MALMEDY
Place Albert I is the center of Malmedy. Here you will find a number of accommodations, restaurants, and shops. To our right in house 29a is the tourism office (Maison de Tourisme). There you can find all the information a hiker needs, hiking guides, hiking maps, etc.
Today we continue hiking on the GR56 and choose the Warche variant. The Warche, which accompanied us on the previous stage for a short distance, comes from a spring area between Hünningen and Losheimergraben. We now follow the Warche upstream continuously on the next stages.
We are hiking in the Eifel and Ardennes, thus in a low mountain range. We will certainly feel that on today's stage as it constantly goes uphill and downhill. The hiking trails are also sometimes very narrow and require some surefootedness. Caution is especially advised in wet weather.
Here in Malmedy at Albert Square (Place Albert I) in front of the "Maison du Tourisme" we start today's stage. On the opposite side we see the tavern St Pierre. To the right of it is an archway, under which we go through and then we are in the rue du Petit Vinâve. Further, over uneven cobblestones, we go up the rue Grètèdar until we reach the Calvary Hill.
As soon as we reach Calvary Hill or the Way of the Cross, we climb up a steep staircase to a chapel. We keep right and continue climbing the hill in switchbacks to the cross of Chôdes and go further uphill until we reach the chapel of Livremont. It’s good that we had a decent breakfast this morning. But the beautiful view of Malmedy lying in the valley below is the reward for the effort.
At the chapel, our hiking trail turns and leads us onto a wide path past a holiday home settlement (La petite Montagne). We continue straight ahead until the roundabout in the center of Chôdes. Chôdes and the adjoining G'Doumont are villages belonging to Malmedy.
2.8 Km CHODES
Our white-red hiking signs lead us straight across the street “Rue Al Gofe” through the small villages. At the next fork, we turn sharply left and continue on the narrow paved service road. Soon the path splits; we keep right and stay on the paved alley.
This leads us downhill to a small woodland. But just before we reach the forested area, we have to turn right onto a narrow path. Now it goes uphill again (eastwards). We walk along a fence. Our path winds high above the valley in a constant up and down. It is very difficult to give a precise description of this path, but generally—if you pay attention—you can rely on the white-red GR hiking signs. Our direction is determined by the Warche, which flows deep in the valley below, and which we now always follow towards the source.
Sometimes it’s wide forest paths, sometimes narrow trails where we hike. There are steep descents and then sweat-inducing climbs again. Always interesting is the beautiful view over the Warche valley. After a while, we come to a viewpoint. The rock formation bears the funny name "Nez de Napoleon" (Napoleon's Nose). Below in the valley, Reinhardstein Castle now comes into sight, another photo motif. Depending on vegetation and water quantity, there is also a narrow but 60-meter-high waterfall visible on the other side of the valley—it is said to be the highest in Belgium.
Our GR56 now goes steeply downhill into the valley again. Then we come to the point where another GR trail comes up from the valley below. It is called "Liaison Bayehon" and is the connection (= liaison) that comes from the Venn Plateau via the Bayehon stream and reunites here with our GR.
6.2 Km TOWARDS WALK / “BARRAGE” (Dam)
We stay on the GR56 Warche variant and step over a small brook, then immediately climb steeply again. At the top, the path leveled out a bit and soon we reach the forest edge. Our path now quickly brings us to the parking lot at the dam of the Robertville reservoir.
0.6 Km ROBERTVILLE RESERVOIR
We stay on this side of the dam and only cross the street. Opposite (in front of the traffic light) we go a few steps straight ahead. Before the driveway to a private property, our hiking trail turns left again. Now we follow a narrow path that runs along the lakeshore. Some concentration is required here, or you might unintentionally end up in the lake. Over an inflow of the reservoir, our path leads us; a narrow wooden bridge takes us to the other side. After a few steps, we continue right to the next junction. There we turn 180 degrees left and take the wide forest path. Soon we see the lake again and after a while also the approximately 130 m long “Haelen Bridge” with its 8 double pillars.
2.9 Km BRIDGE "HAELEN"
Somewhat above the “Hôtel des Bains” we reach the street. After crossing it with due caution, we walk a short distance towards the bridge. To the right in front of the bridge, our hiking trail leads back to the lakeshore. Now we follow the narrow shore path until we reach a campsite. The path takes us past the side of the campsite. Somewhat above we reach the street. There we first turn left and after a few meters leave the street left again. We return to the lakeshore and follow the path to the end where it meets the street again. Here at the end of the lake we cross the bridge.
After crossing the bridge, we leave the street again and climb—half left—up a narrow path. To our right, we see the street we just left and the first houses of “Outrewarche.”
2.2 Km OUTREWARCHE
At a fence we keep sharply right again and hike back to the street. We must now cross it and turn onto the service road directly opposite. Below, we return to the banks of the Warche and now follow the river for quite a stretch.
But once again, we must leave the Warche valley. Our path first leads us along the forest edge uphill and then in a large curve around a meadow area to a wide lane. Ahead, we see the Vennbahn (former railway line); we follow it to the right and come back to the river. Down in the valley, shortly before the bridge, a shelter offers a welcome opportunity to open our backpacks.
After the refreshment, we do not cross the bridge but stay on this side. We continue to follow the Warche upstream towards Weywertz. Just in front of a tunnel-like railway underpass leading to a quarry, we climb right over a narrow path to the railway embankment. The old railbed is today part of the "RAVeL" (former railway line) path. We stay on the RAVeL and cross Mühlenstraße at the height of a car dealership. We use the RAVeL cycling and hiking path for a few hundred meters more, then leave the RAVeL path again. Now we follow the path running parallel to the former railbed until we reach the next street.
4.0 Km WEYWERTZ
At the street we turn left and soon come back into the valley and cross the Warche. After the bridge, we must walk a few hundred meters on the street toward Nidrum until our GR56 trail turns right through a small forest back into the river valley. For your information: If you continue along the street, you reach the village of Nidrum after about 700 meters.
We now walk for a while through the valley of the Warche. Here the wild daffodils bloom from late March well into April. Where our hiking trail reaches the next street, we curve to the right and cross the Warche below again. On the other side, the narrow street rises toward Bütgenbach. In a left curve, shortly before reaching the railway underpass, a path branches off to the right and climbs up the old railway embankment. Once at the top, it goes left again, only to leave the embankment after about 400 meters. Since we are left of the embankment, we now have to pass through a small tunnel to switch to the right side. In the valley, at the entrance to Bütgenbach, we reach the country road N467.
Here we turn left, walk across a parking lot (barbecue shelter) and continue under the arch of the mighty railway bridge into the valley. Shortly after the water treatment plant on the right side of the street, a narrow grass-covered path branches off from the street. We cross the Warche again and now must climb up a (steep) ascent with high wooden steps. At the top, we stand in front of the dam of Bütgenbach.
3.6 Km BUTGENBACH (NORTH)
Our GR56 now leads over the dam to the other side, but that is already the next stage. We now follow the lakeshore to the village center (Hotel du Lac 1.1 Km, Hotel Eifelland 1.3 Km, and Sporthouse Worriken 1.8 Km). End of the stage in Bütgenbach.
