This circular loop takes you on a tour of the plateau, starting by following part of the Fagne de la Polleur and the source of the stream of the same name, which forms the Hoëgne a little further down when it joins the Baraque stream.
Discover the site of Botrange, Belgium’s highest point (692 m), before crossing the road and walking around the Fagne Wallonne.
A few kilometres further on, the route reaches the Marie-Anne Libert bridge over the very young Helle. The walk follows the river downstream for nearly 4 km to the footbridge leading to Ternell or Hattlich. Here you’ll find the only picnic table on the route.
The walk then climbs slightly towards the Fagne des Deux Séries before branching off towards the summit of Noir Flohay and the ghostly landscape of its charred trees.
The return route to Baraque Michel joins the boardwalks of the GR®56 and passes by the Fontaine Périgny (a former artificial drain), one of the two sources of the Helle.
Circular loop around the springs of the Helle and the Hoëgne
The Hautes-Fagnes plateau is pure bliss! Everything there is magnificent... whether the weather is blue skies, mist or snow. Do avoid weekends (too crowded) or rainy weather, however!
The two iconic rivers that rise on this plateau near Baraque Michel are the Helle and the Hoëgne. Both are tributaries of the Vesdre, the former at Eupen, the latter at Pepinster.
Details
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
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Activity: Walking -
Distance: 13.66 mi -
Average duration: 7h 00 -
Difficulty: Difficult -
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Back to start: Yes -
Ascent: + 827 ft -
Descent: - 843 ft -
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Highest point: 2,287 ft -
Lowest point: 1,690 ft
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Country:
Belgium
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Area: Massif des Ardennes -
City:
Baelen -
Start/End: N 50.519133° / E 6.062986° -
Hour-by-hour weather
Photos
Description of the walk
Waypoints
- S/E : mi 0 - alt. 2,201 ft - Baraque Michel
- 1 : mi 0.11 - alt. 2,198 ft - Fischbach Chapel
- 2 : mi 0.95 - alt. 2,192 ft - Weather Station
- 3 : mi 1.21 - alt. 2,159 ft - Fagne de la Polleur
- 4 : mi 2.56 - alt. 2,270 ft - Signal de Botrange (692 m)
- 5 : mi 2.74 - alt. 2,264 ft - Botrange Observatory
- 6 : mi 3.47 - alt. 2,152 ft - Zouk hedge
- 7 : mi 5.49 - alt. 2,080 ft - Béole Observatory
- 8 : mi 6.38 - alt. 1,900 ft - Marie-Anne Libert Bridge (footbridge)
- 9 : mi 8.67 - alt. 1,696 ft - Picnic table
- 10 : mi 9.23 - alt. 1,929 ft - Junction towards Porfays
- 11 : mi 10.03 - alt. 1,890 ft - Bongard
- 12 : mi 11.52 - alt. 2,073 ft - Noir Flohay
- 13 : mi 12.23 - alt. 2,008 ft - Helle Valley
- 14 : mi 12.59 - alt. 2,064 ft - Trois Bornes
- 15 : mi 13.19 - alt. 2,185 ft - Périgny Fountain
- S/E : mi 13.66 - alt. 2,201 ft - Baraque Michel
Notes
Do pop into the Auberge de la Baraque Michel for a drink, a snack or a full meal. The atmosphere there is really friendly!
Boardwalks: there were hardly any in the 1970s; a few were built during the 1980s and a few more in the 1990s; they suffered damage in the 2000s and 2010s; they were renovated in the early 2020s... There were far too few to cross without getting your feet wet 50 years ago... there are now far too many to really appreciate the amount of water that pools in these spongy soils!
Please note: access to this route is partially restricted in the event of a fire risk (red flags hoisted at the main access points).
Other walks in the area
Family walk starting from Baraque Michel
Visorando Member 
5.85 mi
+348 ft
-351 ft
3h 00
Easy
Departure from Baelen (Province de Liège)
A walk with varied landscapes in the Hautes Fagnes Nature Park.
There are many walks to enjoy in this region with its extraordinary landscapes.
I invite you to discover the hike we did as a family in July 2019. The children enjoyed the watchtowers, the duckboards, the streams... We even saw a deer.
If necessary, it is possible to shorten this route.
It is an easy hike as there is little elevation gain, but the path is uneven in places.
On the roof of Belgium
Visorando Member 
10.53 mi
+499 ft
-512 ft
5h 15
Moderate
Departure from Baelen (Province de Liège)
This hike on the Hautes Fagnes plateau in the Hautes-Fagnes-Eifel Natural Park will take you to the highest point in Belgium, where you can discover its unique flora and landscape. The hike is more enjoyable during the week (fewer people) in good weather or when there is snow on the ground.
Tour du Noir Flohay
Visorando Member 
10.33 mi
+709 ft
-725 ft
5h 20
Moderate
Departure from Baelen (Province de Liège)
Discover Noir Flohay, a group of petrified pine trees. In the middle of this landscape typical of the Hautes Fagnes, the return journey is along the Helle, a small river that rises in the Fagnes. There are two possible shortcuts, for circuits of approximately 7 and 13 km respectively.
Malmedy and Mont Rigi circular loop
Visorando Member 21.42 mi
+2,940 ft
-2,943 ft
12h 05
Very difficult
Departure from Baelen (Province de Liège)
The idea is the GR® 56 but with a little adventure. As a result, we get lost on the edge of the National. The signposting is good, the trails magnificent. This route can be done in two days with a night at the restaurant hotel in Malmedy, covering 16 kilometres on the first day and 20 kilometres on the second to return to the vehicle at Mont Rigi.
Heading for the Signal de Botrange
Visorando Member 3.28 mi
+171 ft
-167 ft
1h 40
Easy
Departure from Waimes (Province de Liège)
Virtual treasure hunt with the TOTEMUS app in search of the highest point in Belgium: Head for the highest point in Belgium
Easy route leading from the Park House to the Signal de Botrange and back to the Park House.
After all that effort, what could be better than enjoying a drink or treating yourself to a light meal?
Trô Maret and Moûpa Canyon
Visorando Member 
6.15 mi
+768 ft
-774 ft
3h 30
Moderate
Departure from Malmedy (Province de Liège)
Walk along rivers through a canyon and tour of the Moûpa area.
Between the Hautes Fagnes and secret valleys from the Noire Eau
Visorando Member 11.50 mi
+827 ft
-833 ft
6h 00
Moderate
Departure from Waimes (Province de Liège)
This hike takes you to the heart of a demanding and authentic natural environment, where water shapes the landscape and the wind preserves the memory of places. Former military camps, Germanic-influenced place names and rugged terrain tell a story marked by borders and time.Peat bogs formed after the last ice age, acidic soils and schistose rocks make up the typical landscape of the Hautes Fagnes. Clear streams, dark rivers laden with peat and cold springs accompany the walk.Deep forests, open moors and clearings follow one another, sheltering discreet fauna and specialised flora. A hike that is both wild and soothing, ideal for celebrating a special moment in an unspoilt landscape.
Sourbrodt (Waimes) – The Happy People’s Walk
Visorando Member 
2.46 mi
+59 ft
-43 ft
1h 10
Easy
Departure from Waimes (Province de Liège)
A very pleasant, signposted walk starting from the Eau Noire car park. The route is entirely flat and presents no difficulty in the Hautes Fagnes, with part of it on boardwalks.The only downside: depending on the wind direction, you can hear the Spa-Francorchamps route in the distance if it is in operation, as is the case with all walks in the region.
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