Discover Loker: Hiking, Remembrance and Local Produce

Loker combines a clearly defined border location with hiking trails and places of remembrance. The Douve forms Loker’s western border with France. Routes pass through varied landscapes or explore historical themes; there is also a beer-brewing workshop and chocolate creations from a studio in Loker.

Memorial sites with different connections

The two British military cemeteries of honour at Loker Churchyard lie on either side of Sint-Petruskerk. They are associated with the First World War. A total of 215 war dead are buried there: 184 British and 31 Canadian. The total and the breakdown by nationality refer to both cemeteries combined.

Information about other cemeteries in the area also relates to different sites and periods. A total of 260 war dead are buried at Locre Hospice Cemetery, including 14 from the Second World War. Locre No. 10 Cemetery honours 58 war dead from the United Kingdom; ten of them are unidentified. This allows visitors exploring the theme of remembrance to consider both the First World War connection at Loker Churchyard and the different figures for the other two cemeteries.

Hiking through valleys, meadows and along trails

The Knooppuntenwandeling Loker passes through the Douvevallei. Its landscape includes sunken lanes, rows of pollarded trees and hedges, as well as woodland, flower-rich meadows and fields. From the section along the Rodeberg, there are views of France. The route thus connects the valley with a viewpoint looking across the border.

Alongside its 7.5 km loop in Loker, Franciscus op vredespad features storytelling stops. The loop starts at the church in Loker. The route pairs 14 short stories from the life of Francis with 14 contemporary inspirational stories. Each of the 14 stops is marked by a ceramic tile close to a junction or signpost.

The Slag om Kemmelberg route is also 7.5 km long. It runs between Kemmel and Loker, following the footsteps of French soldiers. True stories from the First World War are shared along the route. Although the stated distances are the same, the difference from Franciscus op vredespad is the theme: this route focuses on the footsteps of French soldiers and stories from the First World War. Check local conditions before hiking.

Other routes have different highlights. The Pad van het Maankonijn runs around Loker along ordinary roads, hiking paths, trails and boardwalks. The Scherpenbergpad leads from Loker to the Vijvervelden in the Hellebeek valley. The route includes a steep hollow on the Scherpenberg with marsh vegetation. Visitors interested in landforms will find a distinctive feature along this route, while the Knooppuntenwandeling Loker offers views from the Rodeberg.

Alpaca Valley offers a 4 km hike with alpacas along the slopes of Monteberg. If this activity is important to your plans, check the booking terms in advance; they may change. The Loker loop and the Slag om Kemmelberg route are each listed as 7.5 km, while the alpaca hike is a separate activity accompanied by animals.

Beer brewing and chocolate from Loker

De Keukenbrouwerij runs beer-brewing workshops in Loker for groups of five to eight people. Participants go through the entire brewing process, from milling the grain and mashing to boiling, and taste beer. Booking terms may change; check them when planning if you would like to include the workshop.

At Joie De Chocolat, artisanal chocolate creations are made in a studio in Loker. These include pralines called Heuvellandse Bergstenen. The availability of individual products may vary.

Discover more destinations: Dranouter, Westouter, Nieuwkerke, Wijtschate, Kemmel.

Return to the main travel overview: Heuvelland.