Southern slope of the Meuse valley: from Gives to Bousalle

Car park: on the banks of the Meuse, at the end of Rue de la Fabrique in Gives.
Alternative car park: Gives church, Chaussée d’Andenne.

(S/E) From the banks of the Meuse, follow the river upstream for about two kilometres, taking the towpath (lé) which is first tarmac and then concrete: this approaches the A10 at the Île des Béguines, then rejoins the banks of the Meuse. Continue to the stream (Rau de Bousalle) and cross it.

(1) Take the path on the left, which runs alongside a property through the coppice. The path emerges onto the main road; follow it to the right for a few dozen metres, cross it ( take care), and turn left onto Rue Chênu.
The street continues as a grassy farm track; go through the gate (the track is public) and carry on straight ahead between the meadows and fields. The track becomes a path, enters a copse, and soon crosses over the stream (a simple stone bridge, a small brick monument).

(2) Follow the stream along its right bank. After about a kilometre, cross the stream to continue up a steeper slope through a wood of oak and beech trees. The path joins a tarmac road. A shortcut is possible; see Practical Information.

(3) Cross the road and take the path opposite, continuing the climb up the valley. The path reaches a tarmac road again; take this to the left for about fifty metres.

(4) Then turn right into the woods, taking the path that runs alongside the field, then a meadow, about ten metres from it. As the path begins a gentle descent and approaches the field, turn left onto the path bordered by a double hedge. Shortly afterwards, the path crosses to the side of the field, then continues as a dirt track, descending alongside a wood, before finally joining a small tarmac road.

(5) Turn left onto the tarmac road. This soon passes a few houses, then heads into the woods, climbing slightly. It emerges onto a tarmac road, which you follow to the right until you reach a four-way junction.

(6) Turn left onto Rue Eugène Malherbe, towards the hamlet of Bousalle. Cross the hamlet and continue straight on until you reach the bottom of the road, opposite a wayside shrine (just before the stream). Turn left onto Rue Fond de Bousalle until you reach the junction at a left-hand bend.

(7) Take the path on the right which descends towards the stream, crosses it (footbridge) and follows it. Continue uphill through the woods. The path soon runs alongside a meadow below the woods. Shortly after the second clump of trees at the edge of the pasture (and before a vineyard), the path turns left, through the birch trees, whilst climbing. It joins a junction with a slightly wider forest track at the top of the route.

(8) Turn sharply left. This path begins a gradual descent and soon curves (very) widely to the right. Ignore the paths to the left, and, further down, the one on the right that leads uphill, until you reach a wider, partly gravelled forest track.

(9) Take this track on the right. It becomes tarmac and runs alongside a large meadow. At the end of the meadow (bounded by an open hedge), take the farm track on the left leading towards the woods. After passing the small block-built structure at the entrance to the woods, you’ll reach a crossroads.

(10) Turn onto the path on the right; it begins the descent down the slope. Ignore the first two paths on the left and continue straight on (the track is barely visible at first). As the path overlooks the valley (on the right), keep to the left and then turn right.
The path leads onto a wider track, which you take to the left to go round a dip in the ground.
After a few bends, the path passes between two ditches, climbing slightly, and joins another path. Take this to the right to continue the descent. At the three-way junction (information board, ‘Trail’ signs and a Red Diamond arrow), turn right and continue the descent to the bottom of the hill, at the end of the path.

(11) Turn left to reach Rue de la Logne, then take the second street on the left (Rue Émile Vandervelde), heading towards the main road. Cross the road (at the pedestrian crossing) and continue straight ahead along Rue de la Grotte, then take the first right (Rue de la Gravière) and, finally, turn left onto Rue de la Fabrique to reach the banks of the Meuse (S/E).

Shortcut
By taking the road to the left at point (3) (Rue Fond de Bousalle) to point (7), you can shorten the walk to around ten kilometres.

Descent of the Meuse slope between (10) and (11)
Although the GPS track is fairly accurate, the route can be somewhat challenging given the number of paths criss-crossing the area. The key is to reach the bottom of the slope whilst keeping the edge of the secondary valley (to the east) in sight as much as possible.
For all intents and purposes, the ‘trail’ signposting and the Red Diamond on a white background, which follow other paths, also lead to the point (11).

Le Petit Parc (animal park and refreshments): Rue de la Poterie 2, Ben-Ahin, 4500 Huy (http://www.lepetitparc.be/)