The best hikes from bus stations in Floordambos

In view of the POETRY TRAIL found here, I would like to take this opportunity to remember the writer Elias Canetti – the Nobel Prize winner for Literature in 1981. According to the official reason given by the prize committee, he received it: "for his literary work, characterized by foresight, wealth of ideas and artistic power." The honored writer once said – albeit in a different context: "It is important to repeat all great thoughts without knowing that they have already been said."

Once a sturdy motte castle from the 11th century, Het Steen grew into a beautiful Renaissance castle that played a key role in the defense of Brabant against the Mechelaars for centuries. The castle is picturesquely situated in a meander of the Barebeek, surrounded by old moats and close to the Zenne, and breathes history - from knightly battles to Spanish garrisons. The most famous resident was Peter Paul Rubens, who spent his last summers here, painted, partied with artist friends such as Van Dyck and Teniers, and immortalized the surrounding nature on canvas.

Beautiful location, quiet walking in the greenery

Not coincidentally near the church...

Beautiful path where you can walk peacefully and where you are greeted very friendly by the horses present.

Rectory from the second quarter of the 18th century with a side wing from 1631, with a partially walled rectory garden of 30 ares. The first rectory of Perk was built perpendicular to the highway in 1631, as indicated by the year anchors in the wall along the garden side. Against this single-storey building and parallel to the highway, a second volume was later built - probably during the second quarter of the 18th century - also of local 'Diegemse' sandstone, a classicist double house of seven bays and two storeys under a slate saddle roof. The double house is a sandstone construction with plastered cornice and brick interlacing, provided with pointed arch windows and doors. In the volume of the outbuilding on the left, part of the former rectory has been preserved, as indicated by the year anchors "1631". In addition, one monastery window frame has been preserved in the side wall. The extension towards the street side, the entrance gate and the perimeter wall date from the middle of the 19th century. The remaining bricks and mortar from the renovation of the church in 1853 were used by the then pastor to build a perimeter wall and to renew the front building with the entrance gate. The metal framework of the pointed arch window in the side of the conservatory against the south facade is said to have come from the church. According to the Primitive Land Registry (1831), the rectory included three garden plots: a pleasure garden (probably a flower garden) of 3 ares 10 centiares against the street next to the rectory, a courtyard of 28 ares behind the rectory and a second courtyard of 6 ares 20 centiares on the corner with the Passieweg. This second courtyard, which bordered the school, was sacrificed in 1863 for the construction of a house for the parish teacher. Thanks to the high crowns of an Italian poplar (Populus nigra 'Italica'), a brown beech and two weeping beeches (Fagus sylvatica 'Atropunicea', Fagus sylvatica 'Pendula') and two white horse chestnuts (Aesculus hippocastanum), which largely overshadow the back garden, the parsonage garden is a striking appearance in the village centre. Maintenance is currently largely limited to the herb and flower garden – with, among other things, hibiscuses (Hibiscus syriacus) and oriental pokeweed (Phytolacca esculenta) – in the courtyard, where there is also a pollarded summer lime (Tilia platyphyllos). A photo from around 1900, probably taken in early spring, shows the courtyard with a reading pastor in a rustic garden seat between cone-shaped trees, possibly holly (Ilex aquifolium), with on the left the oldest part with the year anchors and vines trained against the walls, and on the right the 18th-century 'high-rise' with an exceptionally highly trained pear tree. That food supply was still an important function at that time is also evident from the fig tree (Ficus carica) in the 'Gothic' conservatory against the south facade. Kadasterarchief Vlaams-Brabant, Oudste cadastrale legger 212 Perk, art. 149 nos. 1-5, 11-14, 2023. Cadastral Archives of Flemish Brabant, Cadastral survey sketch Perk 1863 no. 2. WAUTERS A., Histoire des environs de Bruxelles, VII, reissue of the 1855 edition, Bruxelles, Editions Culture et Civilisation, 1972, p. 158. DE MAEGD C., Building through the Ages – arrondissement Halle-Vilvoorde, Ghent, Snoeck-Ducaju, 1977, p. 513. LAUWERS J., Perk, the small village of the great Teniers, Tielt, Veys, 1966, p. 87-88. This text is a combination of the texts: DE MAEGD C. & VAN AERSCHOT S. 1975: Inventory of cultural heritage in Belgium, Architecture, Flemish Brabant, Halle-Vilvoorde, Building through the ages in Flanders 2N, Ghent. DENEEF, R., 2009. Historical gardens and parks of Flanders - Northeast of Brussels: Kampenhout, Kraainem, Machelen, Steenokkerzeel, Vilvoorde, Wezembeek-Oppem, Zaventem, Zemst, Brussels: Flemish Government. Immovable Heritage. Authors: Deneef, Roger; Wijnant, Jo; De Maegd, Christiane; Van Aerschot, Suzanne Date: 2019 The text is made available by: Flemish Heritage Agency (AOE)

Here you can take a break during your trip to have a comfortable drink and/or snack.

Nearby is the chapel with a picnic table. Here you can eat your sandwiches with a view of the pond.