Pictures & Writing: Lyle Such
Camera: Canon 5D MkIV & Mavic Pro
Rochehaut Semois Valley
We arrived in the south of Belgium and began our hike through the Semois Valley. There are trails that follow the Semois River and work their way throughout a long stretch of Southern Belgium near the border with France, enough to fill several days of hiking. Unfortunately we only allowed ourselves one day for hiking, so we decided to try and hike the most scenic section in this vast array of trails. We began in the city of Rochehaut, overlooking one of the many beautiful riverbends that we would come across during our hike.
The hike started in the quaint streets of Rochehaut, but soon gave way to dirt country roads, and finally dropped into the thick green forest. Rain was in the forecast, but the the sun was shining bright and it was a relief to enter the shade that the trees offered.
When we reached the river, we found that it was covered in small white flowers that grew on long stems which swayed with the current of the river. The flowers formed unusual patterns on the surface that from far away looked like foam. There were two fly fishermen enjoying the calm river.
We hiked through a variety of landscapes, eventually rising out of the river valley and crossing farm fields and cow pastures. A short walk down a quiet country road brought us to one of the most pictaresque spots I’ve seen, The Giant’s Tomb. Even though it’s just a simple bend in the river, the thick forests, pasteural fields and rolling mountains turn it into an iconic and memorable spot. We flew Crevit to get a view from above, and the extra height only made the landscape more dramatic.
Abbey of Our Lady of Clairefontaine
We were starting to tire from the heat, and the threat of rain was a constant reminder that we had to keep a steady strong pace. Emerging from the woods, we walked straight into one the most peaceful, beautiful valleys imaginable. Cows were grazing in a vast open pasture next to the gently flowing river. Goats were playing around on the hillside, the forests rose above framing everything in a deep shade of green while the vibrant yellow wildflowers popped from the bright green grass, and the Abby of Our Lady of Clairefontaine stood quietly in the center of it all.
We had a short break on a bench underneath some enormous shade giving trees, and we left the valley on a road framed with the most picture-perfect tree tunnel. That’s the kind of place that will stay in our memories forever!
Finding our own fidget spinner in the woods.
We had to climb up these steps to the top of an observation tower for the best view of Bouillon.
We reached the top of the observation tower and finally got a good look at our final destination, Bouillon. Once again, we were looking down on a perfect bend in the Semois River. Bouillon was built up around the river and covered the surrounding hills.
From the observation tower, we made our way down the mountainside and slowly weaved our way through the crooked streets until we found our hotel. Then the real challenge began, trying to find a way back to our car which was still parked in Rochehaut.
We really enjoyed our short time in Bouillon. It had so much charm and was in such a beautiful location. We felt like we had really escaped the tourist track and found something special. I could see this becoming a much more popular destination in the near future.
