Enchanted Paths

800.00 people frolic at the Three-Country Point over the course of a year. There, at the highest point in the Netherlands, where Belgian, German, and Dutch borders meet, numerous attractions lure visitors.

However, one can also hike to the crowd-puller on quiet paths through the border forests. From Karlshöhe past the telecommunications tower "Mulleklenkes" (133m), we follow the course of the former land ditch, a medieval fortification consisting of an earth wall, ditch, and beech hedge. It led over 70 kilometers around the rural areas of the Aachen Empire and secured the lush forests from wood robbers. In 1611, border stones with the city's emblem, the eagle, chiseled into them signaled the rightful owner. Two eagle stones meet us on the tour: hidden near the German-Belgian border barrier and later in the middle of the path near the Wilhelminaturm. Along the current borders, remnants of the old wall and beech hedge with their old, gnarled tree rows can be glimpsed. With the turreted Beeck, we also come across one of the old watchtowers on the land ditch.

Then a wide meadow area opens up before us. It lies on the German side and boldly extends a narrow strip into the Belgian forest. The small turnstile "Rüttchen" marks the inconspicuous border crossing. Through a green tunnel, we now head towards the Geusenweg. In the 18th century, it allowed for a hidden church path between Eupen and Vaals, where Protestants, then insulted and persecuted as "Geusen" (beggars), found a tolerant island in the midst of a Catholic-dominated environment.

With a view of the western part of the city, we ascend to the Three-Country Point. Eagle stone and a play station of the nature experience path allow visitors to experience old and present borders in the forest. We step out of the forest hideout and enjoy the quieter end of the Three-Country Point with a viewing tower and skywalk, as well as gastronomy businesses with magnificent viewing terraces. After the break, we take the quiet forest path along the old land ditch border, away from car traffic. At the end of the parallel route, those who wish can immerse themselves in the hustle and bustle of the Three-Country Point, where the following await: Three-Country Point, highest point in the Netherlands, labyrinth, and Baudouin viewing tower.

We return via the Königsweg, a popular hiking trail to the Three-Country Point. The greetings quickly switch between "Hello," "Middag," or "Bonjour," revealing the diverse audience's origins. Soon, we reach the next pilgrimage route, this time in the true sense. Since 1863, the eight-kilometer Bittweg, which is also part of the Way of St. James, has been used by Wednesday pilgrims once a week for the pilgrimage from Aachen to Moresnet-Chapelle. Throughout history, the path in the border forest has served as an escape route in times of war or as a smuggling route. War and peace converge at the concrete teeth of the Westwall. Once touted by the Nazis as an insurmountable defense line, the bulwark of 1938/39 was already outdated five years later and could not offer much resistance to the liberation by the Allies. The nearby pilgrim cross commemorates war victims and calls for peace in Europe.

Highlights along the route:
1 Land ditch, eagle stones
2 Geusenweg
3 Wilhelminaturm Skywalk
4 Three-Country Point, Highest Point in NL, Baudointurm, Labyrinth
5 Bittweg
6 Westwall