Explore La Gleize, a beautifully situated village above the Amblève valley. You will be treated to stunning views and babbling streams. Ideal for a lovely autumn day!

Text and photo Mark Dedapper

La Gleize, a municipality of Stoumont, is a small village above the Amblève valley. The village was heavily destroyed in December 1944, during the German offensive in the Ardennes. In memory of these battles, you will find a historical tank and the December 1944 museum near the church. The church itself was built in the 12th century on a rise opposite the town hall. The walk takes you through alternating landscapes and tiny, often picturesque villages, such as Borgoumont, Moulin du Ruy, and Roanne. You will get acquainted with some beautiful tributaries of the Amblève, including the Nabonruy and the Roannay. By quiet roads, we climb out of the valley and enjoy breathtaking panoramic views with forests and scattered small villages on the heights.

The route

Start: Parking at the church Rue de l’Eglise – bus stop La Gleize Centre (TEC 142). Facing the church, turn left. The next street is right and turn left at the main road. You will pass the bus stop. First street on the right (towards Spa). You now follow the walk marked by the red rectangle for 5 km. 150 m further, a narrower road to the left. At the chapel, go straight. Past a residence, you enter the forest and cross the Nabonruy (1) via a wooden bridge. Turn right onto a stony path. If this path is too wet, you can follow a parallel path slightly higher in the forest on the right. At a junction of paths, take the forest road to the right (red rectangle, towards Borgoumont). At the asphalt road, turn right. 100 m further, you reach the hamlet of Borgoumont (2), where you briefly turn left and then take the descending road sharply to the right (still following the red rectangle). Continue straight. Past the last house, you enter a lane with hornbeam. 1.5 km further, past a spring where water flows from a pipe (Fontaine des Nymphes) (3), turn right to take the path to the left 50 m further. Follow to the right at a split. Turn right at the roadway. 175 m further, just after crossing the bridges over the Roannay (4) and the Ru dè Neu, leave the red marks and continue straight following the green rectangle. You walk through the picturesque hamlet of Moulin du Ruy (5). At the intersection 150 m past the church, take the narrow road to the right. At the split, take the right branch (on the left, you'll see a beautiful orchard over a small bridge). Follow the green signs carefully. At a T-junction, turn right and at the next T, turn left on the asphalt road. 550 m further, after a fairly long climb, turn right onto a stony field road. There is again a quite steep climb. At a T, turn right and once out of the forest at a junction, turn right again – descending asphalt path with beautiful views. In the hamlet of Roanne (6), you briefly turn left at a wider road and almost immediately diagonally to the right. You descend into the valley and below turn right over the Roannay (4) (Pont de Roanne). To the left, you will again find the red walk and leave the green path. 150 m past the small bridge, turn right. At the following T, continue right, following the red rectangle until you reach La Gleize. Turn left at the main road and 175 m further, turn right onto Rue de l’Eglise to the parking lot.