A region of hedgerows, living hedges and flowering meadows, the Pays de Herve holds a thousand and one treasures for the walking enthusiast.
Beyond its inviting and varied natural scenery, pleasantly shaped by human hands, this ancient historic land on the borders of the French-speaking world reveals, along the bends of its paths, rustic old farmhouses, welcoming villages and historic residences.
The great cities of Liège, Maastricht and Aachen are all close by, and yet walkers can very easily find peace and serenity in bucolic surroundings, without ever feeling as though they have strayed into a forgotten world.
Nowhere else, perhaps, will walkers have so many opportunities to cross fields and meadows, orchards and pastures, so frequently and entirely within their rights.
The Pays de Herve is indeed the kingdom of gates, stiles, turnstiles and other chicanes that allow walkers to weave their way through a rural environment
at the mercy of rights of way and old
pedestrian thoroughfares.
The Pays de Herve no doubt owes its reputation as a land of good living to its pastoral vocation: its cheese has a worldwide reputation. Dare we say a well-rounded one? Syrups and ciders are also celebrated, especially when produced by small
local artisans.
Metallurgy and the mining industry once held sway over certain parts of this land, but without diminishing the quality of its landscapes, which are often remarkably gentle.
This is therefore a rich and vibrant region, green and varied, easily
accessible to visitors for one or several days. Its climate is temperate and, while mid-spring is the ideal time to explore the region and enjoy the dazzling bloom of its meadows, orchards and hedgerows, every month of the year is suitable for wandering the byways of such a unique and charming plateau.
Main features
- Connections: via the GR 573 through Verviers (7.6 km) Connection between the Three Borders and Aachen (7.5 km) Walk around Herve (26.6 km)
- Route:
Herve – Dison – Limbourg – Baelen – Eupen Raeren – Lontzen – La Calamine – Plombières – Aubel Dalhem – Blegny – Soumagne – Olne – Soiron – Herve
For many publications, the publisher completes its offering by providing downloadable GPX tracks on its website www.grsentiers.be.
