Cross-border getaway to Schönberg

A circular walk through the quiet and peaceful Kolvenderbach valley

Bleialf is a small town in the Schneifel, a stone’s throw from the Belgian border.This walk begins on a nature trail that follows the Alfbach before heading towards the Birkenhof viewpoint.The region is gently undulating and mainly devoted to cereal farming.In season, you’ll therefore be walking through fields of wheat, barley, oats and so on, where the golden fields are broken up only by a few lush green copses.In the second part, the route becomes a little more wooded and crosses the Eschvenn wetland before climbing up to the Eifelblick viewpoint and its orientation table, which offers sweeping views of the northern horizon, including the Hautes-Fagnes in Belgium to the south and the Our Valley in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.You may also be lucky enough to spot the odd black stork landing or taking flight majestically as you approach. Common buzzards, black kites and kestrels are unlikely to be quite so rare.

This24th stage takes us from the tranquillity of the forests of the Eastern Cantons to the livelier atmosphere of the shores of Lake Bütgenbach, before returning to the countryside in Nidrum. For your feet, it means switching from forest paths with ‘natural’ surfaces to the tarmac of small country roads, town streets and the Ravel. A complete change of scenery is guaranteed.

Although I’m not a big fan of tarmac roads on my walks, they are soon forgotten as magnificent landscapes unfold once you reach the ridge. We then reach the banks of the Irmisch, the river that forms the border with Germany. Finally, we return to the ridge on the other side, where a remarkable shelter for walkers and a final descent take us back to the imposing fortress of Burg-Reuland.

On this twenty-third stage, we’ll head to the German border – the easternmost point of my tour of Wallonia – as the village of Losheimergraben lies on the border. In reality, it isn’t really a village but rather a hamlet that’s ideal as a starting point for hikes or cross-country skiing trips. So you’ll have no trouble finding somewhere to stay there. The lowest point on the route is at an altitude of 500 m, and the highest at 682 m. We are therefore in the highest region of Belgium, to some extent. The first third of the day is spent in the countryside, and the rest in the woods.

An easy hike with no difficulty, virtually no elevation gain and beautiful scenery... nothing but pleasure!!!

Here is another remarkable stage. It begins in the meadows of the Belgian highlands and then ‘flirts’ with Belgium’s highest elevations in the Hautes Fagnes, reaching a peak of 638 m; from there, the path descends steadily to Eupen and the Vesdre at an altitude of 263 m. It’s a route that also has a few surprises in store, particularly along the stretch beside the River Helle (Hill in German), where the path zigzags between wooden duckboards and muddy, mostly rocky ground – an environment it seeks to avoid by veering off upwards to… well, I’ll let you discover that for yourselves. A bit of suspense never hurt anyone.

A long walk in the heart of the Eifel countryside, passing through three European countries: Belgium, Germany and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. You will discover the memorial dedicated to the founding of the Europe of Six.In addition to the landscapes of the Our valley and some of its tributaries, you will discover the incomparable Welchenhausen museum and its "sculpture trail".