The Ovelo-Tours are selected cycling tours that lead through the most beautiful sections of the landscape and over the Vennbahn. Our free brochure contains 8 suggested tours with maps, descriptions and practical information.
Half the tour leads through the High Fens, where forest areas alternate with expansive peat bogs. The other 20 km takes you past open pastures around the Warche and Robertville reservoir, which you cross twice.
moderate
40 km
2:57 h
481 m
481 m
The Botrange Nature Park Centre is the beating heart of the High Fens-Eifel Nature Park situated on Belgian territory. Starting from the visitors’ centre, you cycle through dense forests into the Bayehon valley, which has carved its way deeply into the landscape. You then ride through the open countryside around Robertville. A reservoir was built here on the Warche in the 1920s to provide Malmedy with drinking water. The dam wall is 55 m high and retains almost 8 million m³ of water. The reservoir has meanwhile developed into a tourist attraction and an Eldorado for water sports enthusiasts.
Cows and pastures alternate with quaint and charming hamlets, and you reach the disused railway line when you have crossed the lake for the second time. You follow the Vennbahn cycle path for ten kilometres from the source region of the Rur to Kalterherberg (D). When you reach Sourbrodt, the Vennbahn leads you in solitary fashion through pastureland as far as the eye can see, then alongside areas of the Fens and finally parallel to the burbling Rur. Between Sourbrodt and Leykaul, on the tracks next to the cycle path, you will encounter draisines or railbikes travelling to and fro over a 7-km route.
Author’s recommendation
An 800-metre walk at Robertville reservoir leads to the castle dating from 1354. It rises up above the Warche valley in an imposing manner.
Author
Tourismusagentur Ostbelgien
Updated: November 26, 2019
Difficulty
moderate
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Highest point
693 m
Lowest point
486 m
Best time of year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Safety information
Between node 80 and node 51 you will find yourself on a forest trail, part of which does not offer ideal cycling conditions. Please show consideration for hikers between nodes 51 and 50.
Tips, hints and links
Botrange: Fagn’eteria, T +32 80 445 359
Leykaul: Railbike, Am Breitenbach 35, T +32 80 685 890