Rachamps

The two Ourthes – the Eastern Ourthe and the Western Ourthe – join at Engreux to form the Ourthe. Slightly downstream from their confluence, man has built the Nisramont dam to create Lake Nisramont.

The countryside around Houffalize town centre is open and hilly, offering beautiful views of this lush green region.The eastern Ourthe and its tributaries are (still) fairly wild streams with sometimes rushing waters. The forests are mainly fir forests... there are not many deciduous forests in this area.

The Bernistap Canal is a section of the canal that the Dutch had planned to build to link the Rhine to the Meuse via the Moselle and the Ourthe. Begun in 1827 during the reign of WilliamI, King of the Netherlands, work was suspended in 1830 during the Belgian revolution and finally abandoned when the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg gained independence. This canal has an underground section, the entrance to which on the Belgian side is still visible at km 1, if you are feeling adventurous. A few information panels are located along the canal between km 1 and km 2, as well as on the Luxembourg side (except for the section leading to the village of Hoffelt).

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.

Starting from the viewpoint overlooking the village of Tarverneux, the route heads east at first, then north-east as far as the Sommerain stream.After crossing it, the route heads out into the countryside on the heights of Brisy. A long descent towards the Ourthe follows… here it is the river’s eastern branch; the western branch flows successively through the communes of Libramont-Chevigny, Sainte-Ode, Tenneville and Bertogne before joining the main river at the Nisramont dam. The long climb that follows reaches the outskirts of Cetturu before descending again towards the Tavigny Stream. The next highest point of the walk is at a place known as ‘Les Deux Hêtres’. From there, the route descends towards the Ourthe, passing the Blancs Bois picnic shelter and barbecue area. Near the confluence of the Eastern Ourthe and the Cowan Stream, a little further upstream along the latter, stands the Moulin de l’Ermitage, which gave its name to the locality known as l’Hermitage. All that remains is to head back up to the starting point.

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)

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.

Running through woodland on both the northern and southern sides, this long walk on the heights of the eastern Ourthe is predominantly rural and offers lovely views of the surrounding countryside as well as, in the distance, the villages of the Gouvy area.