Couthof and De Lovie Junction Walk

I start at the small parking area near Gapaardstraat. This was once the site of the centuries-old inn In de Gapaard. It disappeared in the early 20th century and was replaced by café ’t Couthof, which itself made way for the separated cycle path in 2002.

Following Gapaardstraat, you reach Couthofbos, the oldest woodland in the area and part of the Sixtusbossen. During the First World War, the 177th Tunnelling Company had its headquarters near Couthof and used the surrounding area to train men in underground warfare. In 1916, an experimental mine shaft was dug and detonated here. Underground listening galleries were also created so soldiers could learn to detect tunnelling activity below ground.

The walk then becomes much greener. Narrow paths lead through old avenues lined with mature trees. One of the most remarkable is an English oak planted around 1795. With a trunk circumference of almost five metres, it is thought to be the oldest tree in the Westhoek. Nearby you also pass an old motte, an earthwork surrounded by a ditch that points to a much earlier chapter in the history of the estate.

After more woodland and open fields, you reach De Galge. Despite its name, this neo-Gothic brick arcade had nothing to do with executions. It served as a landmark in the middle of a maze created in the 19th century by Baron Jules Joseph Thimothee Mazeman.

A little farther on, you cross Couthoflaan. The road itself has a much older story: in 1679, a paved route between Warneton and Dunkirk was laid out here on the orders of Louis XIV. Beside it lies the Couthof estate. The lordship was already mentioned in 1350, while the present castle was built in 1763 by Jean François de Sales de Mazeman as a summer residence. During the 19th century, the surrounding park was further developed with ponds, pavilions and other pieces of landscape architecture.

The estate took on a very different role during the First World War. Elisabeth Hospitaal Couthove was established behind the castle, treating Belgian civilians and soldiers. Only one small wooden hut from the former hospital complex survives today beside Canadaweg. British troops were also stationed in the surrounding area. If you want to visit the castle park itself, it is best to check the current access arrangements beforehand.

The route continues along Canadaweg, passing several small chapels on the way to De Lovie. The so-called Chinese Gate forms a distinctive entrance to the estate. It originally stood at a hospital site in Houtem, established during the First World War mainly for civilians living in the unoccupied part of Belgium. The site continued in use after the Armistice and gradually became a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients. When the sanatorium moved to De Lovie in 1930, the entrance gate and one wooden hut were moved to Proven as well.

Beyond the gate, the landscape opens around Kasteel De Lovie. The castle was built in 1856 as a summer residence and sits in a park of lawns, ponds, woodland, a gazebo, chapels and a Lourdes grotto. It feels quite different from Couthofbos, yet once again nature and history are closely intertwined.

During the First World War, De Lovie served as headquarters for several British units. Its flat roof and open surroundings also made the castle well suited as an observation point.

The return follows the Rode Dreef, a long green avenue that reconnects the estate with the surrounding countryside. From here, the route gradually leads back towards Couthof and the starting point.

Just before the end of the loop, there is one final wartime story. Beside Provenseweg stands a memorial to Flight Sergeant Stacey Jones of No. 122 Squadron RAF. On 5 May 1942, he was killed during Operation Circus 157. His Spitfire Mk V BM404 crashed into the house on the opposite side of the road.

It is a small memorial, but for me it makes a strong ending to the walk. In only 7.8 kilometres, the route brings together centuries-old trees, castle estates, traces of underground warfare, former hospitals and a story from the air war of 1942, while the walk itself remains remarkably peaceful and green.