Having spent so much time in the Belgian outdoors over the last few years, I thought this might be a useful addition to anyone thinking of combining their weekend trip with a scenic hike in two of my favourite areas, including Belgium Hautes Fagnes. Whether you’re in the Ardennes or in the Hautes Fagnes, here are a few hikes which I would highly recommend.
Ardennes:
Rochehaut: La Promenade des Échelles is one of the most vertiginous walks in Wallonia. It is not for the faint-hearted and includes a series of ladders which you have to climb up or go down, but it’s worth it as you get some wonderful views of the Semois Valley and river below. It’s 5 kms long and takes around 2-3 hours to complete. Check out my post on the Semois Valley for more great tips in the area.
Bouillon: this walk starts out at the Pont de Cordemoy, on the outskirts of town. Cross the bridge, turn left on Rue de la Poulie and walk past the Abbaye de Clairefontaine. This lovely route follows the meandering Semois River and is beautiful in the spring or autumn. Follow it until you reach La passerelle du Moulin de l’Epine, an impressive 55m suspension bridge which connects various walks between Botassart and Corbion. Once you cross the bridge, turn left again, and follow the route back along the river to Bouillon. Around 7kms long, it will easily take you 3-4 hours to complete.
Belgium Hautes Fagnes:
I love the Hautes Fagnes, or High Fens in English. It’s the only place in Belgium that has proper snow in the winter! This area became a nature reserve in 1957 and marks the end of the Ardennes. Twinned with the Eifel region in Germany, it forms the massive Deutsch-Belgischer Naturpark. Both of the walks below start out at the Baraque Michel, a restaurant built in 1811 for lost travellers.
Blue rectangle hike: this circular walk starts from the car park at the Baraque Michel, where you can also leave your car. It is around 8kms long and leads you through some wonderful and vast moorland. There are wooden boardwalks throughout a good portion of the Hautes Fagnes and you’ll get to see quite a bit of them on this hike. You will also pass the Signal de Botrange on this walk, which is Belgium’s highest point, at 694 metres. Fun fact: in 1923, a 6-metre tower was built on the summit to allow visitors to reach an altitude of 700 metres. Only in Belgium!
Tania’s tip: stick to the blue rectangle markings, as there is another hike which has a blue triangle and two dots. We did this the first time we hiked this route, and it took us an extra 4kms to get back onto the blue rectangle path. Bon courage!
Baraque Michel – red rectangle walk: this 5km walk is known as “La Croix des Fiancés”, and is one of the most famous walks in the High Fens. It tells the story of an engaged couple who was trying to cross the moorland in the winter of 1871. Heavy snow started falling, making it hard to see. Sadly, they got lost and froze to death. A Prussian soldier discovered their bodies in the spring when the snow had melted. A wooden cross on the route serves as a reminder of their sad fate.