easy hikes and walks around Polygonebos

Good running gravel, slightly ascending. Beautiful view on the left and the forest on the right. For me one of the most beautiful gravel paths in the area.

A particularly poignant anecdote about the Brothers In Arms Memorial involves Australian brothers John and James Hunter. During the Battle of Polygon Wood on 26 September 1917, John was killed in the arms of his brother James. John was buried in a temporary cemetery, but his body was not recovered until 2006 by an archaeological team led by Johan Vandewalle . James returned to Australia after the war, always hoping that he would one day be reunited with his brother. Thanks to DNA testing, John's body was identified and in 2007 he was reburied with military honours at the Buttes New British Cemetery, just a few hundred metres from the Brothers In Arms Memorial . The memorial, which shows James embracing his dying brother John, symbolises the deep emotional impact of war on families .

The Brothers In Arms Memorial is a memorial park in Zonnebeke, which commemorates all brothers and sisters who fought together during the First World War, of whom at least one was killed. The park officially opened on 25 September 2022 and features a life-size bronze sculpture of two brothers, designed by Australian sculptor Louis Laumen. The sculpture shows a brother hugging his fallen brother, symbolising the deep emotional impact of war on families.

The Polygon Forest, also known as Polygon Wood, is a historically and ecologically valuable forest area in Zonnebeke. The forest is located on the Central West Flemish ridge and is an important breeding ground for birds of prey such as sparrowhawks, kestrels and buzzards. The Polygon Forest also houses important war memorials, including the Buttes New British Cemetery and the smaller Polygon Wood Cemetery. These cemeteries are a tribute to the soldiers who died during the First World War. An interesting anecdote concerns the Scott Post and the New Zealand Bunkers, which can still be found in the forest. These bunkers were built by the Germans and later occupied by the Australian divisions in 1917.

The loss of a brother you love cuts through your marrow and is a heavy weight that you have to bear for the rest of your life. This place reflects this perfectly but also gives the feeling that you are not the only one. Brothers in arms until eternity.

A beautiful old forest and an important resting and breeding ground for birds of prey in the region. Wonderful to cycle through.

A former military firing range becomes a battlefield. The once beautiful forest has been replanted twice over the years. The Great War transformed it into a mudflat with only the Buttes sticking out above it. The Germans have developed this landscaped hill into a fortified place. The recapture of the Buttes was a challenge for the Australians at the end of September 1917, but with success. A front cemetery was built on this site during the German occupation. In the autumn of 1917 this place was shared with the British fallen. Now 1422 fallen soldiers are buried there. The forest (… or the place where the forest stood was replanted afterwards). The second time the forest was cut down was during WW2. The trees were then used as a beach obstacle (asparagus poles by Rommel) in the Atlantikwall. After WW2 the forest was replanted. Finally, in 1955, the German dead were exhumed and transferred to a collective cemetery. One German soldier is still buried in this cemetery. Don't forget to visit the front cemetery across the street. Still a very special place. Today you can still walk in the woods and contemplate the nonsense of war. Hidden deep in the green you will even discover the remains of some bunkers: Scott Post and New Zealand Bunkers

Bunkers and underground shelters During the first winter of the war, the French and Germans occupied positions on the southern edge of the forest. In 1915 the area fell into the hands of the Germans. They build numerous bunkers and underground shelters in the butte. On September 20, 1917, the 1st Australian Division reached the western edge of Polygon Wood. The remainder of the destroyed forest is captured by the 5th Australian Division six days later. The front eventually runs aground and in winter New Zealand troops try in vain to penetrate Polderhoek Park, south of the forest. More information at https://www.toerismezonnebeke.be/en/zien-en-doen/polygon-wood-cemetery/