The Flemish Ardennes are the most hilly region of Flanders — not an ideal walking destination for manual wheelchairs if you only think about Wall-of-Geraardsbergen-style climbs. Fortunately, between the hills there are valleys (Scheldt, Dender) with flat walking paths, and the cities have city parks and woodland areas with paved routes.
In this guide: 6 adapted walking spots in the Flemish Ardennes, with info per spot on paths and accessibility facilities. Follows on from our Flemish Ardennes main pillar.
🌲 Nature areas
1. Natuurpunt Bos 't Ename Oudenaarde
Historic woodland area east of Oudenaarde, managed by Natuurpunt. Adapted main paths along the forest edge. The forest lies next to the remains of the abbey of Ename — combine with a visit to the Ename Abbey Church.
What works for wheelchairs: paved to semi-paved main path. Avoid the forest side-tracks — these are not designed for wheelchairs.
Practical: accessible parking at the visitor point. Combine with a beer break in Oudenaarde centre (15 min drive).
Best season: September-October for autumn colours. Early morning for the light.
🏞️ City parks
2. Stadspark Liedts Oudenaarde
Large urban park on the edge of Oudenaarde centre. Paved main path around the pond, adapted seating and picnic areas.
What works for wheelchairs: fully paved main path. Accessible toilets at the entrance.
Combi-tip: start your Oudenaarde day with an hour's walk in Liedts, then on to the MOU Museum in the UNESCO town hall.
3. Stadspark Geraardsbergen
Pleasant city park in the centre of Geraardsbergen. Paved main path, accessible toilets.
Practical: accessible parking at the edge. Combine with CC De Abdij Geraardsbergen for an afternoon of culture + nature.
🌾 Valley walks
4. Upper Scheldt banks Oudenaarde
Along the Upper Scheldt (Oudenaarde-Kluisbergen) runs a paved towpath loop suitable for wheelchairs. Flat (waterway banks), paved asphalt or semi-paved surface.
What works for wheelchairs: ideal terrain — flat, paved, car-free. The full loop is ~15 km — split into 2-3 km segments that match your energy.
Practical: start and end points reachable via NMBS Oudenaarde station. Follow the cycle node signposting along the towpath.
5. Dender banks Geraardsbergen towards Grimminge
East of Geraardsbergen runs the Dender valley — paved towpath between Geraardsbergen and towards Grimminge/Dendermonde. Flat loop for wheelchairs.
What works for wheelchairs: fully flat towpath. Adapted accessibility from Geraardsbergen centre.
Best season: spring and autumn — summer can be too warm without shade along the water.
🌆 Culture + walk
6. Ronse centre + Sint-Servaaskerk
Small centre walk of 1-2 km around the Sint-Servaaskerk (Fiertelommegang route). Paved, flat, step-free for most streets. Combine with a terrace break on the Grote Markt.
What works for wheelchairs: modern paving, flat. A few cobblestone stretches which you're best off avoiding — ask locally about the adapted route.
Practical: accessible parking at the Grote Markt. CC De Ververij is 10 min walk away.
🚫 What not — warnings
Muur van Geraardsbergen (Wall of Geraardsbergen): not adapted for wheelchairs — the climb is 20% gradient on cobbles. Not even with assistance without specific equipment.
Muziekbos + Kluisbos: no paved main paths. Non-adapted nature areas — possibly for a one-off adventure walk with an all-terrain wheelchair, but not as a reliable destination.
Muur van Ronse (Kwaremont): same story — gradient + cobbles, unsuitable for wheelchairs.
Practical walking tips for the Flemish Ardennes
Wheelchair type: for city parks and towpaths any wheelchair works. For nature areas (Bos 't Ename): larger wheels or handbike are more comfortable.
Timing: weekdays in September-October is the sweet spot — autumn colours without Tour-of-Flanders crowds (April).
Weather: the Flemish Ardennes get more rain than the Campine (Atlantic influence). Rainproof outer layer even in summer.
Combine with NMBS: Oudenaarde and Geraardsbergen have accessible stations — train station-valley walk-train station is a clean day formula without a car.
For multi-day stays: Oudenaarde has the most complete adapted hotel infrastructure (batch 4 to follow).
Combine with other pillars
- Flemish Ardennes main pillar — cities overview
- Autumn walks 2026 — autumn colours in a broader context
- Campine walking routes — comparison with the Campine domains
In closing
The Flemish Ardennes have fewer adapted walking routes than the Campine — that's an honest assessment. But the valleys (Scheldt, Dender) and the city parks in Oudenaarde and Geraardsbergen are solid walking destinations that you can combine with the culture of the region.
Our recommendation: start with the Upper Scheldt towpath Oudenaarde — it is fully paved, flat, and car-free — the best-quality wheelchair walk in the region.
Have you done an adapted walking route in the Flemish Ardennes that we should add here? Let us know — first-hand info on paths and thresholds helps enormously.