Along the Hermeton

Despite the first few kilometres being very easy, make no mistake, this walk still requires some stamina with a section featuring handrails along the Hermeton and the climb up the aptly named Tienne d'Enfer (Hell's Hill).

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.34 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 176 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 168 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 248 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 95 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Parking at the rest area along the N 96, not far from the Hastière lock near Hermeton-sur-Meuse.

(S/E) With your back to the N 96, find the towpath along the Meuse. Turn right and walk along the Meuse on your left. After the trees surrounding a pond, and further on than the entrance to the DIY store, cross the N 96 with caution and take Rue Louis Bossus. Enter Hermeton-sur-Meuse. Take the sharp right turn and walk along Rue de Dinant.

(1) Cross the road bridge over the Hermeton and turn left at thefirst road.

GR® trail marking change toGR® de Pays in progress

Continue straight ahead, you will return on the right. At the Moulin de l'Hermeton, the road becomes a path.

(2) Ignore the bridge at the Limnigraphique station and continue straight ahead for 1.5 km. Over this distance, the path becomes a trail. Follow the Hermeton more closely where a stream runs along the trail for a while.

(3) Using the handrail on your right for support, climb up and then down the path. A little further on, ford another stream.

(4) At the fork, take the path on the right going uphill.

No markings

Long and difficult 600 m climb up the Tienne d'Enfer. Leave the woods and walk along a field at the edge of the forest. At the farm buildings, the path turns right, going around a house. Back on a stony path, turn left towards the road. At the junction, turn right and walk carefully along the road for 400 m.

(5) At the crossroads with the farm tracks, turn right and descend.

(6) At the crossroads, take the grassy path in front of you. The path becomes a road. Pass in front of the chalets, ignoring all the access paths to them, and continue straight ahead.

(7) At the road, take the hairpin bend to the right and follow it.

GR® de Pays trail markers

(8) Turn onto the path on your left. Stay on the main path for 500 metres.

No markings

(9) At the fork, take the forest path on the right, descending for 350 m, then continue to the right.

GR® de Pays trail markers

Descend to a large crossroads.

(10) Take the path on the right and continue downhill. At the bottom, turn left.

No markings

At the road, turn right and cross the road bridge over the Hermeton.

(1) Turn left into the car park alongside the Hermeton. Take the path under the railway bridge. Follow the Hermeton for a short while until you reach the N 96. Use the pedestrian crossing on your right opposite the DIY store and cross the N 96 carefully to rejoin the towpath. Take the towpath on the left and return to the car park via the same route you took on the way there (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 96 m - Car park at the rest area on the N96
  2. 1 : km 0.88 - alt. 102 m - Road bridge spanning the - Hermeton (rivière) - Belgique
  3. 2 : km 2.34 - alt. 116 m - Path straight ahead to the station
  4. 3 : km 3.79 - alt. 127 m - Handrails
  5. 4 : km 4.35 - alt. 126 m - On the right, uphill trail
  6. 5 : km 5.9 - alt. 245 m - Farm track on the right
  7. 6 : km 6.19 - alt. 227 m - At the crossroads, continue straight ahead on the grassy path
  8. 7 : km 6.98 - alt. 202 m - At the hairpin bend on the right
  9. 8 : km 7.15 - alt. 204 m - Path on the left
  10. 9 : km 7.76 - alt. 212 m - Forest path on the right going downhill
  11. 10 : km 8.34 - alt. 134 m - At the trail intersection on the right
  12. S/E : km 9.34 - alt. 96 m - Car park at the rest area on the N96

Notes

Keep your footing steady because at (3) there are handrails to help you cross a steep slope
Another difficulty: the climb up the Tienne d'Enfer at (4)
Good footwear is essential, as part of the path along the Hermeton is covered in roots and stones.
Do not venture there during heavy floods.
No water on the route
From October to December, bear in mind the hunting season: walks 2 and 3.

