Hermitage and Resteigne Castle

A walk starting from Tellin to discover the villages of Resteigne and Belvaux via the La Lesse valley and the Bois de Niau (woodland) where a hermit lived. There are still ruins of the hermitage of this former officer of Napoleon and heir to the Château de Resteigne (castle). On the way go past the Rocher à Pic viewpoint, the Belvaux chapel, the Hermitage, the Mill, the Castle and the old Resteigne quarry.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 16.41 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 281 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 272 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 288 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 171 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start: Parking at the Tellin Sports Hall, near the Rue Mont du Carillon school.

(S/E) Head towards the sports hall entrance and at the playground adjoining the school, turn right. Walk along the fence and past the playground. Follow the path, ignoring the departures on your left. Go down to the stream. Cross the footbridge and go left along the stream. Return along a wider forest path and ignore the path on your left. Carry on on the forest path alongside the stream, from a distance to the left, for several hundred of meters.

(1) The wide path turns left. Cross the footbridge and climb the path opposite.

(2) Further on, do not stay on the wide path (not shown on OSM) but seek the path on your right and turn off. Climb up to an open space. On your right, pay attention to the rock wall and go discover a cave. Retrace your steps and continue the path. A path returns on your left (not on OSM), walk straight on until you reach a stone path.

(3) Go right for 500m, continuing straight at the junction, (not on the maps), go to the junction on your left, with information boards explaining the Rocher à Pic and Éllinchamps Nature Reserve.

(4) Turn left. Follow the wide path to the viewpoint.

(5) Enjoy the view over the Lesse from the Rocher à Pic, then continue along the wide path until you reach a fork.

(6) At the fork, turn right and go down carefully. At the bottom continue right.

(7) Go past the Herdal resurgence and continue. Leave the forest and enter Belvaux. In front of you is the rocky ridge of the Massif de Boine.

(8) Notice on your right the Chapelle Saint-Laurent (chapel), opposite it the bread oven. At the bridge, turn left into Rue des Pairées (street). At the junction, continue straight on still along Rue des Pairées (street). Then ignore the 1st dead end road on the right and continue to the 2nd dead end road at number 49.

(9) Turn right. Walk up the Chemin de Niaux. Go past the chalet (wooden house) and, at the entrance to the forest, go left. At the fork continue right. Further up, reach a junction.

(10) Take right. Ignore the paths on your left and walk on this path, heading West for more than 1 Km. At the end, follow the cliff to the Hermitage. You arrive from the back of the Hermitage.

(11) At the information board, turn left and walk across the ruins. Discover the arboretum and come out near other information boards explaining the site. Go down the path and at the bottom, veer left.

(12) At a large junction, go right. Come out of the woods. Follow the main path between the limestone meadows of the Pairées Nature Reserve until you reach the road.

(13) At the road, turn left onto the dirt road. Go down and, at the gate, turn right onto the path leading under the trees. The path turns right and comes back to the road. Continue left and go down the road with a view of the quarry. Reach a junction on a bend in Rue des Carrières (street).

(14) Take it to the right and, before the bridge, turn right onto the path leading along the Lesse. Follow the Lesse, exit the woods and, after a pond on the left, at the clear junction turn left. Take the footbridge and discover the Moulin de Resteigne (mill) built in the 17th century. Walk back up the road, keeping left. At the busier road, continue left and follow the castle ramparts. Walk to the castle entrance, cross the road, and go left until you reach the dead end.

(15) Turn sharp right onto the path near the entrance to the quarry. (Depending on the vegetation you may have to enter through the main entrance to the quarry so keep to your right and head towards the murals). Arrive on the disused quarry road and go up along it, heading East after the left turn. At the junction at the top, keep right. Carry on along the wide path, ignoring all adjacent trails and paths until you reach the road.

(16) Go left along this minor road for about 2 Km. Enter Tellin ignoring a road on your right.

(17) At the junction, take the dirt road opposite, next to number 64. At the path leading to the cemetery, take the road a few meters on your right and continue left until the roundabout.
Keep left and take Rue Charlier (street). At the N899, turn left and immediately turn left again onto Rue Mont du Carillon (street). Return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 226 m - Hall omnisports car park
  2. 1 : km 1.66 - alt. 212 m - Gateway
  3. 2 : km 1.87 - alt. 230 m - Path on the right
  4. 3 : km 2.39 - alt. 243 m - Stone path
  5. 4 : km 2.94 - alt. 272 m - At the left fork
  6. 5 : km 3.59 - alt. 268 m - Viewpoint from Rocher à Pic
  7. 6 : km 4.04 - alt. 267 m - Right-hand fork
  8. 7 : km 5.33 - alt. 189 m - Herdal spring - lesse (rivière) - Belgique
  9. 8 : km 5.91 - alt. 173 m - Belvaux chapel and bread oven
  10. 9 : km 6.61 - alt. 192 m - Right at No. 49
  11. 10 : km 7.09 - alt. 267 m - Top right
  12. 11 : km 8.2 - alt. 283 m - Panels of the - Ermitage de Resteigne
  13. 12 : km 8.57 - alt. 271 m - Large intersection
  14. 13 : km 9.74 - alt. 233 m - Left-hand dirt track
  15. 14 : km 10.9 - alt. 183 m - Before the bridge
  16. 15 : km 12.12 - alt. 183 m - Entrance to the Quarry
  17. 16 : km 13.45 - alt. 254 m - Secondary road
  18. 17 : km 15.48 - alt. 253 m - Path next to No. 64
  19. S/E : km 16.41 - alt. 226 m - Hall Omnisports car park

Notes

Start: Parking at the Tellin Sports Hall, near the Rue Mont du Carillon school.

