From La Sawe to La Statte along the water

The Sawe and the Statte are two beautiful streams that cascade down from the Fagnes plateau and converge near the village of Solwaster. The ascent of the Sawe is surprising for the diversity of views in the forest and valley. The only thing missing is the Nutons. After crossing the Fagne and its typical open landscapes, you reach the Statte, which you descend along its waterfalls. Water is omnipresent on this route.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.64 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 274 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 280 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 600 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 323 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from the centre of Solwaster, near the church. It is possible to park on the Parfondbois road, taking care not to obstruct traffic or residents.
Note: alternatively, take the Route de la Statte to the Ruisseau la Statte car park or the Route de Jalhay to another car park.
As both car parks are on the route described, you just need to adjust your itinerary.
(S/E) With your back to the church, take the Parfondbois road on the left for 250 m, then turn right onto Chemin des Grands Prés. Follow the yellow rectangle markings all the way up the Sawe.

(1) Cross the Jalhay road and, at the end of the car park, continue along the track. Leave it after 300 m to reach the bank of the Sawe.

(2) When you reach a track, cross the small bridge on the right, then immediately turn left and take the path behind a bench.

(3) Join a wide track and leave the yellow markings here, which go off to the right. Cross a footbridge on the left and continue up the Sawe towards Haie du Procureur.

(4) When you can no longer follow the Sawe river, turn right onto the track, which turns into a path.

(5) At a T-junction, turn left, ignore the Statte sign on the right and continue along the obvious path. At the start of the forest, at another T-junction, turn right and continue straight on until you reach a wide track.

(6) Go up the track on the left. At the next junction, with an American monument, turn right. Then, at a crossroads, go up to the left.

(7) At the first possible fork to the right, take the path that joins the Statte. Follow it downhill.

(8) At the junction with a track, go about 20 metres to the left to find the path down to the stream on the right. At the next track, cross the bridge on the right and take the left-hand path down the Statte.

(9) After the distinctive Rocher de Bilisse rock, do not follow theGR®® trail which crosses a bridge on the left, but continue straight ahead along the Statte.

(10) At the end of the path, at the car park, go up the road on the left and continue to the starting point car park at Solwaster church (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 371 m - Solwaster church car park
  2. 1 : km 1.17 - alt. 334 m - Car park on the Jalhay road
  3. 2 : km 3.38 - alt. 477 m - Track and bridge
  4. 3 : km 3.95 - alt. 503 m - Wide track
  5. 4 : km 5.34 - alt. 556 m - End of the Sawe
  6. 5 : km 5.85 - alt. 561 m - Crossroads
  7. 6 : km 6.53 - alt. 593 m - Wide track
  8. 7 : km 7.8 - alt. 582 m - Statte on the right
  9. 8 : km 8.61 - alt. 531 m - Track
  10. 9 : km 11.03 - alt. 405 m - Crossroads
  11. 10 : km 11.8 - alt. 370 m - Statte car park
  12. S/E : km 12.64 - alt. 371 m - Solwaster church car park

Notes

Allow 3½ hours for a good walker (without a lunch break).
There is plenty of water on this route, but it is not drinkable.
Due to the large number of paths on this route, the Visorando app is highly recommended.

Worth a visit

The accumulations of moss in the basins of the two streams are not pollution but a natural emulsion of organic matter from peat and humus. This moss has the pretty name of Gâteau des Fagnes. It has a soapy consistency to the touch due to the presence of plant saponins.
The Nutons

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

5 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
Pirenne
Pirenne
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 19, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

One of the most beautiful hikes I’ve ever done in Belgium, with particularly mild weather.

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gfeller
gfeller

Thank you for these positive comments and for the photos 🙂
Happy hiking!

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ArinaTomberg
ArinaTomberg

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

One of the most beautiful walks in Belgium. The section along the Sawe, with its countless waterfalls and "Fagnes cakes", is absolutely charming. There are numerous benches and rest areas along the route, especially in the first half. Between points 4 and 5, you need to be careful: this section is closed during the deer rutting season. We met a forest ranger there, with whom we had a long discussion about this subject. In the end, he let us through, while reminding us of the importance of respecting the signs on site. In the second part of the walk, between points 8 and 9, a huge tree had fallen across the path. We had great difficulty getting around it, having to descend to the river and walk with our feet almost in the water. We hope that the forest rangers will soon clear it away to make the passage easier again.

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papounmamoun
papounmamoun

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a magnificent hike along the water. A complete change of scenery in these still wild places. No major difficulties for experienced walkers. Thank you for this description.

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Christine75
Christine75

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

magnificent hike
very clear route
a complete change of scenery is guaranteed in this region with its wild forests
make sure you bring good waterproof shoes

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catbalou
catbalou

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Doing this outside of tourist season is great because everything is quiet. It's also the best time to see the river and its little streams. This hike is a real treat. It takes place in a nature reserve classified as a Natagora site, so it's very fragile. Please respect nature during your hike.

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catbalou
catbalou

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Doing this outside of tourist season is great because everything is quiet. It's also the best time to see the river and its little streams. This hike is a real treat. It takes place in a nature reserve classified as a Natagora site, so it's very fragile. Please respect nature during your hike.

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damiennot
damiennot

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 08, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello, this is an excellent route to do in autumn and during the week as there are fewer people. Some of the wooden walkways are in poor condition.

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Stéphanie R.
Stéphanie R.

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 21, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed in October 2022, the route no longer poses any problems. A very beautiful tour, allowing you to discover two beautiful streams that have retained something of their wildness. Their valleys are quite steep, the water is a little unpredictable and cascades joyfully in places.

I was lucky enough to do it on a beautiful autumn day, with a little rain at the start (make sure you wear good shoes, as the path can be slippery in places) but this gave way to some superb sunny spells. The colours are magnificent, both in the forest and in the typical dark red/brown of these Fagnard streams. The route has some wonderful surprises in store that will make you gasp with delight all the way along... the Nutons waterfall, Bilisse rock, "lu trô d'Sotê" (= the hole of the Sotés, the legend is explained on site).

Let's give a shout-out to the volunteers who maintain these paths, as a sign at the end of the trail reminds us. This hike is great any time of year. The site is part of a Natura 2000 area and has lots of other cool surprises in store. Maybe you'll spot an eagle owl one day? Apparently, you can see them at Bilisse Rock...

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BENMILOU
BENMILOU

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

28-space car park below the church
The first part (ascent of the Sawe) is superb, with a waterfall and magnificent trees
Where it gets tricky is the descent from La Statte. From point 8 and especially at point 9 (Rocher de Blisse), there are no more bridges, probably destroyed by flooding. We had to climb over rocks to cross three times. At the exit of the woods, there is a nice sign from the municipality of Jalhay indicating that the walk is closed. There was no sign at the start of the walk. Otherwise, it's worth doing when the bridges have been rebuilt (they are working on two new bridges).

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Jipie
Jipie

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful walk along the water with no particular difficulties.

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dufourmoinet
dufourmoinet

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 15, 2021
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, done in very rainy weather! You can't always choose the weather!

Starting from Solwaster, we did the circuit going up the Statte and down the Sawe.
I followed the route recorded on my Garmin GPS using the GPX file from Visorando.
A very reliable route with magnificent waterfalls and cascades. Varied landscapes, forests and fens. Given the conditions, we often had our feet in the water, but luckily we had our hiking boots on, which kept our feet dry.
The junction between the two rivers is less interesting. The route is 14.9 km long, not 12.64 km!

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