Gradual change of some markings
Yellow and red markings have appeared on ourGR® de Pays trails.
In the future, theGR® (all Tours de ...) will be marked in the same way, as and when the corresponding guidebook is reissued or even published for the first time:
in this case, theGR® 125 Tour de l'Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse.

Worth a visit

During
The Meuse

The Hermeton and its limnigraphic station: In the Walloon region, more than two hundred stations measure river water levels and thus help to prevent flooding.

Wild garlic, very fragrant from late April to mid-May

Tienne d'Enfer: a tienne is a hill (slope, climb, mound) in Walloon.

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

4.9 / 5
Based on 14 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
User 25416557

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

quite difficult on the handrails and the 600m climb

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Rengos
Rengos

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Unfortunately, we had to stop the walk after point 3. The path was terribly slippery and we were afraid of falling into the Hermeton!

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Renée Gossez
Renée Gossez

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We had to turn back after point 3. The ground was very slippery and we were afraid of falling into the Hermeton!

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GGbagas
GGbagas

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A magnificent walk.
We didn't meet anyone, but then again, it was raining.

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Manu2
Manu2

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk, best done in dry weather. Very enjoyable along the Hermeton. I recommend this walk.

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Mauguit
Mauguit

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Old reflex: I look at the markings... I was going to tell you that there was a marker missing at point 7 and that it was the description that helped me find the right path. Proof that the description is well done!
A very, very beautiful route. Personally, I like walks near a river. The Tienne d'Enfer lives up to its name, as already mentioned in other comments. But hey, you can stop as many times as you like on the way up. And again, personally, I like a challenge on a route so I know why I deserve a drink (at home, due to Covid) at the end of the walk...
Judging by the tracks, I think there are quite a few people walking here. I passed at least 20 people, but then again, it's the school holidays, the sun was shining and, due to the health measures, more people are out walking.
All in all, I'm really glad I chose this walk.
Now it's your turn to discover it.

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lazzerini
lazzerini

Hello Hugues Michel,

although short, this walk is indeed quite strenuous.
You also need to consider the possibility of flooding depending on the weather.

Happy hiking!

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Hugues Michel
Hugues Michel

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk. A little challenging along the Hermeton (we were glad to have our walking sticks on the trail and to get through the rocky areas along the river) and to climb the Tienne de L'enfer. Superb views at the highest point of the route. Taking our time and going very slowly on the tricky sections, it took us 3½ hours. Thank you very much for this route, which we will definitely do again.

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Syd
Syd

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 04, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb route, very pleasant in an autumnal atmosphere.
It was my first route in trail and I wasn't disappointed. The first part along the Hermeton is very pleasant. Some sections require caution in wet weather to avoid ending up in the water!
I was surprised by the climb up Tienne d'Enfer, which lives up to its name.
I recommend this hike to everyone.

Thank you for sharing.

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Freluquette
Freluquette

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 28, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb and bucolic!

Feeling the Hermeton come to life and sing on this first rainy day of autumn makes you want to come back and see it again later in the season!

(The walk remains perfectly passable on the stony path, even in the rain.)

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ditch2506
ditch2506

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 27, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Magnificent route, a few nice little climbs, but we really enjoyed it

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Jeanfil
Jeanfil

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 06, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Zen atmosphere along the Hermeton valley. Didn't see a soul! The Tienne de l'Enfer (Hell's Gate) certainly lives up to its name! Then it's back to the rolling farmland until the end, before heading back down towards Hermeton. Invigorating!

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bottine
bottine

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk with some slightly difficult sections and a magnificent climb up to Tienne des Enfers (Hell's Hill), which, as indicated in the walk description, lives up to its name. We were lucky to do this walk in good weather, but I think it could be more difficult in wet conditions.

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gilliarda
gilliarda

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 28, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice slopes, fun to do

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lazzerini
lazzerini

Hello ch.zi,

thank you for your feedback.
I will take your suggestion into account and, in order to clear up any misunderstanding, I will clarify this point.

Kind regards

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