Routes

Planner

Features

Updates

App

Get the App

Discover

Places to see

Belgium

Flanders

East Flanders

Aalst

Geraardsbergen

Coppice stools

Discover

Places to see

Belgium

Flanders

East Flanders

Aalst

Geraardsbergen

Coppice stools

36 people recommended this place

Recommended by 36 hikers out of 39

Save

Location: Geraardsbergen, Aalst, East Flanders, Flanders, Belgium

Save

See hikes here

Take Me There

Routes here

Best Hikes to Coppice stools

4.8

(48)

258

hikers

1. View of the Raspaillebos – Raspaillebos loop from Onkerzele

16.1km

04:22

230m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Intermediate

4.5

(47)

260

hikers

2. Raspaillebos Trailhead – Beautiful farm road loop from Grimminge

13.4km

03:37

170m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Intermediate

4.6

(29)

188

hikers

3. Raspaillebos – View of the Raspaillebos loop from Grimminge

10.4km

02:47

120m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Intermediate

Tips

Dominiek Van Dooren

6 days ago

You're not allowed to simply gather wood in a forest, even if it's freely accessible. It's prohibited by law. A forest manager can allow this for their forest through an accessibility regulation. The ban aims to prevent the forest from being "emptied." Dead wood is crucial for a forest. Many organisms live on it and process it until it's completely gone. This includes large standing or lying trees, but also fine broken branches spread over a larger area. These contain many nutrients, such as carbon or minerals, which the soil can reabsorb and other trees can store.

(Agency for Nature and Forests)

Translated by Google •

🇧🇪 Herwig Aertbeliën

March 21, 2022

The forest plots (bunders) here are planted with American oak. These plots have been used as coppice for centuries.

Every 20 years, the young trees are pollarded by Natuurpunt and forest management. Great that this tradition is honored for posterity.

Historical interpretation:

After the depletion of peat stocks in North Flanders, firewood became the main source of energy for normal household use until well into the twentieth century.

Chop wood is a forestry form of business in which a tree or shrub is deposited just above the stump or base. After the cap, several runners form, or shoots that develop into trunks. These trunks are cut 15 to 20 years ago in a relatively short period of time.

The underground portion of these trees can be hundreds of years old.

The coppice culture was widely practiced in the Middle Ages.

The wood was mostly used as firewood. Branch wood was made ready for use for heating the living rooms, firing washing tubs and heating the ovens. The finest twigs were cut to lengths and bound together in bundles: mutsaards.

The thicker coppice was also sawn to length, split and bound together into a 'fassel' with a circumference of about 40 to 80 cm. These were mainly used to heat ovens. The thickest wood was sawn and split into blocks.

More info on site.

Translated by Google •

Jeff S

July 22, 2024

Here you can gather to light the stove...

Translated by Google •

In the know? Log-in to add a tip for other adventurers!

Details

Informations

Elevation 100 m

Weather

Today

Saturday 4 October

18°C

10°C

70 %

If you start your activity now...

Max wind speed: 34.0 km/h

Most visited during

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

See hikes here

Take Me There

Location: Geraardsbergen, Aalst, East Flanders, Flanders, Belgium

Coppice stools

1. View of the Raspaillebos – Raspaillebos loop from Onkerzele

2. Raspaillebos Trailhead – Beautiful farm road loop from Grimminge

3. Raspaillebos – View of the Raspaillebos loop from Grimminge

Other Popular Places to Check Out

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️