My Venntrilogie – Happy places and wildlife encounters

To me, the beauty of long-distance hiking is really to fully immerse yourself in the journey and to soak up nature and all its little wonders along the way. I dived into the Northern and High Fens for 4 days in April – and found many a snug spot.

The Three border point at Vaalserberg can definitely be considered a power place. Not only is this a spot where three countries meet, but it also is the highest point of the Netherlands.

The fact that it is also the start point of Venntrilogie makes the place even more considerable: this is where the hiking joys begin. From here on, you hike several days in a row and won’t pass anywhere twice. On that Friday morning, I was the only visitor.

Wherever I meet donkeys, they immediately bring a smile to my face. These long-eared animals radiate a certain serenity, and it is a mere pleasure for me to look at them. Sometimes they have really funny hairdos. It was already on the first stage that I walked past two cuddly donkeys with brown coats.

The first of many animal encounters.

In Neu-Moresnet, there’s a fishing pond right next to an industrial plant. You can’t walk around the whole fishing pond Tülje, but it invites to linger a little. The reflection of the beautiful buildings in the water is quite pleasant and makes the photographers’ hearts leap.

„What a beautiful little place” is probably also what the ducks think who peacefully float on the water.

There is hardly anyone who is not impressed by highland cattle. These rugged animals with their shaggy manes and dreamy looks appear very gentle. On my walk, a sign announced that I would soon encounter highland cattle. It asked to pass with caution as there were calves in the herd. And indeed, I could see a young calve and the watchful eyes of the mother cows.

I found a perfect spot for a break in the Göhl valley, with a view of the impressive Hammer bridge, on which high-speed trains cross the idyllic landscape. This bridge is for instance used by the Thalys train that connects Germany, Belgium and France. To watch trains from afar really lets you forget time.

At the end of the first stage, a tunnel underpasses the motorway. Unexpectedly, the other side of the tunnel opens up into an idyllic heathland, the Walhorner Heide. Trees, shrubs and grass shine in different shades of green and reflect in water puddles. I was so surprised and impressed by this green oasis. In my opinion, the first stage was the most varied one.

What better than to relax in a sauna after a long day of hiking – and that already after the first stage? Hotel Tychon in Eynatten has a neat spa area with sauna and swimming pool. I’d say it was well deserved after a hike of almost 28 km.

Snails remind us to appreciate the little things along the way and to slow down. These fascinating animals are unaffected by hectical city life and teach us to approach everyday life with serenity.

I encountered them on each stage of the Venntrilogie.

Donkeys, goats – and sheep too – are just some of the curious animals that you can encounter along the way. Three very special sheep that accompanied me for a part of the second stage, have stayed in my memory. First, they welcomed me with loud bleats and looked at me with their small eyes. As I wanted to walk on, they followed me to the end of the fence and continued to bleat for a little while.

On the second stage, I suddenly found railway tracks deep in the woods. Are these still used by trains? The tracks were partly overgrown by grass and flowers and a few railway sleepers were missing. To me, the tracks seemed disused. I paused for a little while and imagined an old locomotive that must have travelled here years ago. Later, I learned that these tracks are still being used occasionally. So please don’t follow my example and sit on the tracks.

The Diebach Valley is not far from Eupen. And there, in the middle of the woods: a pond with a bench! What a welcome opportunity for a break! While eating my picknick, I let my gaze wander over the water and discovered a turtle that was sitting on scrap wood and enjoying the sun just as much as I did.

The moment I set foot in Eupen, I felt comfortable. The sun was beaming on the East Belgian city and its historic buildings. Eupen is well-known for its pretty patrician houses. Children were playing by the water, people were eating ice cream. How could you not fall for this town? A city walk (which also leads through the lower town) leads you to several sights worth seeing.

Wild camping is prohibited in many places – and to be fair, sleeping in a tent is definitely no option for me (as of now at least). And yet, I can well understand that long-distance hikers want to be flexible in where they sleep and travel with low budget. On my walk, I came across a designated campsite in the middle of the forest. Several long-distance hiking trails run through Belgium, which is why such sites are necessary. When I walked past this campsite early in the morning, I could count several tents and observed the ongoings. The campsite’s location in the woods and right next to a stream is very beautiful. In my opinion, East Belgium is exemplary in offering such places under the motto ‘Leave nothing but footprints’.

The Venntrilogie traverses three different landscapes with two stages each. The landscape of the third and forth stages are characterised by the High Fens. The third stage leads through the soothing landscape of the high moor for quite some time. The transition from the dense forest out into the open High Fens is fantastic. It is as if you suddenly were in a different world. I walked from boardwalk to boardwalk, surrounded by very special vegetation. At the end of April, I discovered yellow daffodils here.

Being a long-distance hiker, my goal on the third stage was the highest point of Belgium. Before reaching it, I walked through the High Fens on boardwalks for several kilometres. It wasn't until I reached the viewing platform at the Signal de Botrange that I met other people again. For most of them, this was a short walk from the car park, but for me, it was the day's goal after 20 kilometres. That is something to be a little proud of.

Reaching a summit does not have to involve climbing. The highest point of the BeNeLux-countries is the Signal de Botrange with its 693 meters above sea-level. The artificial Baltia hill, an elevation with a few stairs and an outlook platform allows you to reach the full 700 meters.

The Venntrilogie surprises again and again. On the fourth stage, the path led me to a very special waterfall. Along the way, you can already hear and see the waterfall, but in order to reach it, you need to climb down a short, but very steep rocky path. The water cascades down from a lofty height. On this spot, I felt so comfortable that I almost lost track of time.

On the same stage as the one with the waterfall, yet another surprise awaited me: the Tros-Marêts canyon. The adventurous trail leads along the stream, and you can hear the pleasant noise of the rustling water. The vegetation surrounding the path is very lush. I would describe this section as wildly romantic.

Malmedy is the ending point of the fourth and start point of the fifth stage. Unfortunately, for me, this town marked the premature end of the Venntrilogie. Due to storm warnings for the next days, I couldn’t walk the last two stages. However, I still have very good memories of Malmedy. The town definitely has a lot to offer and it's definitely worth spending some time here. The must-see attraction is the cathedral with its treasury and monastery buildings. If you visit during the carnival season, you will experience Malmedy in a very unique and cultural way.

Due to the weather, I unfortunately had to skip the last two stages and was therefore unable to discover the third region of the trilogy, the Southern Fens. However, I am sure that I could have reported on further beautiful places and animal encounters. I got to know the Venntrilogie as a very special long-distance hiking trail - certainly unrivalled in this combination of three unique landscapes. And I am convinced that every other hiker will find their own personal hiking bliss here.

Her article about the Venntrilogie: https://gepacktundlos.com/venntrilogie