On the 26th day of our trip, we really immersed ourselves in Belgium. The ‘Sint Pietersberg’ was the first impressive mountain we saw on this tour. We had no idea what challenges the next few days would hold in store for us. After the flat landscapes and great cycle paths in the Netherlands, we were used to a certain level of comfort. Belgium was a completely different story. Sometimes we rode on a narrow cycle lane along the country road, sometimes we had to switch to the pavement, and sometimes the cycle path simply stopped, so we had to improvise.
We were approaching Liège, time was running out and it was getting later and later, but our motivation drove us on. From 6 p.m. onwards, we drove through this lively city. We actually had a confirmation from a Warmshowers host, but he had cancelled at short notice and our other enquiries remained unanswered. So we realised that we would have to cross Liège completely.
Our route took us along the Albert Canal into the city centre, where we had a quick look around. Then we crossed the canal to the east and were immediately surprised by the steep climbs. We hadn't expected mountains like this. It was steep uphill and down again, sometimes we even had to push. Luckily we had enough water with us, because the effort was enormous.
After a few hours of struggling with the metres in altitude, we happened to find an abandoned property with a lost-place building on it. It seemed like a perfect place to spend the night, especially as most people were watching the European Championship football match and had to go to work or school the next day. Here we could finally get some rest and prepare for our next adventures.


Unplanned heat: how we found refuge on a campsite
We found the place on the deserted site so ideal that we planned to take a day's break there. But from midday onwards it became extremely hot. The temperatures in the tent rose to well over 30 degrees Celsius (measured with our Hygrometer), which made the situation quite stressful. One positive aspect, however, was that our solar systems worked excellently at this sun intensity and our powerbanks reload well.
However, our water supply was running low, so we decided to move on in the early afternoon. The nearest supermarket was only about 3 kilometres away. After a quick stop there to replenish our supplies, we drove another 3 km to spontaneously check in at a campsite. This was near a beautiful castle, which probably served as a kind of youth hostel.
At the campsite reception, we met Germans with motorhomes, including some from Hanover. Although the man at reception spoke no German and not so good English, check-in was quick and easy. He personally assigned us a quiet camping pitch. The overnight stay also included a free visit to the outdoor pool behind the campsite, but it was too crowded that day.
Reach the Ardennes
On the 28th day, we slept in - we had got used to that on this trip. Around 10.30 a.m., after we had assembled everything, stowed it on the bikes and had breakfast, we set off again. We prepared ourselves for the additional metres of altitude that awaited us. But we accepted these challenges, after all we wanted to grow with them, as much bigger mountains awaited us over the next few months.

Over the course of the day, we battled our way up to 580 metres above sea level. The best part was the view over all the valleys and villages as well as the descents, which we enjoyed with caution - especially after Annkathrin's crash in the Netherlands. Finally, we reached the mountains of East Belgium, the Ardennes to be precise.
The Ardennes are a densely forested highland region that stretches across parts of Belgium, Luxembourg and France. Known for its steep slopes and deep valleys, the Ardennes offer spectacular scenery and are a popular destination for outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling and climbing. The region is also historically significant, particularly due to the Battle of the Bulge during the Second World War.
As we drove along the road near Fischvenn, numerous mopeds and scooters overtook us. We surmised that they were taking part in a rally. From historic and refurbished to modern motorised mopeds - the variety was impressive. We also encountered these vehicles a few kilometres further on as we enjoyed the view at the Robertville dam.
The Robertville dam is an impressive structure that dams the Warche river and forms the Robertville lake. The reservoir not only serves as a water supply, but is also a popular excursion destination for nature lovers.
On the Vennbahn cycle path
On day 29, we suddenly ended up on the Vennbahn cycle path. The Vennbahnradweg is an impressive, approximately 125-kilometre-long cycle path that runs along a former railway line from Aachen in Germany to Troisvierges in Luxembourg. It offers a unique combination of flat paths and picturesque landscapes, ideal for cyclists.
The roads suddenly improved and we often travelled downhill - a relief after struggling for days and hours with the mountains in north-east Belgium. We topped up our supplies at a supermarket and had a sinking feeling. It was supposed to start thundering at 10 or 11 pm and that could either be quite dangerous or very wet in the tent. Nico therefore asked a cycling group on Telegram for advice and quickly got the right answers. Our destination was clear: a barbecue hut that would serve as a shelter. The pictures on the internet showed that it was big enough to fit our tent.
We continued along the Vennbahn cycle path and finally reached the hut. We looked around and were delighted. But it also said that the property was for rent and we didn't want to get into trouble. We found a telephone number on the internet and called. The man on the phone spoke excellent German - which is quite normal in East Belgium, as people there grow up bilingual (French and German). We explained to him that we were on a long cycle tour and that a heavy thunderstorm was due to hit in the evening, so we needed shelter. The gentleman, who obviously managed the property, didn't see any problems and agreed.
We also realised that our power banks and cameras were running low on power. As we had already seen and tried out sockets in the hut, we asked him to switch on the power. About two hours later, he came round, we had a friendly chat, he switched on the power for us and even unlocked the small toilet nearby. The only request was that we should be gone early the following day as there was a party planned.
The rain started right on time at 10 pm and the predicted thunderstorm peaked at 11 pm. We were glad to be in the dry. We had spread out our technical equipment on the kitchen worktop and plugged it into the three sockets. Our tent was in the centre at the back of the hut, this time without an outer tarpaulin as we had a fixed roof. Everything was ready for sleeping, but we could see the masses of water falling from the roof outside through the large windows.
Suddenly the water came into the hut too - from all sides. Centimetre by centimetre, it threatened to soak our equipment. We quickly secured everything we had on the ground and somehow got it onto the bikes. More and more water flowed into the hut and approached the tent. But the all-clear: when the heavy rain stopped, the water also subsided. It had probably found a way to seep into the ground or run off. Our tension subsided, we stuffed ear defenders into our ears and tried to sleep.
In the middle of the night, we were kept awake for a few minutes by a techno party nearby, but dozed on half asleep. The metal roof of the hut had also become quite loud due to the raindrops. The hearing protection hadn't helped much. But the main thing was that we were safe, dry and able to recharge our electrical devices. A little rumpled, we dismantled everything the next morning, had breakfast and moved on.
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