🌿 Groenendaal → Debroux: Sunday Forest Hike & Social Escape

Leave Brussels behind for a few hours and spend your Sunday walking through the green landscapes of the Sonian Forest - fresh air, forest trails and good company, finishing back on the Brussels side at Debroux.

Come alone or bring a friend. The idea is simple: walk together, meet new people and enjoy nature close to the city.

🌲 Experience overview

We’ll meet at Brussels-Schuman railway station and take the train together towards Groenendaal, where our hike begins.

From there, our volunteer hike leader will guide the group on an approximately 10 km point-to-point route through the Sonian Forest, heading towards Debroux/Auderghem.

This is as much a social afternoon as a hike. Sunday Vacations is about creating an easy setting where international professionals, expats and locals can connect naturally while doing something enjoyable together. Hiking remains one of Meetup's strongest interests, while people increasingly search for events based on friendship and social connection as well as the activity itself.

🌍 Event type

🌍 Community Event — Social Hike

👥 Maximum group size: 15 people

A smaller group keeps the hike friendly and makes it easier to actually talk to the people you're walking with.

✨ Highlights

🌳 Around 10 km through the Sonian Forest

🚆 Easy departure from central Brussels

🥾 Forest paths and nature close to the city

💬 Relaxed atmosphere for meeting new people

🌍 International and local community

🙋 Solo joiners very welcome

📱 Dedicated Sunday Vacations WhatsApp event group for day-of logistics

🚇 Finish around Debroux/Auderghem, with easy public transport connections

The route shown indicates approximately 10.6 km, with around +150 m ascent / -210 m descent. Treat these figures as approximate; the final distance can vary slightly depending on the route followed on the day.

🗺️ Plan / itinerary

13:00 — Meet at Brussels-Schuman railway station
13:06 — Train departure from Schuman
After arrival — Brief welcome and start of the hike from Groenendaal
Afternoon — Approximately 10 km of forest walking, with short pauses along the way
Finish — Debroux/Auderghem area
Afterwards — Participants can continue home by public transport or spontaneously stay for a drink if the group feels like it.

Please arrive early enough to find the group and board the train. The 13:06 train will not wait for late arrivals.

📍 Meeting point

Brussels-Schuman railway station — Rail/Platform 2

Please aim to arrive 10–15 minutes before departure.

📅 Sunday, 11 October 2026
🚆 Train departure: 13:06
🥾 Distance: approx. 10–10.6 km

Final meeting instructions and any last-minute updates will be shared through the official Sunday Vacations WhatsApp event group.

💶 Price / contribution

Community hike: free to join.

Participants are responsible for purchasing and paying for their own train/public transport tickets directly to the relevant transport provider.

Any personal purchases, food or drinks are also at your own expense.

🌍 Sunday Vacations membership

Sunday Vacations is a community by UJAMAA ASBL for people who want to discover new places, spend more time outdoors and build meaningful connections through shared experiences.

Membership options:

Explorer — €5/year · Voyager — €50/year · Ambassador — €150/year

For this Community Event, newcomers are welcome to come along and discover the community. Membership helps support the wider Sunday Vacations community and future activities.

👋 Who this is for

This hike is ideal for international professionals, expats, Brussels locals, newcomers to the city and anyone who enjoys walking and meeting people in a relaxed environment.

Coming alone? Absolutely. Many community activities are designed to make solo participation feel natural, and building a social circle is a meaningful part of the wider expat experience.

You should be comfortable walking approximately 10 km on forest paths at a steady group pace.

🎒 What to bring

Bring comfortable hiking or walking shoes with good grip, water, a small snack, weather-appropriate clothing and a rain jacket if the forecast looks uncertain. A charged phone and your public transport/train ticket are also recommended.

Autumn trails can be muddy, wet or slippery, so footwear suitable for forest terrain is strongly recommended.

⚠️ Important notes

This is a community hike rather than a professionally guided hiking tour. The route is led by a volunteer hike leader.

The itinerary, exact trail, duration and finishing time may change depending on weather, trail conditions, transport disruption, group pace or safety considerations.

Participants remain responsible for assessing whether the activity is suitable for their own fitness and abilities and for following reasonable safety instructions from the volunteer leader.

Please respect the forest, other visitors and the group — and leave no litter behind.

⚖️ Legal disclaimer

This event is organised by Sunday Vacations / UJAMAA ASBL as a community activity. Sunday Vacations is a community organiser and not a travel agency.

Train and public transport services are provided by independent third-party transport operators. Participants purchase these services directly from the relevant provider, and UJAMAA ASBL does not control or guarantee third-party schedules, delays, cancellations or service changes.

Participation in outdoor activities involves ordinary risks associated with walking on natural terrain, including uneven or slippery surfaces, changing weather and other environmental conditions.

Activities are organised by volunteers and covered under the COCOF volunteer insurance framework.

The COCOF material describes volunteer insurance covering areas including extra-contractual civil liability, bodily injury and legal assistance, subject to its applicable conditions and exclusions.

🌿 Ready for a Sunday outside Brussels?

10 places only.

RSVP on Meetup, join the official Sunday Vacations WhatsApp event group for logistics, and come spend an afternoon walking, talking and reconnecting with nature.

Less routine. More nature. Better connections. 🌿