Ready for an adventurous hike in the beautiful nature of the Ardennes in Belgium? Start in the forest, walk alongside little waterfalls and end up with a wonderful view over Malmedy. Let's go!
Start of the hike
The start of the hike is located at La Ferme Libert in Malmedy. You can park your car there and you will see the sign indicating the start of the trail. There are different paths, according to how long you wish to walk but today I will guide you through a challenging hike of 5 km through the Belgian Ardennes.
At the board you will see the start of 2 different hikes. The walk of ‘L’Ermitage’ and the one we are about to explore the ‘Canyon of Tros-Marets’. For this walk you will need to follow the blue squares. The trail starts on your right side when facing the board. If you want to extend the hike, you can start at the center of Malmedy and hike your way up through the forest until reaching this starting point.
the itinerary
What I liked the most about this adventurous path is that the views keep changing on every turn of the road. You will enjoy the forest, the plain fields, the river and different viewpoints during these 5 km of fun.
The trail starts into the forest with beautiful rough terrain. I recommend wearing good shoes for this hike, as the path is full of rocks and tree roots.
Let me give you a better view of the itinerary. First you will hike down to the Tros-Marets river for about 1 km. If you listen carefully you can already hear the sound of the water created by little waterfalls. If you are from the city, breathe it all in. 100% fresh air from the Ardennes.
Once you arrive at the river, you will need to be extra careful not to fall because the terrain is quite slippery, even in Summer. The path has a lot of wooden bridges that cross the river multiple times, giving you the perfect opportunity to see the river from above.
As you stare at the water you will see it has a rather brown color. Don’t worry this is not pollution, but the high amount of iron in the soil. The Ardennes’ rivers are known as a ferruginous source, that’s why most of Belgium’s drinking water comes from this region.
Beautiful views
From this point on, the waterfalls are beautiful! While you enjoy this idyllic picture, you can hear the sound of the storming water and start the climb back up towards the coniferous forest.
The dominating trees in coniferous forests are pines and spruces. That's why this domain is gorgeous in every season. Other parts of Belgium turn quite gray as the winter arrives, but here everything has a splash of color! This trail is accessible during Autumn and Winter and beautiful to do with some snow on the trees as well.
After the climb, you reach a beautiful viewpoint, which in summer is covered with foxglove. These bright pink flowers offer you a stunning panorama, beautiful in the evening light.
Of course, I went to take a picture, but don't put your fingers in the flowers because this plant is not very child-friendly, so to speak. It is quite poisonous and is therefore only allowed for bees and bumblebees. ;)
Now that you have seen the highlight, it is time for the descent towards La Ferme Libert. Of course, you can walk on to Hockai or even do the second part of 7 km towards l'Ermitage. I chose to stop at the 5 km and go for a well-deserved drink in Malmedy!
Do you want to discover Malmedy? Don't forget to visit the beautiful church and the charming big market with lots of cafés. Enjoy!
Keep on Dreaming and Fly Along!
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