Koning(in) van ‘T Hooghe
Get ready for a sporty start to the summer holidays! After a successful first edition, our trail run in Kortrijk is back. Surprising? Perhaps – but this city offers plenty of green spaces and challenging elevation changes: 6 km (50m), 12 km (130m), or 18 km (180m). We start and finish at fitness center De Kaai, also home to Squadt's sports physiotherapy and coaching. Lace up your running shoes and discover Kortrijk's most athletic side!
The course consists of two loops of 6 and 12 kilometers, and those who run them consecutively will cover 18 kilometers. The split is right after the start. Participants in the shortest distance cross the street and soon begin exploring the Kleiputten. Decades ago, our ancestors performed heavy labor here in artisanal clay extraction. More than 35 years ago, the city of Kortrijk acquired this location, creating a unique nature reserve.
Kortrijk is a true student city, with this academic year seeing the number of students exceed 17,000 for the first time. They are fortunate, as the various campuses are surrounded by greenery. We first get acquainted with KU Leuven Kulak (over 1500 students), celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. Later, we also pass by the Vives university college campus (over 11,000 students). In between, we run and walk across the festival site (Alcatraz and Kamping Kitsch) and through the new Stadsgroen Vlasakker. Last summer, this beautiful 17-hectare nature reserve was opened to the public.
We finish in style with a visit to Kasteelpark ’t Hooghe and the world-famous Rozentuin. During our passage, we can enjoy the scents and colors of a diversity of roses.
Loop 2 (12 km) begins with a detour through the Kennedypark, a dynamic area with many leading companies. Via various paths, we reach Stadsgroen Marionetten, an ecological, recreational nature reserve in Kortrijk. The landscapes vary from forest edges to water bodies, open spaces, and woods. You can test your climbing legs on the play hill and certainly on the stairs that lead you to the dragonfly, about 40 meters above sea level.
The route continues via many beautiful paths along AZ Groeninge to the Kennedybos. This forest covers 14 hectares and was planted on imported clay that was surplus from the construction of the E17. Thanks to this calcareous soil, the forest has a unique character with some rare plants. Afterward, there's also a section through Kasteelpark ’t Hooghe, and then the finish line is within reach.
Practical Information
Start
On Friday 10/7 (afterwork edition), there is a flexible start between 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM. On Saturday 11/7, the start is between 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM.
Start location: Fitnesscentrum De Kaai