The best walks and hikes around Melle

The Gondebeekvallei is a beautiful nature reserve where you as a walker can calmly walk on the designated paths. Keep in mind that it can be marshy in rainy weather.

As part of the ILVO research farm, a so-called 'Kouter walk' has been set up that takes you across the ILVO fields and into the ILVO stories. This audio walk with mini-podcasts is a real collaboration story, you will discover many ILVO voices. (ILVO)

Weer of geen weer, je bent hier altijd welkom op zondag.

The organ in the Saint Martin's Church in Melle is originally a small pipe organ by the illustrious organ builder family Van Peteghem. However, it was later rebuilt into today's grand organ by the organ builder family Anneessens. The organ is not currently played. A Johannus electronium now stands at the front of the church to accompany religious services. (De orgelsite)

Sint-Jozefkapel – demolished, moved and reborn This charming neo-Gothic chapel has already had an eventful history. The original Sint-Jozefkapel was built in the 19th century on the Molenhoek, but was located right on a dangerous intersection. In 1989, the historic building therefore had to make way for a safer traffic situation. Fortunately, the chapel was not lost. Six years later, it was rebuilt, stone by stone, in its current location, on the corner of Kruisstraat and Wellingstraat. Inside, Saint Joseph with the Child watches over the visitors, although the current plaster statue replaces the original one that was once stolen. A small chapel with a surprising story of demolition, relocation, and rebirth.

Memorial bench in honor of Marc De Spiegheleer, who passed away in September 2020. He was a very active board member of Natuurpunt Oosterzele until his death.

Maria grotto. Light a candle (bring your own)

The Aelmoeseneiebos (or Aalmoezenijebos) is a nature reserve on the territory of the municipalities of Melle (Gontrode) and Oosterzele (Landskouter). The forest is 28.5 hectares in size and is owned by the University of Ghent. The forest area is now managed by the university Lab for Forest & Nature. The railway line Ghent-Geraardsbergen divides the forest in two. The Aelmoeseneiebos is an old forest area that already appeared on the Ferraris map in 1775. The forest was owned by the Saint Bavo's Abbey of Ghent for centuries. During the French period (1794-1815) it was transferred to the public poor relief of the city of Ghent. In 1967-1968 the Belgian State bought the forest so that the University of Ghent could use it as a test forest. The most important tree species are summer oak and beech, with ash and maple in the stream valleys. The Aelmoeseneiebos is known for its spring flora such as wood anemone, slender primrose, yellow dead-nettle and small periwinkle. During the First World War, the forest was largely cut down but replanted in 1920. Adjacent to the western part of the Aelmoeseneiebos, 10 hectares of plots of land belonging to Natuurpunt, Oosterzele department, are located in the valley of the Gondebeek. With the 'Rodeland landscape project' [1], the aim is to connect the Aelmoeseneiebos with the Makegemse forests through afforestation in the valleys of the Gondebeek, Kerkesbeek and Driesbeek[2][3]. In 2021, 5 amphibian tunnels were constructed in the Gondebeek valley[4]. Inventories and research in the Aelmoeseneiebos found 1329 different species: including 64 tree and shrub species and 599 species of invertebrates. The Aelmoeseneiebos is protected in Europe as part of the Natura 2000 area (habitat directive area) 'Forests of the south-east of the Zandleemstreek' (BE2300044). The forest is freely accessible on the footpaths.