Around the Poleur Venn and the upper Hoegne

East Belgium has a knack for creating the right mix of wilderness and accessibility, busy tourist hotspots and places that make you feel adventurous. Of course the High Venn of the Ardennes is an outstandingly beautiful eco-system that attracts hikers with its muddy trails, board walks, great vistas, and rapidly changing weather patterns.

Our trail starts at the abandoned restaurant at Mont Rigi. Alternatively, you may start and end the hike at the newly renovated parking lot at Baraque Michel. At Mont Rigi, there is a wind-research station, that is open for visitors most of the time.

The trail immediately opens views across the Poleur Venn, with its typical tufts of gras. After a few meters you reach the weather station, which makes you wonder what it takes to measure the speed of the wind.

A little into the hike, the trail has alpine character, and is secured with steel cables. Then, after a few meters of forest road, our trail follows the Poleur stream. This is a wild trail, which may become impossible after a long period of rain. There are remains of boardwalks and bridges in places, but more often than not one has to find detours to avoid the streams and bogs. At some point, you cross the Hoegne via a makeshift bridge of fallen trees.

After a while and some turns (agaon on forest roads) you reach the 'cross of the fiances'. Many years ago, a man and his fiance were found here, after they had lost their way on a winter day.

From here, it is straight back to first Baraque Michel, with a functioning restaurant and Auberge, and then back to Mont Rigi.