The two Ourthes rivers and the Nisramont Dam

A challenging walk in the Upper Ourthe region, along the wildest and most picturesque section of the valley. Discover an ancient Celtic fortress and the Hérou panorama, rated 2 stars by Michelin.

A waterside route passing several viewpoints, notably the confluence of the two Ourthes. The Nisramont Dam and two footbridges are essential for crossing from one bank to the other.Please note: this is a challenging walk (see practical information)

Mer or Mère … signposts and place-name signs use both spellings. This stream rises in the hills south of Samrée and flows gently from cascade to cascade as far as Maboge, where it joins the Ourthe.Further on, the other main stream on this walk is indeed called the Belle Meuse and has recently been colonised by beavers, judging by photos taken in 2017 – when there was virtually no sign of them and fording the stream posed no major problem – and in 2022, when crossing the path at km 14 is impossible without the small wooden bridges added at the side or without putting on waders. It, too, rises in the hills, at La Fange aux Mochettes to the north-east of Samrée, and flows southwards to join the Martin Moulin stream between Achouffe and Engreux.

This walk is quite challenging, not so much because of its length or total elevation gain, but rather due to the number of obstacles encountered along the Ourthe: mud, water, rocks that are difficult to cross and fallen trees often force walkers to stray from the ‘official’ paths and wind their way both horizontally and vertically. Challenging, then, but well worth the trip. The more adventurous may want to take a short detour to the Cheslé site.

Starting from Achouffe, discover the valley of the Ruisseau de Martin Moulin. The route follows forest paths and trails, ending with your feet in the water, and sometimes mud, on the path along the stream at the Moulin de Wihogne.

Borzée, the cul-de-sac hamlet in the woods halfway up between Maboge along the Ourthe and Samrée on the plateau, had become virtually deserted since the closure of its iconic Nature Centre. It has come back to life and will likely become even livelier once the final phases of the Anatura Ardenne project to build a holiday village are completed.Borzée, the stream which officially rises in the hamlet’s pond behind the chapel and flows into the Mer stream barely 1.5 km further down, is literally overrun by beavers, whose dams, driftwood and gnawed, fallen tree trunks can be seen on either side of the valley.

The forest completely surrounds Borzée. Borzée is a hamlet of La Roche-en-Ardenne. La Roche-en-Ardenne lies at the heart of the Ardennes. This circular tour takes you on a tour of the hamlet of Borzée and a section of the valleys of the Mer and Belle Meuse streams, two tributaries of the Ourthe.

Alternating between countryside and woodland sections, this circular route starting from Compogne allows you to discover a small part of the magnificent landscapes of the Two Ourthes Nature Park. There’s no Ourthe here, just the Cornaille stream and two of its tributaries. To see both Ourthes at a glance, the easiest way is to head to Engreux and walk down to the Adeps Centre at their confluence.