Terrain: 2 Km of minor road at the end of the loop for a return to civilization.
3 beautiful climbs at waypoints (2), (9) and (15).

Facilities & Refreshments : No drinking water along the route. There is a coffee shop near the Château de Resteigne (castle).

Remember to check information out during the Hunting season.

Worth a visit

While walking
The Lesse valley.
Rocher à Pic viewpoint.
Ellinchamps and Les Pairées Nature Reserves.

Hermitage of Resteigne: built at the beginning of the 19th century, by Edmond d'Hoffschmidt (1777-1861), son of the lord of Resteigne, is located in the Bois de Niau. It consisted of a wealthy house with a cellar, shed, garden and aviary.
Château de Resteigne: The first sources place the origins of the Château de Resteigne in the 12th century. Even though numerous modifications to the initial architecture were made over the centuries that followed, the material chosen for construction (limestone rubble) was always respected.
Moulin de Resteigne built in the 17th century was part of the castle.
Resteigne Quarry: It is regularly visited by geological students from Belgian universities for its power of demonstration in the field of biostratigraphy. Man would have worked limestone in the Resteigne quarry since the 6th century.

Nearby
Tellin Bell and Carillon Museum.
200 m from the car park, pilot demonstration bell tower on the Campa company grounds: rings every half hour

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 15 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
User 10780744

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I know this region very well, but of all the walks I have personally initiated, this one is undoubtedly the most beautiful. The only slight downside is the two kilometres of tarmac at the end of the hike.
Crossing the old quarry at point 15 is anything but straightforward: you need to have a keen sense of smell!

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Odile1306
Odile1306

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

Superb walk! Very varied, woods, fields, villages, waterways, viewpoints... just be careful near the quarry at Resteigne... turn right straight away before entering the quarry...

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Lorrie73
Lorrie73

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 30, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nice walk. Thank you

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Jean Mathias
Jean Mathias

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 14, 2022
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We cycled this magnificent route on an electric mountain bike and were delighted. We particularly enjoyed the view from the Rocher à Pic, the passage to the lieu de l'hermite and the passage to the Resteigne paddle mill. The paths were perfectly dry. We recommend it to everyone.

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Pegase
Pegase

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Not a difficult hike, but some of the climbs are relatively short. The paths are muddy, especially in the first part, but in the end your feet stay dry. Some beautiful sites: viewpoint over the Lesse from the sheer rock face, the Resteigne mill and castle, not to mention the beautiful landscapes and villages we passed through. All in all, I only met a few people at the hermitage.
I walked for 4 hours, including lunch and taking photos.

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HARDIV
HARDIV

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

And this was a superb hike.
We were soon in the woods and the sun gave us a lovely autumnal glow, peeking through the remaining leaves still on the trees.

Beautiful paths along the streams.
Of course, the short loop to the Resteigne mill is more popular, but well worth the diversions.
The last few kilometres on the tarmac road are not too bad, as there is no traffic.
In short, happiness.
Thanks to the author and to Géo.

Vincent H

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Randos de Jean-lou et Domino
Randos de Jean-lou et Domino

thank you, the vegetation effectively hides the entrance and it would be easier to enter via the quarry.
thank you for this lovely walk which we really enjoyed.

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lazzerini
lazzerini

Hello Jean-lou and Domino's hikes,

I think that the vegetation must make it difficult to take this path, so I've added an explanation if you enter via the main entrance to the quarry. All we have to do now is wait for a moderator to agree.

With pleasure

Best regards

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Randos de Jean-lou et Domino
Randos de Jean-lou et Domino

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice walk with magnificent views.
We just had to look for the path up the quarry, otherwise impeccable.
Would recommend
Thank you

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RJM56
RJM56

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, highly recommended. Be careful, at the entrance to the quarry opposite the Château de Resteigne, the path to take is directly to the right, at the entrance to the quarry, and climbs up around the quarry. There's just this little trap to be pointed out.

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BURY50
BURY50

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 07, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Magnificent hilly walks with bucolic landscapes, superb viewpoints and historical discoveries.
Nothing to complain about, we're back for more!

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Papou etienne
Papou etienne

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Bonsoir , superbe rando , félicitations , malgré la pluie tt tout le parcours , les chemins et sentiers étaient impeccables , pour ce qui est de la fréquentation , jour de sem , donc difficile à estimer .... Thank you ....

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Mirbou
Mirbou

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb walk, especially at the end of March when we had a carpet of daffodils.

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eric.thille
eric.thille

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A spring-like day for this magnificent hiking route (late March). The scenery was varied and the paths impeccable. The forest was lit up by an abundant carpet of daffodils. We set off from the Resteigne quarry towards Tellin. We avoided going through the village of Tellin by cutting off on a small path to the left, just at the first houses. This shortened the route somewhat (14.5km).
We highly recommend this superb walk. Thank you so much!

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jcmumu
jcmumu

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 26, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb walk in fine weather. The route is counter-clockwise. A little bit of tarmac but not too much. Passed the magnificent château de Resteigne and, a little further on, a superb old mill with a passage over the Lesse via a pretty pontoon bridge.
Stop for a bite to eat at the Hermitage. A restful spot. Take a look at the inscriptions engraved in the rock beneath the remains of the tower.
The walk continues along a pretty ledge with a lovely view over the Lesse valley. The last part was a little more complicated given the level of the river, but it was manageable. Be careful, though, I think it might be impossible to get through if the river is higher.
The last climb is a real wall, but fortunately not too long.
Beware also of hunting days, which may force you to change the route slightly.
Thank you for this lovely route and good luck to those who follow.
Easy parking at the sports hall.
Jean-Claude

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