Hike5
We set off just after 11:15 today from the swimming pool in Eupen, a municipality located in the German-speaking judicial arrondissement in the province of Liège. Our plan is to make a beautiful loop through the Eifel towards Lac de Gileppe. Since the clocks went back last week, it gets dark very early, and because we started a bit late, this long walk is going to be quite exciting. Thankfully, we have a flashlight with us and we know the area a little. It is the first of November, right after Halloween, and nature is definitely playing along. The leaves are yellow and red—it is autumn at its best, with a touch of winter already since it is only about eight degrees out. It is grey but nice walking weather, so we have our thick cardigans on. We soon leave the rustic old Belgian factory behind us and head straight into the woods.
After covering seven kilometers in an hour and a quarter, we reach the busy two-lane road that runs from Eupen to the High Fens. Sadly, we cannot walk in the High Fens themselves anymore because that area burned down at the end of the summer. Since cars are speeding by, we have to watch out as we walk along the road for a bit before heading left into the next section of the nature reserve. The autumn colours of the trees are magnificent. We have also been looking for mushrooms and managed to find the "big four": a chanterelle, a bay bolete, a penny bun, and a wood hedgehog. After a quick pause, we descend rapidly into the valley and reach a side arm of Lac de Gileppe. The reservoir is quite dry, to the point that grass is already growing on the dry bed and we can see the little Gileppe river flowing below. We follow the wide forest path along the dry lake, feeling a bit tired but enjoying the crisp, grey weather.
A few minutes later, we hear the wonderful sound of a group of about fifty cranes flying over on their way to Spain. It is a beautiful sight behind the colourful trees. Since we are walking our familiar route in the opposite direction today, we get a bit chatting on autopilot and miss a turn. After realizing we are walking the wrong way because the junctions look completely different from this side, we check the map, walk a few hundred meters back, and get back on track. We eventually reach the dam of Gileppe and stop for a break at the restaurant. It is already 15:53, so we enjoy a delicious hot chocolate with whipped cream and a cherry waffle, knowing we need to hurry to make it back to the car before it gets dark around half past five.
As soon as we step outside the restaurant, it starts to rain. We quickly put on our raincoats and walk across the dam, passing the giant lion statue. Looking to our right, we can see there is still plenty of water in the lake, even though the water level has dropped significantly due to a dry summer. I spot a red and white GR mark on a trash can and remember when we walked past here on the GR 5 heading all the way to Nice. Now we are walking towards Eupen, back to the car, which gives a completely different feeling. The rain stops quickly, and we push on. By the time we get back to our starting point, it is just before six and pitch-black. Our flashlight did not work, but we managed fine using our phones as torches. We are happy to be back at the car after a beautiful walk, and we are ready for the next one.
