The Sclaigneaux Nature Reserve, starting from the station

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A short, pleasant circular walk, partly through woodland, featuring two steep climbs. It offers the chance to explore the Sclaigneaux Nature Reserve, which is unique in that it was created as a result of heavy metal soil pollution (from zinc smelters). It features an arid landscape of limestone grasslands dotted with a few trees, mainly birches. The numerous holes dug into the limestone grasslands are remnants of military exercises that took place here between the two world wars.

Details

n°104960669
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.56 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 607 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 571 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 650 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 240 ft
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Description of the walk

Start at Sclaigneaux station (car park at the rear, Rue de la Limite).

(S/E) With your back to the station, follow the road to the left towards Seilles. Walk alongside the Meuse on your right-hand side.

(1) Go round a roundabout on the left and take the second exit, a small road which soon turns left to cross the railway line.

(2) At the Fork in the road, turn left and head up into the Bois de Foresse.

(3) At the next fork in the road, turn right and head uphill (quite a steep slope). Shortly afterwards, opposite a sort of small fort, take a dirt track on the right. You’ll enter the nature reserve about 2 km after setting off.

(4) At the end of the dirt track, turn left. After about 200 m, at a junction, carry straight on. Descend gently and ignore all turn-offs to the left.

(5) Take the hairpin bend to the left and follow the road towards Sclaigneaux.

(6) After about 400 m, turn right towards Colignon Farm.

(7) At the next junction, take the dirt track on the left which runs between two ponds. Head uphill through the woods, keep heading west and ignore all the side paths.

(8) Roughly at the top of the hill, on the edge of the woods, turn left onto a dirt track heading towards Sclermont Farm.

(9) At the farm (with a clear view over the Meuse valley), turn right onto the path which joins a small road.

(10) At the T-junction, near a chapel, take the first left. Pass under a high-voltage power line and then follow the path alongside a quarry on your left.

(11) You’ll come out onto a wide road; follow it to the left.

(12) At a fork in the road, turn left onto Rue de la Limite. Follow this road to the car park at Sclaigneaux station (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 253 ft - Gare de Sclaigneaux
  2. 1 : mi 0.32 - alt. 276 ft - Roundabout - Meuse (fleuve)
  3. 2 : mi 0.49 - alt. 272 ft - T-junction
  4. 3 : mi 0.77 - alt. 381 ft - T-junction
  5. 4 : mi 1.52 - alt. 564 ft - T-junction
  6. 5 : mi 2.04 - alt. 453 ft - Hairpin bend
  7. 6 : mi 2.3 - alt. 423 ft - Junction
  8. 7 : mi 2.37 - alt. 436 ft - Crossroads
  9. 8 : mi 2.92 - alt. 650 ft - Junction
  10. 9 : mi 3.37 - alt. 597 ft - Sclermont Farm
  11. 10 : mi 3.61 - alt. 512 ft - T-junction
  12. 11 : mi 4.23 - alt. 322 ft - Road N942a
  13. 12 : mi 4.38 - alt. 282 ft - T-junction
  14. S/E : mi 4.56 - alt. 262 ft - Gare de Sclaigneaux

Notes

Car park behind the station, Rue de la Limite.

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