Remarkable for the wild landscape of its setting, the East Belgium Triathlon is a challenge for all ages. It has been one of the biggest sports events in the region for 35 years. The most popular discipline, the middle distance triathlon, is considered a pure-nature-classic: a 1900-metre swim in the Weser (or Vesdre) reservoir (the second largest reservoir in Belgium), 90 kilometres on the bike through the High Fens Nature Park, and finally a 21-kilometre run beside the reservoir – exhilarating for athletes and spectators alike.
Take a look at:
Triathlon Eupen
Events
Light, brown, dark, wheat beer, lager and a traditional Belgian strong beer, plus two or three other special varieties depending on the season – at the Bellevaux brewery, customers can enjoy the art of brewing in all its natural diversity. The beer garden and tavern also serve tasty local specialities such as beer bread with its rich flavour of malt, various types of cheese, smoked trout, and ham with wild herb mustard. Everything comes from within a radius of about 30 kilometres, and – as Tom explains – they buy organic whenever possible. And if you like what you taste here, you can buy the produce to take home, in the farm shop next to the beer garden.
Bellevaux means “beautiful valley”. And indeed, the charming valley of the River Warche is only a few minutes' walk from the brewery. One of East Belgium’s planned walking trails leads to a series of beautiful places in the area. It starts at the church of Bellevaux and is signposted with a blue rectangle and a picture of a rooster. Sometimes the Warche is a peaceful little river, at others it’s a raging torrent. The highlight of the tour is the Warche-Felsen (or Rocher de Warche), a prominent rock with panoramic views over the surrounding countryside.
Tom's parents, Carla and William Schuwer, bought the abandoned farm, 6 kilometres south of Malmedy, in 2006 and converted it into a brewery. Since then, they've been doing everything themselves, "from recipe development and ingredient selection to label design and sales". Tom was involved in the brewing from the start, but bit by bit has taken over the running of the business. His mother Carla and sister Elisa take care of the hospitality side.
From the tables in the beer garden, visitors can see at the copper-coloured brew kettles in the barn. At weekends, the Schuwers also give brewery tours on request. As we arrive, Tom is heaving a sack of freshly milled malted barley onto his shoulder. The pleasant smell of grain hangs in the air. In the mash tun, he mixes the grain with water and turns on the heat. After a good hour, the resulting mash is filtered, a few kilograms of hops are added, and all is brought to a boil. Later, Tom will add more hop cones (flowerheads) to the brew, because "that's how we get nice the hoppy flavours”. And you can taste them clearly in the six different types of beer made at Bellevaux.
We go down into the cellar. Already on the stairs, we can feel a significant drop in temperature. Below, we see the metre-high stainless steel tanks in which the beers mature. As soon as the brew has cooled down, the brewmaster adds yeast – a specific culture for each type of beer. After that, it takes about three to four weeks until the brew is ready to drink. But you can try it earlier. This sneak preview is what the brewers call "Zwickelbier" or “bière de cave”. Tom opens tap in the tank to take a small amount and holds the glass up to the light. The brown ale glows with strong chestnut colours, its foam is firm, it smells malty. Tom takes a sip and nods. The brewmaster is satisfied.
All nature-lovers in search of hands-on, outdoor experience will love these short, informative nature trails, and there are plenty of different themes to choose from. Most of the tours are suitable for the whole family. The longer “pleasure tours” are designed to take hikers through the most impressive landscapes of East Belgium.
Three generations, every summer, at the same campsite: it’s a long-standing tradition for the Dutch Hoekman-Melaard family. In Burg-Reuland, at Camping Hohenbusch, they’ve found their second home among the green, rolling hills. In the beginning they used to bring a touring caravan, now they have a well-equipped static caravan. This charming family let us share their wonderful holiday for a day.
The Venntrilogie hiking route is a special new attraction for walkers in East Belgium. It allows them to discover the region around Eupen and part of the High Fens.
The little River Holzwarche in East Belgium is the focal point of a beautiful nature reserve, a perfect place for walks for young and old alike.
Full speed ahead: the trails of the new Stoneman Route are a real challenge, even for professionals.
Situated in the border triangle between Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, for 103 years the mining town of Neutral-Moresnet did not belong to any state.
In the tavern of the Bellevaux brewery, customers can sample its range of beers: Brune, Blonde, Blanche, Lager, Black, Malmedy Triple.
East Belgium has made relaxed living a way of life. And warmly welcomes guests.
Skeletal trees, untrammelled nature, boardwalks over the wet moorland stretching into the mist – a hike in the High Fens always feels like a mystical and marvellous escape.
Discovering breath-taking landscapes whilst hiking through forests and along the water with your dog... Doesn’t that sound amazing? Hiking tours in Ostbelgien are a blast for everyone, man's best friend included. Here’s where you can hike with your dog and what needs to be considered in the process.
Three generations, every summer, at the same campsite: it’s a long-standing tradition for the Dutch Hoekman-Melaard family. In Burg-Reuland, at Camping Hohenbusch, they’ve found their second home among the green, rolling hills. In the beginning they used to bring a touring caravan, now they have a well-equipped static caravan. This charming family let us share their wonderful holiday for a day.
Herring salad, just the right thing for the carnival season. Here's the original recipe.
“Berliner”, “Krapfen”, “Quarkballen” and “Mutzen” are an integral part of the East Belgian carnival. Christoph Kelleter, a baker from Eupen, explains what they are all about. Take a look
The railway line was converted 10 years ago into an asphalted path for cyclists and walkers. It runs for 125 km and, along its course, crosses national borders more than 14 times. The complete route goes from Aachen (in Germany) through East Belgium to Troisvierges (in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg) –125 km of cycling fun in three countries! On the Vennbahn you can concentrate your gaze upon the beautiful landscapes and valleys, as you glide past forests, meadows and villages. What bliss!
We are visiting the Radermacher distillery, a family business for six generations making a whole range of products from whisky, rum and vodka to the most fruity jenevers (gin) and liqueurs. Ecological sustainability is a key factor in their operation. Bernard Zacharias is at the helm in the factory and invites us to join him in what he calls “his passion”.