The Meuse valley is almost as dramatic as the Rhine. So why not take a hike along the river? There’s even a direct train from Brussels that gets you quickly and cheaply to stops along the river including Yvoir and Dinant.
You can pick up any number of marked footpaths that run along the old towpath, or lead you up to sheer cliffs overlooking the Meuse. For an easy one-day ramble, take the train to Dinant, then follow the marked Grande Randonnée trail GR129 on the left bank to the attractive village of Bouvignes-sur-Meuse.
It's a stiff climb from the village to the ruined castle of Crèvecoeur. Then keep on the high ground, still on the GR129, until you come to a walled farm. Here you should leave the GR and turn right, following a trail marked green and white. This follows a meandering route above the River Meuse before it descends to Anhée. Here you have to cross the river and follow the towpath to reach Yvoir station on the edge of town. The perfect hike for anyone without a car.
Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium”. He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.
