The Blue Blooms of Belgium

The arrival of spring is in itself incredibly beautiful. The weather gets pleasant, trees grow green, and nature invites colors once again. Similarly, when spring arrives in Hallebos - The Blue Forest - in Belgium, colors come knocking. But the only colors that are allowed entry are green and blue. New green leaves arrive on the branches of the deciduous trees of the forest and bluebells bloom on the forest floor, turning it completely blue. And this is indeed a sight worth witnessing.

Hallebos is a forest (bos in Dutch means forest, so Hallebos literally translates to Halle forest) located in the municipality of Halle in Belgium. The forest is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, but the most remarkable are the Bluebells that start to bloom in the middle of March and stay till May. These flowers cover almost the entire floor of the forest and turn every corner blue as they bloom. As spring turns to summer, leaves on the trees grow denser. The dense foliage limits the amount the sunlight that reaches the forest floor which then causes the bluebells to slowly wilt away. And therefore, the best time to witness this spectacle is from mid-April to the first few weeks of May, when the flowers are in full bloom.

There are a variety of activities that can be done within the forest alongside appreciating the beautiful flowers. Trails have been made throughout the forest for walking, hiking, biking, and even, horseback riding. A map of the forest is available here which shows the different trails and their lengths. One can also get the map when they enter the forest. One can take their own bikes or horses and roam around the forest through the designated trails. One should choose a trail that suits them the best. Sticking to the choice of one's trail is also simple as all the trails are color-coded and relevant markers are placed across the entire forest. So, whenever at crossroads, one can just look for a marker with the color of the chosen trail and continue on. It's just that simple. Few of the trails are longer and more challenging than the others. The walking trails are mostly flat and are essentially concentrated around the areas with the best views of the Bluebells. The hiking trails take one through a wide variety of landscapes and allow them to journey over all quarters of the forest. An entire day can be easily spent hiking through the forest. Therefore, as long as one chooses a trail appropriately, it is going to be a memorable experience.

The forest is easily accessible by both public and private transport. On the weekends and holidays during the blooming season, the city of Halle arranges free-of-cost bus services between the forest and the Halle train station. Halle is just 30 minutes away from Brussels by train and there are frequent trains connecting the two cities. Once out of the Halle train station, one can cross the road and find a bus waiting for them to take them on this wonderful experience. Also, volunteers are available at Halle train station and at the different designated entrances to help the visitors out. More details regarding the hows, whens, and whys of reachability of Hallebos can be found on the official website. Apart from relevant information, the website also hosts tons of photographs and videos depicting the flowers in their entire glory.

Below is a list of a few things that should be kept in mind before visiting the forest and also while one is roaming around in the forest:

• The forest is a forest and not a typical tourist spot. So, one should remember to carry water and food before going to the forest. Nevertheless, this does give an opportunity to have a nice picnic in the middle of the forest.
• The trails are well-defined and bounded. Venturing into the forest floor outside of these bounds is not allowed. One should be careful not to step onto the restricted forest floor. Picking flowers is also prohibited and should be avoided.
• Photography is most welcomed but if one wants to conduct a professional photo or video shoot, they should approach the relevant authorities first before they schedule the visit.
• One can even take their pets with them for the visit. However, care should be taken that they are leashed at all times.

Regardless, one can be assured that the visit to Hallebos will stay with them for the rest of their lives. It is truly unbelievable how just two colors can fill the whole canvas and bring so much joy and warmth to everybody around. One has to see it to believe it. Hopefully, the following snaps can tempt people into visiting the forest to feel the wonders of nature.