The Loneliness Forest is a forest located in the West Flemish municipality of Houthulst, located on the eastern side of the N301, locally called the Poelkapelle Street.
The forest is west of the military domain (DOVO demolition service) and south of the Belgian military cemetery of Houthulst. The area covers an area of 14 hectares and is accessible to all. It was purchased in 2000 by the Flemish Region and together with the larger Vrijbos and Pottebos, it forms the 350 ha Forest of Houthulst. However, it is considered by the Agency for Nature and Forest (ANB) as a separate forest or forest area. Due to the location of the (closed) military domain in the southern part of the Vrybos, it does not form part of the same public domain as the Vrijbos.
Historically, the forest was part of the much larger forest of Houthulst, located between Diksmuide, Wijnendale, Roeselare and Ypres. In the early Middle Ages it ranged from 4000 to 6000 hectares. At the beginning of the 19th century, about 2000 ha remained, about 1000 ha at the start of the 20th century. At the Allied Final Offensive of the First World War, the forest was completely destroyed. After the war, reproductions followed. During the Second World War, the forest was heavily wrecked by the German occupier as a source of wood. A new re-planting followed this war. The Regional Landscape Iron & amp; Polder, in cooperation with the municipality, reorganized the historic forestry that connects the different forest areas with the planting of summer oaks. 50° 58′ NB, 2° 57′ OL
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