Do you have a secret place, a spot where you find peace and tranquility? A place that calls you back at the same time every year? For me, that place is a Flanders forest that explodes with color each spring.
Find it in Flanders
Each April, Hallerbos springs to life as wild hyacinths (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) color the forest floor for a few weeks. Buds on the trees provide a canopy in various shades of light green. You’ll find ash, beech, pine and even giant sequoias. Below them, delicate white wood anemones lie, interspersed with budding bluebells. A few days later, the native bluebells pop up to cover the forest with a deep blue carpet. Mother Nature is one heck of a designer!
My friend Lisette, who saw my video of the forest floor, said she could “just see the fairies glinting about.” Yes, it really is magical.
Hallerbos is called the “most important and most extensive forest area” between Zenne and the Sonian forest. It’s about 2.25 square miles with winding paths and hills. Walking through the forest is always memorable. There’s so much to see. Trails with the most intense displays are designated by purple markers so you can wind your way through the forest and see the magnificent flowers all around you.
The wild hyacinths bloom in April, but this year’s colder temperatures delayed the blooms by a week or two. Temperatures are dipping into the 30s at nights with daytime highs in the 50s. I’m still waiting for the bluebells in my garden to peek out of the soil. They must still be wearing their winter jackets.
Bluebells of Hallerbos
The bluebells of Hallerbos have been a regular attraction on my spring hiking calendar since I first moved to Belgium. I’m not alone. Thousands of visitors flock to Halle to get a glimpse of this spectacular gift from nature. Imagine my disappointment when COVID-19 forced the 2020 closure of the forest to all but local residents. I sulked for weeks.
A few weeks ago, I sent a query to the town to find out if and when we could view the bluebells once more. I was thrilled when the town answered my query about the best time to visit. Yes, the bluebell viewing is back! But that was before a busy weekend with thousands of hikers and families walking along the trails. Social distancing became a challenge at the narrow path crossing points when too many people headed into the forest. That’s why authorities are now discouraging visits.
My first visit was on a Thursday morning with very few visitors. I found a parking spot in minutes, and there were plenty of spaces. But the bluebells weren’t at their peak. I returned with friends a week later for a two-hour evening walk through the forest. The peak display was breathtaking!
Access Was Not Easy
It was a challenge to get to the forest after the busy weekend. Police closed parking lots and announced that cars parked illegally along the roads would be ticketed. Usually there are shuttle buses running from Halle train station to the forest. Not this year. And the Hyacinth Festival and food trucks were cancelled. So, like last year, the forest is mostly for locals, walkers and cyclists.
My attempt at parking on my second visit was an epic fail. Every road I tried had a friendly “Local Traffic Only” sign, dashing my plans for a return to the forest and its peak color. Luckily, my hiking friends are locals. We were were able to access the woods from a road near their town. And there was plenty of parking. I, of course, arrived with my mask in case we ran into crowds. We did not.
Native Bluebells
The native bluebells of Belgium are not to be confused with Spanish bluebells. Those are light blue or even pink instead of the deep blues and purples of the Belgian blooms. In the next few weeks, the color will fade and the trees will once again shade the Flanders forest floor. Don’t get me wrong. Hallerbos is still an amazing place to hike and cycle, even after the color fades, but if you are thinking about a trip to Belgium in 2022, why not pencil in a visit for April?
Learn more about Hallerbos here.
Love flowers? Read about Keukenhof, the world-famous tulip garden in the Netherlands.
ⓒ Deborah M. Bernstein
These copyrighted photos may not be used without prior authorization.
