Fens and Lakes Route East Belgium

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Fens and Lakes Route

Scenic Route · East Belgium

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East Belgium Tourist Agency

Hohes Venn
Photo: Dominik Ketz, CC BY-SA, East Belgium Tourist Agency

With this circuit we invite you to a discovery tour through the High Fens area and the East Belgian lakes. The total length is about 150 km. The route is signposted in clockwise direction.

moderate

Distance 144 km

6:00 h

1,580 m

1,582 m

679 m

262 m

Nature in widescreen format

At 150 kilometres, the Fens and Lakes Route can boast of being the longest of the three routes. But the round trip can be completed in one day without stress. The starting point is in the French-speaking town of Malmedy. The lively town has recently refurbished its pretty centre. The High Fens, that unreal expanse with its springy peat plains, dark pools, peat bogs and skinny birch forests, is still called " Hautes Fagnes " north of Malmedy. A few kilometres further you cross the language border and find yourself southeast of Eupen, the seat of the German-speaking Community of Belgium, where the unique biotope is called "Hohes Venn". It does not matter which side of the language border you are on, on both sides a carpet of pipe grass, pitrus and purple heather rolls out to the horizon. Nowhere else in East Belgium does the vastness make itself felt better than on the archaically beautiful high plateau of the High Fens. And this is not just any high plateau: at 694 metres, the Signal of Botrange halfway between Malmedy and Eupen is not only the highest point in the High Fens, but also the highest peak in the whole country. Having driven past here, we briefly cross the border to visit our eastern neighbour Germany near Kalterherberg. Further south, reservoirs like Robertville or Bütgenbach invite you to relax by the water. Those who have acquired a taste for it can come back after the round trip to swim, canoe or just relax. A few more roads, a few more remote villages and we cross the language border again. Soon after, we are back in Malmedy.

Author’s recommendation

Suggestion - a shortcut is possible

Between Sourbrodt and Mont, you can shorten the route or split it into two stages of roughly equal length: a northern and a southern loop.

Author

Tourismusagentur Ostbelgien

Update: January 24, 2024

Difficulty

moderate

Stamina

Experience

Landscape

Highest point

679 m

Lowest point

262 m

Best time of year

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Track types

Asphalt

144 km

Show elevation profile

Tips and hints

East Belgium Tourist Agency npo

Hauptstraße 54

4780 Sankt Vith

+32 80 22 76 64

info@ostbelgien.eu

www.ostbelgien.eu

BE 0715 454 578 - RJP/RPM Eupen

Start

Round trip: Malmedy is a good starting point

Coordinates:

50.427414, 6.026471

DMS

50°25'38.7"N 6°01'35.3"E

UTM

32U 288808 5590380

w3w

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Destination

Malmedy

Parking

Malmedy: In the immediate vicinity of the cathedral and the "Malmundarium" museum.

Coordinates

50.427414, 6.026471

DMS

50°25'38.7"N 6°01'35.3"E

UTM

32U 288808 5590380

w3w

///amounts.dishwashers.samba

Get there by train, car, bike, or on foot!

Difficulty

moderate

Distance

144 km

Duration

6:00 h

Ascent

1,580 m

Descent

1,582 m

Highest point

679 m

Lowest point

262 m

Round trip Cultural/historical interest Refreshment stops available

Statistics

Waypoints

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Maps and trails

31 Waypoints

31 Waypoints

Distance km

Duration : h

Ascent m

Descent m

Highest point m

Lowest point m

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