This route shows off Belgium’s luscious green countryside to the max. Cycle or hike away on all or part of this 110km path through the Luxembourg and Liege provinces in Belgium, and through the North of the country Luxembourg.
Explore the villages and hidden gems of nature along the Ourtal Route. Get your dose of village churches, historic monuments, and peddle or trek to the top of the mountain for some great luscious green views. Pick and choose your own path or follow along the 17km option.
On your bike or by foot, this route takes you from the Flemish-speaking eastern side of Flanders to all the way to the French-speaking Luxembourg in the southern region of Belgium. You can customise the route to a suitable length using the map and regular “knooppunten” aka numbered signs along the route. This is a long but not super difficult hiking trail, generally flat with several hills along the way reaching up to 600 meters in elevation
The full 110km route is mostly for cyclists. For walkers, customise your hike and starting point to make it just right. No matter your experience level, you can have a good hike along The Ourtal Route.
- Hike some hills: You could definitely do the full 110km, but this is quite a feat! We suggest starting in St. Vith just out of convenience, but you can pick and choose where is best for you from the route map. There we did a trek of about 17km that will take the average hiker 4 to 6 hours.
- 17km option: a peaceful walking path! Starting near a car park and bridge, the path takes you to a pine forest and up for views of the valley. At the very end of the walk, you'll see the edges of Belgium's border. Enjoy that view of nature by following along the nodes 17-20-24-82-81-25-14-10-18-33-17. See the map here.
- Calling all you bikers: This is a beauty for all you avid cyclists, mountain bikers or whatever wheeled vehicle of choice you choose to ride. The range in elevation and the great shape the trails are in make this a fun trail to bike on.
- What to See: the route takes you through the 13th century St. Peter’s Church in Ostbelgien. Really, though, you’re here for the long and relaxing flat biking and hiking trail that shows off the nature of Belgium. You’ll definitely catch some fresh air here while enjoying the rich green hilly landscape.
Tips and Tricks
- If you start at St. Vith, you can easily make a route to the north or south that’s more doable and/or faster when you don’t want to bike for the whole day or do the entire loop.
- We recommend starting on the western side of the loop in St Vith if you want to see some of those hills. The eastern side of the loop is flatter and has lower elevation.
Getting There
- By Car: close to free car park Am Fußballplatz
- By Bus: close to bus stop SANKT-VITH Rodter Strasse. Buses 398, 401 and 848 stop here
Route details
Starting point: same as address
- Full route map and GPX file here. Map of the 17km option.
