The Gloriettes circular route starting from Spa

Get to Spa station by train, bus or car. If travelling by car, make use of the free car park.

(S/E) Take Rue de Beaurieux, at the bottom of the stairs, then turn right onto Avenue de la Reine-Astrid. At the pedestrian crossing, cross the avenue to pass under the porch of Queen Marie-Henriette’s house.
Walk through the park alongside the Horse Museum, then go round the old CPAS (public social welfare centre) building.
Turn left onto Rue Hanster, then onto Promenade des Français.

(1) At the fork in the road, turn left and walk through the Bois de Hé Fanard until you reach the junction with the Promenade de la Grande Duchesse.

(2) Take the small path on the right which winds its way up towards the stone gazebo – this is the Pavillon Bernard. Continue straight on behind it, then turn left at the junction with a wider path. You will come to a wooden gazebo.

(3) Walk through the wooden gazebo to find a path leading downhill. Follow it to reach the junction with the Chemin Marteau. Turn right onto this path and you’ll reach the Belvédère Renard.

(4) Turn left; just before the gazebo, there is a small path on the right that leads downhill.
Take care here: several trees have been uprooted by the wind, so you’ll need to go off-track at this point as the path is no longer visible and you’ll have to work your way round the fallen trees to reach the ford below. Cross it at several points depending on the season. Reach the top of the climb.

(5) Carry straight on, ignoring the various junctions to the right or left, until you reach a wide forest track.

(6) Turn left onto it and continue straight on until you reach a T-junction, the junction with the Chemin des Chasseurs.

(7) Turn right here; at the circular loop, turn left onto the Chemin du Renard. Further on, you’ll come to a junction with a footpath.

(8) Turn right onto this path and continue along the small stream until you reach the Étang de Chawion.

(9) Walk alongside the pond and then the Ru du Petit Chawion on its left bank until you reach the T-junction with Avenue de la Princesse-Clémentine; turn right here and continue to the junction marked by the forest sign.

(10) Turn right. Continue to the large junction with the Chemin du Près-du-Cerf, turn right and carry on along the Promenade Raikem or Pèlerine-voie. You will reach the junction with the Extratrail path.

(11) Turn left, following the signs for the Extratrail, until you reach the circular loop of the Promenade des Français, which you passed on the way out.

(1) Resume the shared section of the route along the Promenade des Français, then take Rue Hanster. Turn left at the former CPAS building, cross the grounds of the Maison de la Reine Marie-Henriette and head up Rue de la Gare to return to Spa station (S/E).

(9) Chawion Pond: there is a small shelter where you can take a break.
- Avenue de la Princesse-Clémentine is a dirt track about as wide as a forestry vehicle.
- Walking boots.
- Walking poles for those who use them.
- Gaiters in winter.

There are three gazebos or pavilions along the route which can be used as shelters and rest stops.
A viewpoint at the Pavillon Renard offering a view of the village of Marteau, and a shelter and a bench at the Étang de Chawion.

I’ve classified this hike as difficult because the off-track section you have to tackle at one point can be quite challenging.