The best walks and hikes around Hannut

A beautiful area of (only) 34.5 hectares, characterized by reed beds, cattail ponds, and pools fringed by shrubs or with open banks... These diverse habitats offer countless bird species places to forage, nest, hibernate, or rest during their migration. No fewer than 212 species have already been observed! (Source: www.natagora.be)

watch out for tall grass

The "Castle Farm" is so named because it belonged to the Lefranc family, who held the Lordship of Petit-Hallet in the 18th century. It is a quadrangle of brick, limestone, tufa, and flint, built in the 18th and 19th centuries. The entrance gate, made of painted stone like the neighboring walls, features a semicircular arch; it is believed to date from the first half of the 18th century. The porch is surmounted by a brick dovecote tower. The farm consists of a brick main building with stone surrounds and several outbuildings. The new owner transformed it into a prestigious venue for high-level professional riders: the "Petit-Hallet Stud Farm."

The Maria Gilles street, named after a resident who died in her garden here due to a German bomb in 1940, offers a beautiful view of the church it leads to. Moreover, you will find a nice resting place here with, in addition to a bench, a water source with steps (non-drinkable), all kinds of birds in the adjacent garden and one of the places that is part of the project 'Petit Hallet: village du jeu'. As the welcome sign indicates, every last Sunday of the month, between April and October, large games are offered here at various locations in the village. Everything starts on the small but cozy village square (where you will find more information and a giant checkerboard).

Petit-Hallet was owned for a long time by the chapter of Saint-Lambert de Liège. A church was already mentioned on this site in 1139. The current church was rebuilt in 1757/1758 in limestone bricks and flint. It is - almost naturally - dedicated to Saint Lambert. The church was restored in 1829, after a violent earthquake that had damaged it the year before. In 1865, numerous anchors were placed to strengthen the tower. The church is accessible via a portal with a chronogram (1757). There are several gravestones incorporated in the wall around the church, which is located on a rather overgrown height. When I visited, the various grasses sometimes reached above my waist. I also noticed that there are still quite a few pieces of gravestones, many broken or in part. Unfortunately, there were also some plants and grasses among other plants that in my opinion deserve some maintenance, even though the church and its surroundings are not in the best condition. Even though it dates from the 1930s: I would rather not see a grave of a child who was barely two years old among weeds, but that is my opinion of course. Furthermore, it is quite beautiful, situated a bit higher, and especially a nice path to it.

The church closed its doors at the end of the twentieth century. In 2022, L'Avenir wrote that due to a lack of maintenance, the condition of the building had deteriorated and that it even posed a safety hazard. After all, during maintenance on the roof, one of the walls was no longer stable. The mayor would urgently look into eliminating the dangerous situation. Today, the building is apparently still in poor condition and the chosen safety solution apparently seemed to close off the area around the building with fences, just like the adjacent rectory. At the time, it was said that they wanted to keep the church because of its heritage value, but until further notice, only the area around it is useful for a beautiful horse that comes to say hello from all sides. Article on https://www.lavenir.net/regions/brabantwallon/orp-jauche/2022/06/30/orp-jauche-on-ne-rasera-pas-leglise-notre-dame-dorp-le-petit-TZABF6D5TFEXZNOGPWS7DKDKYQ/

Opposite the dilapidated church of Orp-le-Petit, which is located next to the equally dilapidated old presbytery, there are modern, seemingly renovated buildings. A bright dark red entrance gate immediately catches the eye, behind which there is a place with an equally red building complex. And in front of that gate is a typical old stone 'born-potale' with an inscription. But is that gate itself old? The thing intrigued me, especially considering the contrast with the rest of the center where there are quite a few old buildings. If you look a little closer, you will soon see that the gate is made of Gobertange stone. If you go under the gate, you will also immediately see the (remains of the) dovecote. In short: a typical feature of an older manor farm. Inspection shows that there was indeed a farm here, the 'ferme Jonet'. The gate was built in the nineteenth century and the farm itself was taken over at a certain point and partly put into use as a foundry (not the main building). It continued to operate until the early sixties. Today the whole has been modernized and everything has been converted into homes. Of course you can ask yourself if it is also beautiful. In any case worth a look, certainly with the small 'borne-potale' of which I still have to look up the origin.

Statue representing a member of the "Mougneûs d’vète trëpe" brotherhood. Founded in 1981, its aim is to promote the local specialty: green pudding with kale. Since the Middle Ages, each cottage had its own pig, and when it reached "maturity," family, neighbors, and friends were invited to feast. This tradition continued until the 1940 war. Green pudding is colored with the greens of cabbages harvested from the garden. Later, the kale gives a creamier flavor to the dish. In Orp, after tasting the first piece, people say "C'ènn'è!" meaning "this is it," meaning "this is real green pudding, and it's good!" For connoisseurs, this dish can be enjoyed hot or cold, accompanied by a good beer or white wine. Source: https://fredrando.be/index.php?etape=gr579050