Ovelo - The High Fens between the Rur and Warche

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Ovelo - The High Fens between the Rur and Warche

Walking · Open

Photo: robertville see 04 c rsi robertville , CC BY ,East Belgium Tourist Agency NPO

Photo: 37551127 , CC BY ,East Belgium Tourist Agency NPO

Photo: RSI Robertville , CC BY ,East Belgium Tourist Agency NPO

Photo: D. Ketz , CC BY ,East Belgium Tourist Agency NPO

Photo: botrange 37551128 , CC BY ,East Belgium Tourist Agency NPO

Photo: high fens 42485926 , CC BY ,East Belgium Tourist Agency NPO

Photo: high fens 37551129 , CC BY ,East Belgium Tourist Agency NPO

Photo: high fens 42486012 , CC BY ,East Belgium Tourist Agency NPO

Photo: high fens 42486055 , CC BY ,East Belgium Tourist Agency NPO

Photo: high fens 42485965 , CC BY ,East Belgium Tourist Agency NPO

Photo: botrange 17695400 , CC BY ,East Belgium Tourist Agency NPO

Photo: reinhardstein 37551130 , CC BY ,East Belgium Tourist Agency NPO

Photo: Dominik Ketz , CC BY ,East Belgium Tourist Agency NPO

Photo: RSI Robertville , CC BY ,East Belgium Tourist Agency NPO

Photo: Dominik Ketz , CC BY ,East Belgium Tourist Agency NPO

Photo: waimes 6951269 , CC BY ,East Belgium Tourist Agency NPO

Description

Half the tour leads through the High Fens, where forest areas alternate with expansive peat bogs. The other 20 km takes you past open pastures around the Warche and Robertville reservoir, which you cross twice.

The Botrange Nature Park Centre is the beating heart of the High Fens-Eifel Nature Park situated on Belgian territory. Starting from the visitors’ centre, you cycle through dense forests into the Bayehon valley, which has carved its way deeply into the landscape. You then ride through the open countryside around Robertville. A reservoir was built here on the Warche in the 1920s to provide Malmedy with drinking water. The dam wall is 55 m high and retains almost 8 million m³ of water. The reservoir has meanwhile developed into a tourist attraction and an Eldorado for water sports enthusiasts.

Cows and pastures alternate with quaint and charming hamlets, and you reach the disused railway line when you have crossed the lake for the second time. You follow the Vennbahn cycle path for ten kilometres from the source region of the Rur to Kalterherberg (D). When you reach Sourbrodt, the Vennbahn leads you in solitary fashion through pastureland as far as the eye can see, then alongside areas of the Fens and finally parallel to the burbling Rur. Between Sourbrodt and Leykaul, on the tracks next to the cycle path, you will encounter draisines or railbikes travelling to and fro over a 7-km route.

Adcvice: An 800-metre walk at Robertville reservoir leads to the castle dating from 1354. It rises up above the Warche valley in an imposing manner.

Follow the cycle route nodes: 50 > 76 > 77 > 78 > 55 > 89 > 81 > 45 > 44 > 43 > 42 > 38 > 72 > 71 > 86 > 83 > 80 > 51 > 52 > 50

Advice

An 800-metre walk at Robertville reservoir leads to the castle dating from 1354. It rises up above the Warche valley in an imposing manner.

Details

Difficulty Medium
Physical condition
Experience
Landscape
Highest point 693 m
Lowest point 486 m
Best period for this activity

January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December

Safety instructions

Between node 80 and node 51 you will find yourself on a forest trail, part of which does not offer ideal cycling conditions. Please show consideration for hikers between nodes 51 and 50.

Recommended equipment