Wandeling: RAVeL
Relais des Fagnes-Pavé du Diable-Baronheid-Ravel-Villa Sérénité-Relais des Fagnes
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Very quiet 5.5 km walk in the immediate vicinity of the Relais des Fagnes
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For an Ardennes walk, it is comfortable with gentle ascents and descents.
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Not suitable for prams or wheelchairs. A child in a rucksack, however, is possible.
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Catering is available halfway along the walk, in Hockai.
Take the country lane next to the Relais des Fagnes and follow it to the fork. Take the path to the right and take a moment to discover the "Pavé du Diable". This stone is one of the large blocks of quartzite scattered around the area and no one knows how they got there (which has given rise to all sorts of legends and ghost stories over the years).
Continue along this path until it joins a wider forest road and turn left here. At the crossroads of the country lanes you go straight on, and further on you follow the bend to the right.
At house number 411 (on your left) you turn left and go down to the main road. Here you go a little to the left and then cross the road (carefully) to go downhill into the street opposite. Ignore all the junctions until you see an old mini railway station on your right.
Turn left to continue your walk on a road, which, as the signs indicate, is reserved exclusively for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders. You are now on the RAVeL. This is the route of the former railway line 44 between Pépinster and Stavelot. There have been no trains on this route since 1973 and nowadays you can't see any rails, as almost the entire route has been converted into a cycle path as part of the popular RAVeL network (Réseau Autonome des Voies Lentes).
Continuing straight on the RAVeL, it is worth paying attention on the left to a stony path that slopes down, because there are beaver constructions to be seen as well as traces of their presence: stumps of gnawed trees.
You pass a first bridge. If you feel like it, you can go up the small path to rest a little at the Beau Site hotel, but for the rest of the programme you have to go back down.
You continue to follow the RAVeL (which leads to Sart-Station and then to Spa). You walk to the next bridge, where you go up to the right. At the top you cross the bridge and continue on this road straight ahead until you reach the "Villa Sérénité".
The path in the extension of your road, at the side of the Villa, takes you directly to the Hockai Road. If the condition of the path does not allow a comfortable passage, you stay on the asphalt by taking a left. The result is the same: you also come across the Hockai Road. Once you have reached this road, turn right and after 2 km you will find the starting point: the Relais des Fagnes.