system en route is fun and informative but it is not vital to have such a device.
You won’t forget to take your passport, but remember that you must carry it with you at all times as your official ID. When driving you must also always be in possession of a current and valid licence as well as appropriate evidence of insurance.
Maps
The whole of Belgium is covered by the 1:50,000 Institut Géographique National (IGN) series which are, in principle, the same as the UK Ordnance Survey maps but of nothing like the same high-quality graphic representation and readability. Notably, footpaths are very difficult to distinguish and follow. The same organisation produces maps at 1:25,000 and 1:20,000 scale, of similar quality.
For basic holiday planning or for multi-day walks these maps are adequate, but for detailed walking routes the best – indeed the only satisfactory – answer is to purchase local maps at local tourist offices or shops. Given the often limited opening hours of the former, this can throw up interesting situations. For example, in 2012 it was possible to purchase a map of the Ourthe Superieure in Nadrin tourist office, open only from 10.00am at the weekend. However, according to a local lady it was worth trying ‘chez le pâtissier’ (at the baker’s) where, sure enough, a copy was produced with a flourish from under the counter. It is usually impossible to source these local maps in the UK prior to departure.
Generally these local maps are at 1:25,000 scale, although there are variations (1:20,000 being quite common). They vary in size and format from place to place. But even these maps are not without problems for walkers: local walking routes are numbered, and in many instances these numbers obliterate the map’s detail. Also, these routes are overprinted on existing paths, tracks and roads, and it is often impossible to determine beforehand which surface you will be walking on. Those who abhor surfaced roads may find this particularly trying. It is also worth bearing in mind that some of the maps do not have a legend, and finally it should be remembered that many of the local maps are 15 years or more out of date. However, it needs to be said that the maps of the Grand Duchy at 1:20,000 scale are good.
On the plus side, details of these walking routes, including length, a severity grading and suggested timings, are sometimes included on the reverse of the map.
The maps contained in this guide are derived from open-source materials and adjusted to reflect the author’s experience on the ground. They are not designed as a substitute for a decent map or the ability to interpret it; they are adjunctive particularly to give a speedy visual cue to area and terrain. A compass is a useful tool to add to navigational equipment, being particularly helpful to confirm the direction in which a path or track is running when there is some uncertainty about your precise position.
Finally, active forestry management, necessary though it may be, is the bane of guidebook writers and wayfarers alike. Readers should bear in mind that yesterday’s walk through a spruce forest rich with the insistent high-pitched song of goldcrests may be tomorrow’s amble through open scrubland or new plantation, filled with the scratchy utterances of common whitethroat.
Waymarking
Typical path sign (but shapes and colours vary)
The systems used for marking the very laudable number of maintained paths in the Ardennes are bewilderingly variable. The most frequent methods, though there may be many more, are as follows:
Path numbers printed on a white plastic background and nailed to a tree or any alternative inanimate object
Path numbers painted in white or black on a tree
No path number but a symbol such as a red rectangle or green diamond and so on
Wooden signposts featuring the name of the next feature on the walk
On occasion the sheer volume of numbers and symbols in one site can be overwhelming.
Fortunately, the traditional red and white GR (Grande Randonnée) signs are maintained in the Ardennes, although paradoxically GR routes are often omitted from local maps. A useful and fairly reliable rule is that if there is no GR sign at a junction of paths then one will appear within about 20m. It may be the conventional red/white or the same covered with the ‘not this way’ cross.
GR signs: (top) turn left; (bottom) ‘not this way’
Communications
There are few public telephones in the Ardennes compared with UK and most of them only take credit cards. Although there is good mobile phone network coverage, 3G is much less widespread. Some hotels provide wi-fi facilities but private accommodation rarely does so. Internet cafés are uncommon and most tourist offices have no such provision. Those who need to keep in touch with the office, the stockbroker or even the children need to make alternative provision.
The international dialling code for Belgium is 0032.
The telephone number for emergency services is 112.
The RAVeL network
In Belgium about 1200km of old railway track and towpath has been upgraded to create a track for non-motorised wayfarers ranging from cyclists (by far the biggest users) to equestrians. This is known as the RAVeL network (Réseau Autonome de Voies Lentes). Walkers also use the facility but the flatness of the terrain and the number of bikes discourages large numbers. There are fun features such as tunnels and viaducts, but given the origins of the network, walking routes would be a there-and-back affair, which generally is unattractive. However, there are two routes in this book that incorporate a short section of RAVeL (Walk 8 and Walk 9).
Using this guide
The first taste of caillebotis, the wooden walkway (Walk 17)
The walks are grouped around five centres in Belgium and one in Luxembourg. It is perfectly feasible to do a walk listed under one centre from another area, such are the small distances involved in the Ardennes, although this would inevitably increase motoring costs.
The information box at the beginning of each walk includes details of the length of the outing, an estimate of the basic time it takes, the expected height gain, which map to take and notes on getting to the start, where best to park a car and what facilities to expect en route.
An estimate of the time required for a walk is the trickiest aspect of the description. Different people move at different speeds and indeed these speeds will vary from day to day depending on the weight of backpack, weather conditions, time spent studying surroundings or taking photographs, and many other variables. In this book the stated time is simply how long it took the author to walk the route including all stops for writing notes, taking photographs, slaking thirst and for ‘comfort breaks’. But it excludes, for example, picnics, sleeping under hedgerows after liquid lunches, prolonged photographic composition experimentation and birdwatching. These timings will be on the fast side for some walkers and a little slow for others. Comparing your own time for one walk, and extrapolating that for the next, may improve predictive accuracy.
The length and ascent of each walk were measured on a global positioning system (GPS) device and rounded to the nearest half-kilometre. GPS
