5 reasons to hike the Venntrilogie (Belgium)
The Venntrilogie is a hiking trail located in the Eastern Cantons region of Belgium. With its 110km and 6 stages, it's a great idea for a hike that's both enjoyable and accessible! I did it with a friend and came back delighted :)
The Venntrilogy at a glance
1. Discover the German-speaking region of Belgium
The Venntrilogie is an itinerary that crosses from north to south (or vice versa) the cantons de l’Est, located to the east of the province of Liège. This little-known Belgian region has a turbulent history, belonging to Germany until 1919, when it was annexed to Belgium under the Treaty of Versailles.
Nowadays, much like in Alsace, there’s a nice cultural mix that I found interesting, exotic and friendly! Hiking on the Venntrilogie means discovering this region and its beautiful cultural, natural and architectural heritage.
2. Hiking in varied landscapes
The Venntrilogie allows you to discover the Fagnes region, divided into 3 parts: the northern Fagnes (the beginnings), then the High Fens and the southern Fens. Each of these sections of the route has its own personality, with a variety of landscapes to admire on the way!
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First you’ll find a landscape of forests, fields and meadows (crossed by small turnstiles called échaliers, typical of the area). Then we enter the Hautes-Fagnes nature reserve, famous for its characteristic peat bogs, which we cross on pretty duckboards and where we also find numerous streams. Finally, the last part of the itinerary is a little sportier, with fine climbs over ridges, but also waterside paths and small country lanes.
There’s never a dull moment, as each day is different from the last!
3. A nice hike without too much elevation gain
Let’s face it, not everyone wants to go hiking in the mountains with big changes in altitude… But that doesn’t mean you don’t want to do long, beautiful stages!
With a total of 2,400m of positive altitude difference, the Venntrilogie is a really good compromise, as it allows you to enjoy a week’s hiking, with fairly long stages (around 20 km per day, except for the last two which are shorter) without suffering from too much altitude difference.
It’s sporty, but suitable for people who prefer to walk on the flat (although there are a few climbs on the final stages, but they’re short!).
4. Take in the sights along the way
One of the things I also liked about the Venntrilogie was the opportunity to do some sightseeing along the way. The itinerary is very natural (which is nice), but it also gives you the opportunity to visit the pretty town of Eupen (the capital of the East Cantons), Malmedy (where I recommend a visit to the Malmundarirum to discover its amazing history) or the magnificent Rheinardstein Castle and the Raeren Pottery Museum.
5. Walk a well-marked route
The Venntrilogie is an extremely well-marked route, in both directions. Even though I ALWAYS recommend setting off with the GPX trail as well, I have to admit that the signposting on this hike is particularly well done. This is undoubtedly one of the reasons why the Venntrilogie is one of the“Leading quality trails – Best of Europe“, which rewards the most beautiful hiking trails in Europe!
Practical information and travel guide
Want to find out more? Check out my Venntrilogy guide and my day-by-day travel diary on my blog Carnet d’escapades.