Go to content
Open

Ovelo - The High Fens between the Rur and Warche

Walking ·

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.

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. 

Follow the cycle route nodes: 50 > 76 > 77 > 78 > 55 > 89 > 81 > 45 > 44 > 43 > 42 > 38 > 72 > 71 > 86 > 83 > 80 > 51 > 52 > 50

Hints

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.

Difficulty

  • Difficulty Medium
  • Distance 40 km
  • Duration 2:57 h.
  • Highest point 481 m
  • Lowest point 481 m
LoopScenicRefreshment stops availableBotanical highlights

Geographical location

  • Country Belgium
  • Region Région Wallonne
  • Province Verviers
  • Municipality Waimes

Details

  • Difficulty Medium
  • Stamina
  • Experiential value
  • Landscape
  • Highest point 693 m
  • Lowest point 486 m
Recommended season
JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember

Safety advice

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.

Recommended equipment

  • Helmet
  • Sportswear
  • Sturdy shoes
  • Roadworthy bike
  • Drinking bottle
  • Sunglasses
  • Rain protection

Further information and links

East Belgium Tourist Agency

Hauptstraße 54

4780 St.Vith

Tel. +32 80 227 664

info@ostbelgien.eu

www.ostbelgien.eu

Start of the tour

Botrange, Naure parc centre, route de Botrange 313

Coordinates

  • DD 50.49314 , 6.10051

End of the tour

Botrange, Naure parc centre, route de Botrange 313

Route

Follow the cycle route nodes: 50 > 76 > 77 > 78 > 55 > 89 > 81 > 45 > 44 > 43 > 42 > 38 > 72 > 71 > 86 > 83 > 80 > 51 > 52 > 50

By public transport

www.infotec.be

 

Please use Google Maps.

Parking

Free parking at the Nature Centre Botrange

Arriving by train, car or bicycle

Follow the instructions!

Recommendations by the author

www.ostbelgien.eu/shop

 

Map recommended by the author

www.ostbelgien.eu/shop