ST.VITH
Starting from the main street (the main shopping street in Sankt Vith), we begin at the large roundabout formed by the main street, Aachener Straße, Rodter Straße, and Malmedyerstraße. We choose Malmedyerstraße and follow the white-red hiking signs of the GR56 towards Malmedy and Recht. At the town exit, we turn left at the end of the cemetery wall into Hünningerweg. The slowly ascending, narrow farm road leads us to the N675 main road. Here we cross it and turn right around a Toyota car dealership. Shortly afterward, at the next junction, we take the right of the two narrow roads. This now gently descends to the village of Ober Emmels. Be careful as we are hiking here on side roads and/or farm tracks where we must repeatedly expect vehicle traffic.
3.4 Km OBER EMMELS
Where we now meet Marianusstraße, we turn left at a café-restaurant towards Rodt. Shortly afterward, we pass under the A27 motorway and immediately take the first path on the right. This narrow road is called Frodervenn, on which we first go straight ahead, slightly uphill. Before reaching the first wind turbines, we leave the paved road and turn left onto a meadow path. This leads us further towards the forest.
However, before we reach the forest, our path turns right and leads along the edge of the forest. Up here, our path soon meets a narrow asphalt road and shortly afterward turns left. We then walk through a short forest section and reach Tommberg. At 580m, this is the highest point of our hike today. Here you will find a ski rental and a beer museum, which is only open on weekends and during holidays.
There is also something to eat and drink here at the top. Unfortunately, there is no bench or place where hikers can eat their bread. We continue to follow the white-red signs of the GR56, which now leads us right across the road into the forest. Some didactic boards along the way inform us about our native trees and shrubs. Shortly after joining another forest road, we turn right. From the wide forest path, we now go onto a narrow path.
We then cross another forest road but always keep our direction. The path continues steadily downhill; at the bottom of the hollow, it goes over a small stream (a tributary of the Rechterbach) before climbing slightly again to reach a distinctive wayside cross made of Rechter slate, called the Hubertus Cross.
4.1 Km HUBERTUS CROSS
A good hundred meters further, we leave the wide path again. We go left and continue to follow the white-red signs. Now we are back on a narrow forest path, which is also used by mountain bikers and is correspondingly rutted. It should be noted once again that these hikes should only be done with sturdy and preferably waterproof hiking boots.
Soon we pass a sign that says "An den Goldgruben." Gold was searched for here in earlier times. Our narrow path continues gently downhill. Soon we leave the forest, and a wide valley opens up before us. We reach the first houses of Recht in the district of Fekelsborn.
Recht covers a large area; down in the valley, we see the church, which we head for. We continue downhill, going over Bahnallee into Klingelgasse and soon past a Marian wayside shrine. Here we descend further on Weiherstraße and at its end arrive at the Parish Church of Recht. In Recht, you will find cafés and shops where you can get provisions.
4.1 Km RECHT
We go right, around the church, and are now on Dorfstraße (N659). We continue to the next roundabout. There, at the roundabout (on the opposite side stands a small chapel), we turn left onto Zur Ochsenbaracke (N660) towards Malmedy. After passing the Recht cemetery, we shortly leave the main road again and turn sharply right onto the narrow Am Weinberg street. Soon, we have left the last houses of Recht behind and return to the high forest. From the Rechter valley, we steadily climb uphill. At the top, where a hunting platform can be clearly seen on the left, there is a small grotto made of tree roots with a statue of Mary to admire on the right. Here our path turns right and now runs almost level towards the north. Down in the valley on the left, you can occasionally see N660 and the Rechterbach.
At the forest exit, we can clearly hear the noise of the nearby motorway. After making a wide right curve, we now walk parallel to the motorway. Ahead of us, we can already see the motorway bridge we will shortly cross. From the motorway bridge, we now go steeply downhill and reach the first houses of the small village of Pont.
Over narrow streets, our GR leads steeply downhill, first the Thier du Bac, then the Rue Hêtche, continuing over Rue Aux Champs du Pain, and always downhill over the small street Au-dessus de l'École, which means "Above the School." Above it, we reach the (former) school and, opposite, the chapel dedicated to Saint Donatus and under protection as a monument.
6.1 Km PONT
From the little church, we continue downhill and now must cross N660 (the road from Recht to Ligneuville). Down in the valley, we reach the Amel (called Amblève in French). Shortly after crossing the river, we turn right onto a path called Thier de la Principauté. We climb this street briefly uphill. Shortly afterward, we turn into the first street on the right – Rue Derrière la Ville.
Attention, here we have just left the main path of the GR56. We are now on the Amel variant (Variante Amblève) of the GR 56. This path is also marked with the familiar white-red signs. We follow the path that leads us through some houses out of Pont. We are now on a nearly level hiking trail. To our right, down in the valley, flows the Amel, and this path ultimately leads us to Ligneuville – the destination of today's stage.
1.6 Km LIGNEUVILLE
End of the stage in Ligneuville
