Solwaster-Baraque Michel-Hoëgne valley 25 km

Excellent hike along the rivers Hoëgne, Polleur and Statte, across moors, and through woods, from Solwaster to Baraque Michel and back. You need waterproof shoes. At one point, you need to cross the Hoëgne without a bridge (see waypoint ‘Hoëgne crossing’ for more information). You will find something to eat and drink on Baraque Michel, in Solwaster, and near the waypoint marked ‘ford’. The day I did this hike, it was grey with snow above 500 m altitude.
The hike starts at a parking along the road to Solwaster, close to exit 9 of the E42 motorway. You first follow the Hoëgne downstream for a bit more than 1 km, crossing the stream on some narrow and not so reliable looking bridges a few times. Where the Statte flows into the Hoëgne, you cross the river and walk towards Solwaster on asphalt roads through pasture. From Solwaster you walk on to the edge of the forest, where you enter the Route de la Statte, a trail along the river. This track follows the river, sometimes crossing it. After a bit less than 1 km, there is a rocky outcrop (Rocher de Bilisse), which you climb for the (limited) view. After the climb you return to the Statte and follow it upstream. You pass by the Cascade de Nutons. A bit further you cross a forest road, and continue on the track which is narrow and becomes muddier as you leave the forest and enter the moors. When you arrive to another forest road, you follow it uphill until you get to a monument dedicated to American pilots, on the edge of the Grande Fagne. From here you follow a narrow and sometimes very wet track along the moor until you get to an elevated gravel track which takes you through the moor to Baraque Michel. You will find some border stones of the former Prussia-Belgian border along this path. From Baraque Michel you walk to the Fagne de Polleur, which you cross on another elevated gravel track. A smaller path takes you up through the spruce forest along the Polleur river with good views across the moor. At the end of the path you cross the Polleur and take a (wet) path along the river, cross it once more and follow a broader track along the river, until you get to another small and muddy track along the river which turns into the Hoëgne after merging with the Herbofaye stream. A bit further you come to the place where you have to cross the Hoëgne. There was a makeshift bridge made of some trunks during my trip (see the waypoint for more information). After the Hoëgne crossing you get to a broad forest road which you follow all the way to a large bridge across the Hoëgne near Hockai. Here, the popular Sentier de la Hoëgne starts, a track along the river in the wooded valley, with various bridges and waterfalls. You more or less follow this track all the way back to the starting point.
Hiking times:
Start-Solwaster 0h30
Solwaster-Baraque Michel 2h30
Baraque Michel-Sentier de la Hoëgne 2h15
Sentier de la Hoëgne 1h20