The best traffic-free bike rides in Bois De Malvin

The former station of Braives on railway line 127 from Landen to Statte has been upgraded by the municipality of Braives into a dynamic meeting place with a community centre, library and pleasant outdoor area with a playground. The weekly market is now held on the former goods yard. The station building is the only one on line 127 that still stands and is in its original condition.

Pont Roi Baudouin Last successor to the Pontia (one of the four wonders of Huy, the first stone bridge built between 1294 and 1303), it was inaugurated in June 1956 in the presence of HM King Baudouin. This three-arch bridge with simple lines and local stone features little ornamentation. Thus, it fits discreetly into the landscape dominated by the Fort and the Collegiate Church. On the bridge (left bank), a sculpted group "Les Bourgeois", was created in 1966 by Pierre Pétry. It overlooks a dated stone "1686". source https://www.visithuy.be/tourisme/ponts-de-huy

When the Château à l'Horloge was built in the 18th century, it was still hidden in a magnificent park with rare tree species such as a Lebanese cedar, a variegated maple, and an incised beech. From 1852, it was inhabited by the British engineer Young, who had participated in the construction of the first Liège-Namur railway line. The castle is built of red brick, the same colour as the foundation and window frames. The central bay is wider and protrudes slightly, crowned by a 19th-century balustrade and preceded by a wide staircase with five steps. Above the central bay hangs a curious clock, supported by two putti (Italian plural of putto: a little boy representing Cupid in Italian painting) and a lead flower basket. In the 19th century, a three-storey octagonal tower was added, covered with an octagonal slate dome and a wooden bell tower. The estate also includes a farm, with a recently built main building and older agricultural outbuildings (18th century). The building was purchased in 1955 by the municipality of Bas-Oha and served as the town hall from 1953 to 1977. It then housed the municipal school for some time before it was decommissioned. The castle subsequently fell into disrepair. From 1988, thanks to funding from the Walloon Region and Electrabel SA, it was converted into a cultural centre, library, and media centre. It also includes a large hall where Electrabel meetings are held and where weddings for the Wanze region are celebrated. During the renovation, workers discovered a small bottle with a parchment in a pot above the clock. To honour the tradition, the workers – before installing the new clock – also placed a piece of text in a pot and added two fifty-franc coins. source: bas-oha.be

A really nice place to have a drink after your walk (open Wednesday and Sunday)

Since 1965, the Oteppe castle and its surrounding estate (65 ha) have been run as a holiday centre ("L'Hirondelle") with a hotel, campsite, holiday chalets and bungalows, swimming pools, playground and fishing ponds; as a result, the village's population has almost doubled during the summer months.

Today, the park is extremely overgrown, overgrown, and covered with car wrecks – we counted about twenty – and most of the park's trees are overgrown or have even become picturesque ruins that overhang the ponds or block the walking path. Solitary trees no longer stand alone; new growth plagues the entire park, disrupting the large lawn and the sightlines. However, careful clearing, a few mowings, and judicious new plantings of trees and flowering shrubs would suffice to restore the structure to its legibility and offer captivating and varied views.

1274: Heers Castle is first mentioned in a historical document. A century later, it is plundered and burned by the troops of Charles the Bold. The current castle is a result of reconstruction and dates from around 1500. The following centuries continued to be ravaged by war: the Dutch, French, and Germans all made their appearances. The De Rivière family, who had owned the castle since the 14th century, was declared bankrupt in 1757. From 1859 onward, the castle came into the possession of the Desmaisières family, who lived and enjoyed it lavishly... until the costs became too high. In the 21st century, the castle fell into complete disrepair due to conflict and lack of funds. Local volunteers launched a rescue initiative. Today, many partners are working on a new future for this impressive place steeped in history.

Beautiful castle with moat in the limestone of the region from the 13th century. It was long the property of Charles the Bold.