Diary of the GR5 Walk in 1999

I slept well although my ankles are very stiff and I have to hobble about for a few minutes before they loosen up. Breakfast is at 8:30and I once again walk into a packed dining room. There is food everywhere. Boiled eggs, bread, butter, jam, coffee, and I am told there was also ham and salami. But I never saw any. Still, I had plenty to eat and I even managed to find some cheese.

Today I plan to walk only 16 km to Averbode and another 16 km tomorrow to reach the youth hostel in Diest. This is to let my feet recover.

I get away at about 10:00 am. The first part is through the Builtjes forest. The forest is criss-crossed with wide tracks suitable for bikes, horses, and walkers. The weather is cool and slightly overcast but within hours it has warmed up. The sun is out but there is still a slight breeze. I have yet to experience the dismal rainy Flanders I had expected. Of course, I am not complaining.

The path now follows a small stream lined with a variety of small flowers. This is a very quiet peaceful path. The only negative is the polluted colour of the water in the stream. There are now some signs that the unrelenting flat walks may be coming to an end. This morning I have walked up one small hill and this stream is flowing rather quickly. A sign that the country here is not flat.

I walk past the impressive castle, Kasteel de Merode. The rest of the way to Averbode is through planted pine forest. Th walk is mostly along quiet secluded paths. I reach Blauberg hoping to find a supermarket but without success. I continue on through a mixture of farms and forests until arriving at the Abdij van Averbode. The Abbey consists of a very impressive collection of buildings, some of which were built in 1134. The inside of the church is fantastic but I cannot stay long because I have left my backpack unattended outside against the wall of the building.

Only 1.2 km to reach Averbode. The GR5 is on a busy road that is full of people. Three ice-cream vans are doing a brisk trade. What is attracting so many people. It cannot be the Abbey because there were only a few people looking around inside. I find out that it is a very popular area for walking and swimming and this is holiday time.

The path meets the main road right near a supermarket. I have a late lunch of fruit and a cold drink. Now to somewhere to stay for the night. I make enquiries at a caf� and am told there are no hotels here. I question further, someone else is consulted, and yes there is a hotel. It is just around the corner; an old building furnished with antiques and a treasure trove of old bits and pieces. The owner speaks no English. Well more to the point, I speak no Dutch. However, we manage to negotiate that a room for one person for one night with breakfast will cost me 1,050 BEF. Further, that an omelette would be fine, 7:00 am is too early and 8:00 am is fine. Not bad at all! She asks if I would like dinner and seems very relieved when I decline.

I go up to the room to unpack and then walk back to the supermarket to buy something for dinner: a bottle of potatoes, another containing carrots and peas, 400g of fresh beef stew and a 1.5 litre bottle of Coke. The total cost is less than 250 BEF. I am craving vegetables and this is just what I need. Finally I get to use the plate and cutlery I have been lugging for the last 250 km.

After my feast, I walk back to the Abbey to take a few pictures, expecting it to look beautiful lit up at night. But although the Abbey grounds are open, it is not lit up. I sit down and relax, soaking up the tranquil setting for half an hour before heading back to my room to sleep. The good news is that my feet are feeling less sore than yesterday.