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The High Fens in a day — peat bogs and boardwalks
Demonstration hike — no real departures are offered.
Verified guideMax 10 participantsGuaranteed departure or refund by the announced date
I have been coming up to this plateau for about fifteen years and have never had the same walk twice. The fen changes colour every three weeks, and in fog, which happens roughly one day in three, you lose your landmarks within fifty metres. My favourite place to show people is the Noir Flohay: dead spruce trees, upright and grey, standing in low moorland. People arrive expecting Belgium’s forests and church towers, and then find this. I walk slowly, stop often and always make it clear: this is not a sporting challenge; it is a walk for looking around.
What you will experience
The High Fens plateau is Belgium’s highest point and, by far, its strangest. In a single day’s walk, we cross a peat bog built up layer by layer over more than ten thousand years: spongy, waterlogged ground unlike anything else in the country. We pass the Signal de Botrange at 694 metres. The route covers 17 kilometres with around 200 metres of ascent. It is flat, but that does not make it easy.
Much of the route follows boardwalks, wooden walkways laid directly on the peat to avoid crushing it. The wood is slippery when wet, and it is almost always wet. Between the boards, we walk along paths through purple moor-grass and heather, sometimes soaked up to the ankles. In June, cotton grass dots the fen with white tufts; in October, the moor turns russet. I stop regularly to explain how peat forms, why it holds so much water and carbon, and what the restoration projects are trying to recover.
An honest word: we are in a state nature reserve. Leaving marked paths is prohibited, some areas are only accessible with an authorised guide, and the reserve uses a colour code that can close it entirely: fire risk during dry periods, or saturated ground during the thaw. If the code turns red the day before, the walk is postponed.
Technical details
Distance
17 km
Elevation
+200 / -200 m
Effort levelEasy
A few gentle climbs, no particular fitness required.
Required fitness level
Moderate effort: 17 kilometres with just 200 metres of ascent, spread over around 6 hours of actual walking. Breaks are included in the outing’s total duration of 7 hours. The challenge comes from the ground rather than the gradient: slippery boardwalks, spongy sections and uneven footing work the ankles and are more tiring than a dry trail. You should be able to walk all day at a gentle pace and have already walked 15 kilometres in one go without suffering the next day.
Conditions & climate
The High Fens have Belgium’s harshest climate: an annual average temperature of around 7 °C and about 1,400 mm of precipitation a year, nearly twice as much as the lowlands, spread over more than 200 days. The plateau is misty for much of the year and the wind blows unobstructed, making it easily feel 5 to 8 °C colder than Verviers or Liège. Snow stays for an average of 60 to 100 days each winter, and frost can occur as early as October or as late as May. The weather changes quickly: setting off in sunshine and eating your picnic in fog is quite normal here.
Participation requirements
For adults only (aged 18 and over).
Each departure requires a minimum number of participants. It is guaranteed or fully refunded by the announced date for your chosen departure, no later than 7 days before departure. The guide may set an earlier deadline for accommodation.
Programme
01
Day 1 — Plateau loop: Botrange, Noir Flohay, Baraque Michel and the Fagne Wallonne
17 km
Meet at 9 am in the Signal de Botrange car park for a briefing and a check of the reserve’s colour code before setting off. Cross the Fagne de la Poleûr on boardwalks, then climb gently to the Noir Flohay and its dead spruce trees, with a first stop to discuss peat formation. Packed lunch around 12.30 pm in a sheltered spot near the Baraque Michel, the Croix des Fiancés and Fischbach chapel. Return via the Fagne Wallonne and the blocked ditches, reaching the Botrange tower between 4 pm and 4.30 pm.
The agreement
Included in the price
- Guiding throughout the day, around 7 hours from the station to the return to the car park
- The starting briefing and explanation of the reserve’s colour code, checked that morning
- Commentary on the peat bog, wildlife and restoration work throughout the walk
- A pair of walking poles on request when booking (10 pairs available)
- The first-aid kit, emergency blanket and navigation equipment carried by the guide
- The route’s GPX track, emailed after the walk
At your own expense
- Travel to and from the Signal de Botrange car park
- The day’s picnic and drinks, to bring in your backpack
- Any refreshments at the Centre Nature de Botrange at the end of the walk
- All personal equipment: boots, waterproof clothing and backpack
- Personal insurance (cancellation, accident, assistance)
Your backpack
Equipment to bring
Required
- 01Broken-in, high-cut waterproof hiking boots — the boardwalks are slippery and several trail sections stay waterlogged even in dry weather
- 02A waterproof and windproof jacket, even if the sky is clear at the start
- 03Long hiking trousers: purple moor-grass and heather can cut bare calves
- 04A 20–30 litre backpack containing at least 1.5 litres of water
- 05A full picnic: there are no supply points between departure and the return to Botrange
- 06A hat and light gloves from October to April: the wind never stops on the plateau
- 07A spare pair of socks left in the car (strongly recommended)
Recommended
- Waterproof, high-cut hiking boots worn several times before: the plateau is not the place to break in a new pair.
- Walking poles are really useful on wet boardwalks. I can lend some if you let me know when booking.
- A breathable waterproof jacket rather than a poncho, because of the constant wind on the open moor.
- An extra warm layer, even in July: it is regularly 6 to 7 degrees colder than Liège.
- Long trousers and, if you have them, short gaiters for muddy sections.
- At least 1.5 litres of water: there is no drinking water along the route.
- A picnic and a sweet snack to keep in your pocket for the afternoon.
- Binoculars if you own a pair, for distant harriers and black grouse.
Meeting point
Parking du Signal de Botrange, au pied de la tour en pierre, route de Botrange à Waimes - rendez-vous devant l'entrée du Centre Nature ; le parking est gratuit mais se remplit avant 10 h le week-end, prévoyez large.
Good to know
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Your guide
T
Théo
Verified
New·
Ardennes
·10 years of experience
1 Hike offered
Test guide persona 4
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Demonstration hike — no real departures are offered. You can test the booking process up to the last step; payment is disabled.
Indicative price
€100.00
per person
For one person: €105.00, including a €5.00 service supplement. The amount is recalculated based on the number of people in the booking.
Upcoming departures
- 9 places available
- 10 places available
The first step towards your next outing.
An unexpected event? The cancellation fees depend on the date you cancel.
Cancellation terms
For a personal cancellation, apart from the right to cancel without charge, the following fees apply:
- More than 60 days before departure
- 10 %
- Between 46 and 60 days before departure
- 25 %
- Between 15 and 45 days before departure
- 70 %
- 14 days or less before departure
- 100 %
The amount retained is calculated on the total price and limited to the sums already paid.
For this personal cancellation, the commission is the minimum amount retained, subject to applicable legal limits. For a low-value booking, the amount retained may therefore exceed the stated percentage.
For a package holiday, the fees must remain reasonable and justifiable. The rights to cancel without charge and receive a full refund take precedence over this scale. Contact us to have exceptional circumstances reviewed.
From
€100.00