Eastern Ardennes & High Fens

The Eastern Ardennes and High Fens route explores the wildest, highest, and most remote corner of Belgium — a landscape that feels more Nordic than Central European. The route begins in historic Limbourg, a perfectly preserved fortified town perched on a rocky promontory above the Vesdre river. Though just minutes from Liège's industrial suburbs, Limbourg feels centuries removed, its cobbled streets and Gothic church creating a dramatic prelude to the wilderness ahead. From here the route climbs to the German-speaking east, passing through Eupen — Belgium's only German-speaking city and a charming place largely unknown to other tourists.

The centrepiece of this route is the Hautes-Fagnes (High Fens), a vast, elevated plateau of blanket bog and heathland that feels genuinely alien in a densely populated country like Belgium. Botrange, at 694 metres, is the highest point in the country, and the area is a strict nature reserve where access is restricted to marked paths. The atmosphere here is unforgettable: on clear days the views stretch to the Eifel hills in Germany; on misty days the peat hags and dwarfed pine trees disappear into a grey void. The Signal de Botrange visitor centre provides excellent context on this unique ecosystem. Descending south, the route passes through Malmedy — scene of the SS massacre of American POWs in December 1944 — and the grand Benedictine abbey of Stavelot, home to an extraordinary carnival museum and Trappist beer heritage.

For VW T3 owners, honest advice is needed here. This is the most challenging Belgian route for a low-powered vehicle. The approach to the High Fens plateau involves sustained climbs of 8–10% over several kilometres. A well-maintained T3 with a competent driver will manage, but monitor your engine temperature carefully, use a lower gear on the ascents, and allow the engine to rest at the summit before descending. The rewards are immense, but this is not a route for a T3 with known mechanical issues. Fuel up in Eupen before heading into the nature reserve — there are very few stations in the high zone.

Season matters greatly on this route. The High Fens are at their most dramatic in late autumn when the heather is brown and mist hangs low, and in winter when snow can make the plateau a white wilderness. Summer brings the most accessible conditions. Spring is magical when the heather blooms purple. Note that the plateau roads can be slippery in frost, and some minor tracks into the reserve may be officially closed in winter to protect the bog ecosystem.