The best hikes from bus stations in Grandvalbos En Kooigembos

On April 22, 1944, the "Liberator K fort King", an American B-24 bomber, crashed here. Before that, the crew had managed to save themselves by parachute. Some were helped by the local resistance.

The history of the parish church of Spiere remains shrouded in mystery. It was probably built around 840 on a small artificial hill in the Scheldt Valley. However, the first official reports date back to the 11th century. An inscription on the northern tower gable indicates that it was constructed in 1524. Because of its strategic location at the foot of the "Vlakte van Spiere" (the flat fields bordering the Scheldt River, particularly suitable for setting up army camps) and completely surrounded by the Tournai region, the church was often the scene of fierce fighting and fell victim to looting and destruction. In 1891, the church, with the exception of the tower, was rebuilt once more. During the retreat of the German army, a few days before the armistice of November 1918, the building was irreparably damaged. Between 1920 and 1925, the current St. Amand's Church was built on the foundations of the 19th-century oratory, with some modifications. The wooden ceiling was replaced with a brick one, and the staircase to the tower was relocated. Between 2019 and 2021, the church was thoroughly renovated. The roof was retiled with new slates, walkways were installed for more efficient maintenance, and the copper drains and cornices were replaced. The tower and clocks were also refurbished. The crumbling stones were individually recreated in the stonemason's workshop and replaced. Source: information board on site

Beautifully situated chapel. It's especially striking as you descend from Granvalbos, at the bend where Grote Dalestraat turns into Priesterstraat. Inside, besides several statues of Mary, there's also a statue of the Sacred Heart.

A roadside chapel in disrepair: the cross on the ridge is bent, the cladding of the outer wall is crumbling, and the interior, which contains three Sacred Heart statues, reveals that the last maintenance was several years ago.

Beerbosch is a relatively small wine estate, yet it boasts a wide range of niche wines, made from a wide variety of grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Auxerrois, Gamay, Merlot, and Gewürztraminer. Veerle Verrue (born 1985) is the winemaker. Veerle's grandparents started a farm on the estate. For many years, Veerle's parents then ran a strawberry farm. Their passion for agricultural culture is reflected today in the exclusive Hereford cattle that graze on the estate. The name "Beerbosch" refers to a section of the Denijs River as recorded in 19th-century cadastral records. Beerbosch, locally pronounced "beir(g)bos," means "mountain." A trained eye can easily recognize this characteristically rolling landscape of "bumps and bumps." Source: beerbosch.be

"Ter Klare" refers to the historic farm (dating from 1779) located on this street, formerly the "Kapittelhof" (Chapter Court) owned by the Bishop of Tournai. From here, you have a panoramic view of the fields.

The Garden of Breath and Food describes itself as "an ecological, social, and educational place with picking days, harvest festivals, and workshops. Everyone can participate and contribute! The food forest, full of fruit-bearing trees and edible crops, is a sanctuary for every living creature. Since 2020, several thousand trees and shrubs have been planted here, including in hedgerows and wooded edges as windbreaks. At the rhythm of nature, this spot is developing into an edible forest. The design took into account sunlight, contours, natural drainage, soil type, and the needs of local fauna. We work partly through natural succession, which means we won't eliminate all the natural pioneer plants we normally label as weeds. We allow nature to develop spontaneously and intervene as little as possible." I took my lunch break there on the filo-sofa. I was there alone, with no one to talk to about the suggestion questions (see photos). A shame... but not really. It was incredibly quiet.

The Sint-Denijs war memorial commemorates the military and civilian victims of the First World War. A plaque was later added at the bottom, bearing the names of three victims of the Second World War. The top of the memorial reads: "Pray for your brothers who fought and died for the fatherland."