The walk alternates between countryside offering beautiful panoramic views and wooded areas, mainly coniferous although there are a few deciduous trees here and there. The route also passes through some deep forests.
Admire the church in Ourthe: it has a distinctive style that is unusual in this region, with exposed bells.
The village of Wathermal has its own charm.
There are no particular difficulties on the route, no difficult climbs or excessive mud... however, there is quite a lot of tarmac, which may not appeal to some hikers.
A few markers on the Ourthe side
You’ll cover almost 18 kilometres and will also come across two other very different types of boundary markers: two stone ones marking the former Belgian-Prussian border and two metal ones, still very much in use, between Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
The Eastern Ourthe, meanwhile, is not very prominent, but towards the end of the route you’ll walk alongside a beautiful nature reserve on the banks of its tributary, known as the Fooschtbaach in the Grand Duchy and the Pihon in Belgium.
Details
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
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Activity: Walking -
Distance: 10.93 mi -
Average duration: 5h 35 -
Difficulty: Moderate -
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Back to start: Yes -
Ascent: + 620 ft -
Descent: - 597 ft -
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Highest point: 1,781 ft -
Lowest point: 1,473 ft
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Country:
Belgium
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Area: Massif des Ardennes -
City:
Gouvy -
Start/End: N 50.18832° / E 5.980908° -
Hour-by-hour weather
Photos
Description of the walk
Waypoints
- S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,480 ft - Car park at Ourthe
- 1 : mi 1.39 - alt. 1,683 ft - Road junction
- 2 : mi 2.3 - alt. 1,726 ft - N827
- 3 : mi 2.94 - alt. 1,680 ft - N68
- 4 : mi 3.86 - alt. 1,732 ft - Fork
- 5 : mi 4.73 - alt. 1,631 ft - T-junction
- 6 : mi 5.05 - alt. 1,732 ft - Junction
- 7 : mi 5.57 - alt. 1,631 ft - Deiffelt
- 8 : mi 7.2 - alt. 1,745 ft - Border with Luxembourg
- 9 : mi 7.84 - alt. 1,719 ft - Border
- 10 : mi 8.44 - alt. 1,572 ft - Wathermal
- 11 : mi 9.2 - alt. 1,542 ft - Pihon
- 12 : mi 9.94 - alt. 1,490 ft - Fond d’Ourthe National Reserve
- S/E : mi 10.93 - alt. 1,480 ft - Car park - Ourthe orientale (rivière) - Affluent de l'Ourthe
Notes
Please note: shortly after km 3, a sign saying "Private property and road" is clearly visible on a tree on the right. There is no road sign when travelling in the opposite direction. Chemins.be (the reference for paths, trails and rights of way in Wallonia) states that this is a public or private road with right of way.
Alternative if you do not want to take this route: take the path on the right at this point... it leads straight to the (national) road, which you should take on the left for a few hundred metres to rejoin the nominal route.
Other walks in the area
From Gouvy station to Vielsalm station
Visorando Member12.32 mi
+1,112 ft
-1,457 ft
6h 40
Moderate
Departure from Gouvy (Province de Luxembourg)
From Gouvy to Vielsalm, skirting Courtil and Provèdroux, the route is quintessentially Ardennes and serene. It alternates between peaceful forest stretches and open countryside, with gently rolling hills. The terrain becomes more undulating as you approach Vielsalm. The walk through the hamlet of La Comté, followed by the climb over the next ridge with its magnificent views, is a real treat. This is followed by the typical descent towards Vielsalm, where you’ll find it all: schist, the Bonalfa forest, blueberry bushes… and the ‘macralles’ (witches)!
Nature getaway in Sterpigny
14.68 mi
+1,214 ft
-1,227 ft
7h 50
Difficult
Departure from Gouvy (Province de Luxembourg)
Crossed by the Ourthe Orientale, Gouvy boasts magnificent landscapes to discover as you follow the river, with countryside and forests alternating between deciduous and coniferous trees. In autumn, it is of course the deciduous trees that leave the greatest impression!
Sterpigny – Rodt Sankt-Vith
14.25 mi
+840 ft
-587 ft
7h 15
Difficult
Departure from Gouvy (Province de Luxembourg)
Here we are in the Eastern Cantons. This region isn’t part of Wallonia, but I’ve included it in my ‘Parkin’son tour of Wallonia’ all the same. Through a succession of climbs, some of which are quite steep, as are the descents, we gradually make our way towards the highest altitudes in Belgium. Mainly via paths, tracks and back roads, we link up the various villages and small towns situated between Sterpigny and Rodt, namely Gouvy, Aldringen, Maldingen and Crombach.
Via Limerlé from Steinbach
4.53 mi
+394 ft
-420 ft
2h 25
Easy
Departure from Gouvy (Province de Luxembourg)
The route passes through the Ourthe Orientale nature reserve. Here, in particular, you can admire the typical flora and fauna.Steinbach is a charming Ardennes village with an agricultural heritage, featuring numerous farms and small farmhouses built of schist stone and roofed with slate (cherbins = local slate). Its historical past is evident in the presence of castle-like farms and enclosed farmsteads dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries, which have been carefully restored.
The Luxembourg Ardennes between Troisvierges and Drauffelt
11.92 mi
+1,460 ft
-1,804 ft
6h 45
Moderate
Departure from Troisvierges (Luxembourg (Country))
Set off to explore the north of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and, in particular, Clervaux Abbey.
Please note: this hike is not circular and is based on the concept of walks from station to station. We chose to leave our vehicle at the free P+R car park at Drauffelt station, from where the train takes hikers to Troisvierges free of charge (1 train per hour on track 1).
Passeurs Trail
7.31 mi
+719 ft
-738 ft
4h 00
Moderate
Departure from Troisvierges (Luxembourg (Country))
Follow in the footsteps of fugitives and resistance fighters who used the forest paths, trails and little-used country roads along this route. A few information panels and, above all, the Kléngelbaach stream, a key point of passage between the two countries, await you along the way.
Discovering Cinqfontaines
8.52 mi
+1,296 ft
-1,319 ft
5h 05
Moderate
Departure from Troisvierges (Luxembourg (Country))
From Troisvierges station, set off to explore the Cinqfontaines convent, an iconic site of the Second World War in Luxembourg. Continue this pleasant circular route towards Maulesmillen, taking in the panoramic views of the Luxembourg countryside.
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