Hautes Fagnes · BelgiumVenntrilogie
From three borders to Belgium's rooftop
About Venntrilogie
The Venntrilogie runs in six stages from the tripoint on the Vaalserberg, where Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany meet, to Lake Bütgenbach in the Belgian Eifel: 109 kilometres with just over 2,400 metres of climbing, in stages of 11 to 25 kilometres.
Every stage has its own character. The first two days cross the rolling border country: mining history at Kelmis, castles around Raeren and an easy descent into Eupen, capital of the German-speaking community. From there the plateau begins: open bog, boardwalks, spruce and heather, with a weather station at Botrange that explains why you carry a rain jacket. The second half drops through the Warche valley, past the Bayehon waterfall and the medieval Château de Reinhardstein, to the lakes of Bütgenbach and Worriken.
The route is waymarked with its own signs and easy to follow, but poor visibility on the plateau is not to be taken lightly: in fog the signs vanish into the bog and you have little to go on. The ground is soft, with many boardwalks that turn slippery after rain.
Practical. You stay mainly in Eupen, with the widest choice including a youth hostel, in Malmedy and around Ovifat; the route finishes at Lake Bütgenbach, with a campsite and hotels on the shore. Book the plateau and Reinhardstein valley nights ahead in summer. Eupen is the practical train entry via Liège; buses run to the start at the Vaalserberg and back from Bütgenbach. May to October are the best months, with September and October for the colour of the fens.
Stages Venntrilogie
The Venntrilogie is split here into 6 stages of 11 to 25 km, 110 km in total, from Vaalserberg to Bütgenbach. The stages below are a sample itinerary: in the planner you put together your own days and choose where you sleep.
Vaalserberg - Eynatten
You start where three countries meet: the Drielandenpunt at Vaalserberg, with its maze and viewing tower. South through the Hohnbachtal, past the zinc-mine history and smuggling stories of Kelmis, to finish in the Eynatten area among the hedgerows of the border country.
Eynatten - Eupen
From Eynatten the trail heads for the castle country: Burg Raeren with its pottery museum, moated houses and the ruins of the old marble works, then the descent to Eupen on the Vesdre, capital of the German-speaking Community, with its museums, cafés and the IKOB museum of contemporary art.
Eupen - Signal de Botrange
NOTE: after the August 2026 wildfire, part of the High Fenn is closed to the public and this stage crosses the closed zone; check the latest access info before setting out. The big plateau day. Out of the Vesdre valley and up onto the High Fenn, where boardwalks cross the peat bog and the horizon opens wide. Past the Baraque Michel area and the Noir Flohay heathland you climb to Signal de Botrange, 694 metres and the highest point of Belgium, with its stone tower.
Signal de Botrange - Malmedy
Off the plateau and down towards the Warche: the Bayehon waterfall tumbles in a wild little gorge, then rolling Ardennes terrain with long views. You finish in Malmedy, home of the Malmundarium and the December 1944 bombardment memorial, with plenty of restaurants for the evening.
Malmedy - Robertville
A rolling day out of Malmedy along the Warche, with the valley narrowing as you approach the Robertville lake. The morning leaves time for the Malmundarium before you set off, and the day ends calmly by the water.
Robertville - Bütgenbach
The gentle finale: from Robertville the route follows the Warche to Lake Bütgenbach, ending at Worriken on the lakeshore, the recreation area of Bütgenbach, where swimming, a campsite and hotels close the trip with a view over the water.
FAQ
Below you'll find answers to some frequently asked questions.
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