2,229 ft
1,998 ft
6.66 mi
Viewed 16436 times, downloaded 460 times
near Mont Rigi, Wallonia (Belgique)
Nice hike through the High Fens (Hautes Fagnes, Hohes Venn, Hoge Venen), an impressive nature reserve. The walk will take you on the Grande Fagne, the Fagne Wallonne, and the Fagne de Polleur, along the Helle and Polleur streams, and through fir forests. Pay attention on the slippery boardwalks and the path along the Polleur with its slippery tree trunks. Apart from these stretches, the hike is largely on easy, broad tracks. The hike is best started early as it can become very busy around Baraque Michel on beautiful days.
You start at Baraque Michel, where there is a bus stop and a large parking lot beside a popular inn. You cross the street and follow the path on the edge of the moor, and soon enter a board walk which takes you across moors along the Hille river. A bit further you come to a bifurcation with a borderstone on the former Prussian-Belgian border (you will see several borderstones around Baraque Michel). You turn right, follow another boardwalk to the edge of the forest, and cross the woods back to the N68 at Mont Rigi. Here is another inn. You continue onto the Fagne de Polleur. A former boardwalk is in bad condition, so we had to walk around the north side of the fen to get to the Polleur stream. From here, you walk parallel to the stream, slowly ascending on a track into fir woods with sometimes slippery roots. After a bit more than 1 km you descend to a forest road. You cross the Polleur stream and continue northwest through the woods to a bridge across the Ruisseau de Baraque. The bridge is not more than a wooden beam that you can hold on to when crossing the stream on rocks. Shortly after the bridge you turn northeast past the Croix de Fiancés and return across the Grande Fagne back to Baraque Michel.
Information point
Baraque Michel
Well-known as a starting point for hikes through the vens, the inn and the chapel.
Information point
Boardwalk
Here the boardwalk starts across the Fagne Wallonne. You can follow this track along the Helle river, which start here on the fen, all the way to Eupen.
Information point
Bridge on the Helle
Here there is a bridge on the young Helle, as well as another borderstone on the former border between Prussia and Belgium (before World War I)
Bridge
Bridge on the Polleur
Bridge on the young Polleur river. From here the path/boardwalk follows the river, but slowly goes up into the fir forest giving excellent views across the fen.
River
Bridge on the Ruisseau de la Baraque
A beam across the stream can be used as a hand rail.
Information point
Croix de Fiancés
The cross of the engaged...
Information point
Fagne de Polleur
You enter the Fagne de Polleur here. You used to be able to walk around it on boardwalks, but part of the boardwalk has been replaced by a small dike of mud and stones, and part of it is not accessible as the boards have rotted away.
Information point
Mont Rigi
There is a restaurant here.
Information point
Path on Grande Fagne
Information point
Polleur
You cross the Polleur on a forest road. There is a small refuge here.
roberto.g Feb 6, 2018
I have followed this trail verified View more
Information
Easy to follow
Scenery
Easy
Très beau parcours...
simon.holder Feb 9, 2019
I have followed this trail View more
Information
Easy to follow
Scenery
Moderate
Very beautiful walk last weekend 02/02/19.
Tjaart Molenkamp Feb 10, 2019
Thanks Simon, for your review. Glad you enjoyed it.
charlottecorthals Feb 28, 2019
I have followed this trail View more
Information
Easy to follow
Scenery
Moderate
Leuke wandeling met mooie uitzichten.
Tjaart Molenkamp Feb 28, 2019
Bedankt voor je review, Charlotte. Mooi dat het je bevallen is!
Nikisan Nov 1, 2019
I have followed this trail verified View more
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Easy to follow
Scenery
Easy
Magnifique randonnée.. Je recommande chaudement 👌
Tjaart Molenkamp Nov 3, 2019
Thanks for your review and recommendation, Nikisan!
TimeosStavros Sep 28, 2021
Mooie tocht, leuke variatie van onverharde paden, knuppelpaden en bospaden met de boomwortels als extra behendigheidsoefening. Prachtige uitzichten, we hadden mooi weer , 18 graden en lichte bries volgens het weerstation op de route. 👍
TimeosStavros Sep 28, 2021
I have followed this trail View more
Information
Easy to follow
Scenery
Easy
Top walk, zie vorige commentaar.
Tjaart Molenkamp Sep 29, 2021
Bedankt Timeos, voor je mooie aanbeveling! Mooi dat je genoten hebt!