Explore the Ardennes, one of northwest Europe's most rewarding and accessible walking destinations, where rolling forested hills, deep river valleys, dramatic rock formations, and medieval castles stretch across southeastern Belgium and into Luxembourg and France. Rich in World War II history, ancient cave systems, and charming market towns, the Ardennes offers a varied and endlessly engaging landscape.

Suitable for beginner and experienced walkers alike, this comprehensive Cicerone guidebook describes 32 day walks and one multi-day trek across the Ardennes region. Day walks range from 2 to 24km (1–15 miles) and can be enjoyed in 1–8 hours, with the Sentier du Nord long-distance trek described in 6 stages covering 68km (42 miles) from Weiswampach to Diekirch in Luxembourg.

• Choose from 32 day walks across five distinct areas of the Ardennes, exploring the River Semois and its dramatic meanders around Bouillon, the moorland of the Hautes Fagnes, the spa town of Malmedy, the caves and river valleys of Dinant and the Lesse, and the ridges and forests around La Roche-en-Ardenne.
• Tackle the Sentier du Nord long-distance trek in 6 stages from Weiswampach to Diekirch, covering 68km (42 miles) through the forested hills and river valleys of Luxembourg as part of the GR57 long-distance trail network.
• Discover the highlights of the Ardennes, including Bouillon Castle above the River Semois, the extraordinary bogland of the Hautes Fagnes, the cave systems at Han-sur-Lesse and Rochefort, the WW2 battlefields around Malmedy and Stavelot, and the military museum at Diekirch.
• Navigate with confidence using 1:50,000 maps included for each walk in the Ardennes, along with detailed planning information, refreshment notes, and public transport connections throughout the region.
• Plan your Ardennes walking holiday with practical information on accommodation, getting there, money, health and safety, and the RAVeL network of traffic-free paths and tracks that criss-cross the Belgian countryside.
• Immerse yourself in the region with introductory sections covering the geography and geology of the Ardennes, its plants and wildlife, food and drink, and the story of the World War II Ardennes offensive that shaped this landscape and its communities.

Discover the forests, river valleys, and historic towns of the Ardennes with confidence using this trusted Cicerone guidebook. From the medieval castle at Bouillon to the extraordinary bogs of the Hautes Fagnes, this is the essential guide to walking in one of northwest Europe's most characterful and accessible regions.

Walking in the Ardennes – Quick Facts

Guide name: Walking in the Ardennes: Belgium, Luxembourg and the Ardennes
Location: Southeastern Belgium, Luxembourg, and northern France – the Ardennes region
Routes covered: 32 day walks (2–24km/1–15 miles) plus the 6-stage Sentier du Nord trek (68km/42 miles)
Typical duration: 1–8 hours per day walk; 6 stages for the Sentier du Nord trek
Difficulty: No technical difficulties; suitable for beginner and experienced walkers; walks vary considerably in length and height gain
Terrain: Forested hills, river valleys, moorland, rock formations, cave landscapes, and waymarked walking trails
Navigation/mapping: 1:50,000 maps included for each walk; notes on local map purchasing for on-the-ground navigation
Key centres: Dinant, Spa, Bouillon, Malmedy, and La Roche-en-Ardenne (Belgium); Clervaux (Luxembourg)
Highlights: Bouillon castle, Hautes Fagnes moorland, cave systems at Han-sur-Lesse and Rochefort, WW2 battlefields and memorials, military museum at Diekirch, River Semois meanders
Accommodation & logistics: Practical information on accommodation, getting there, public transport, the RAVeL network, money, and health and safety across Belgium and Luxembourg
Best time to go: Year-round; June and September are best for open accommodation, quieter trails, and good weather

Author Highlight

“Consider a region of extensive and beautiful oak and beech forests, of rolling green hills dividing the sometimes steep-sided and deep river valleys, often with castles perched on improbable heights. Add to that a wide choice of activities including vast opportunities for good, straightforward walks, kayaking, biking, horse riding and fishing, all within a four-hour drive of the Channel coast, and you have the Ardennes.”

- Jeff Williams, author of Walking in the Ardennes

Map key           
Overview maps   
Introduction   
Geography   
Geology   
World War II and the Ardennes   
Plants and wildlife   
Food and drink   
Early guides to the Ardennes   
Scope of this guide   
Getting there   
When to visit   
Accommodation   
Money   
Health and safety   
What to take   
Maps   
Waymarking   
Communications   
The RAVeL network   
Using this guide   

1 Bouillon and the River Semois   
Walk 1      Bouillon to Sedan   
Walk 2      Corbion, Crêtes de Frahan, Rochehaut and Corbion    
Walk 3      Bouillon to Poupehan and back   
Walk 4      Vresse and Membre    
Walk 5      Bohan and the French frontier    
Walk 6      Dohan and the Semois    
Walk 7      L’Abbaye Notre-Dame d’Orval    
Walk 8      Herbeumont: Viaduct and château    
Walk 9      Herbeumont: Mortehan, viaduct and the château    
Walk 10    La Ramonette    
Walk 11    The Belvédère    
Walk 12    Arboretum and patriots’ memorial    

2 Spa   
Walk 13    Solwaster and the Statte stream   
Walk 14    Fagne de Malchamps   
Walk 15    Château de Franchimont   
Walk 16    L’Étang de Chawion and Lac de Warfaaz    
 

3 Hautes Fagnes, Malmédy and Stavelot   
Walk 17    An excursion in the Hautes Fagnes   
Walk 18    Kaiser Karl’s Bettstatt   
Walk 19    Cascade and canyon   
Walk 20    Château de Reinhardstein   
Walk 21    Stavelot, Coo and Trois Ponts triangle   
 

4 Dinant, the Meuse and the Lesse   
Walk 22    The Meuse and the Lesse   
Walk 23    Gendron-Celles station to Houyet along the Lesse   
Walk 24    Le Parc de Furfooz   
Walk 25    Château de Walzin   
Walk 26    Belvaux and the Bois de Niau   
Walk 27    Han-sur-Lesse and Rochefort   
Walk 28    Château de Montaigle    

5 La Roche-en-Ardenne   
Walk 29    Maboge, Borzée and the ridges above the Ourthe   
Walk 30    The Celtic fort   
Walk 31    Circuit of the Lac des Deux Ourthes   
Walk 32    La Roche, Cielle and Le Grand Bois    

6 Luxembourg   
Walk 33    The Sentier du Nord   
Stage 1    Weiswampach to Troisvierges   
Stage 2    Troisvierges to Clervaux   
Stage 3    Clervaux to Drauffelt   
Stage 4    Drauffelt to Kautenbach   
Stage 5    Kautenbach to Goebelsmühle   
Stage 6    Goebelsmühle to Diekirch   

Appendix A    Route summary table   
Appendix B    Useful websites   
 

Seasons

walks can be done at any time of year; June and September are best as accommodation is open, crowds are unlikely and there is a good chance of decent weather

Centres

Belgium: Dinant, Spa, Bouillon, Malmedy and La Roche-en-Ardenne; Luxembourg: Clervaux

Difficulty

walks have no technical difficulties but vary considerably in length and height gain; no specialist equipment is required

Must See

the extraordinary and renowned habitat of the Hautes Fagnes; the cave systems at Han-sur-Lesse or Rochefort; Bouillon and its castle; the military museum at Diekirch in Luxembourg

The whole of Belgium is covered by the 1:50,000 Institut Géographique National (IGN) series which are, in principle, the same as the UK Ordnance Survey maps but of nothing like the same high-quality graphic representation and readability. Notably, footpaths are very difficult to distinguish and follow. The same organisation produces maps at 1:25,000 and 1:20,000 scale, of similar quality.

For basic holiday planning or for multi-day walks these maps are adequate, but for detailed walking routes the best – indeed the only satisfactory – answer is to purchase local maps at local tourist offices or shops. Given the often limited opening hours of the former, this can throw up interesting situations. For example, in 2012 it was possible to purchase a map of the Ourthe Superieure in Nadrin tourist office, open only from 10.00am at the weekend. However, according to a local lady it was worth trying ‘chez le pâtissier’ (at the baker’s) where, sure enough, a copy was produced with a flourish from under the counter. It is usually impossible to source these local maps in the UK prior to departure.

Generally these local maps are at 1:25,000 scale, although there are variations (1:20,000 being quite common). They vary in size and format from place to place. But even these maps are not without problems for walkers: local walking routes are numbered, and in many instances these numbers obliterate the map’s detail. Also, these routes are overprinted on existing paths, tracks and roads, and it is often impossible to determine beforehand which surface you will be walking on. Those who abhor surfaced roads may find this particularly trying. It is also worth bearing in mind that some of the maps do not have a legend, and finally it should be remembered that many of the local maps are 15 years or more out of date. However, it needs to be said that the maps of the Grand Duchy at 1:20,000 scale are good.

On the plus side, details of these walking routes, including length, a severity grading and suggested timings, are sometimes included on the reverse of the map.

The maps contained in this guide are derived from open-source materials and adjusted to reflect the author’s experience on the ground. They are not designed as a substitute for a decent map or the ability to interpret it; they are adjunctive particularly to give a speedy visual cue to area and terrain. A compass is a useful tool to add to navigational equipment, being particularly helpful to confirm the direction in which a path or track is running when there is some uncertainty about your precise position.

Finally, active forestry management, necessary though it may be, is the bane of guidebook writers and wayfarers alike. Readers should bear in mind that yesterday’s walk through a spruce forest rich with the insistent high-pitched song of goldcrests may be tomorrow’s amble through open scrubland or new plantation, filled with the scratchy utterances of common whitethroat.
 

October 2019

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