We started our hike at eleven minutes past eleven on a crisp, sunny Monday morning from the parking lot at the foot of the Stolberg reservoir dam. It was a cool fifteen degrees under a beautiful blue sky, a perfect day to warm up our muscles and get some miles in. Right at the start, we made a short climb up the dam where we enjoyed a gorgeous view of the water reflecting the sunlight. The summer's end had left the reservoir quite low, exposing its shores where large birds—perhaps herons, storks, or even migrating cranes—were standing. The surrounding birches were already turning yellow, and some bushes stood bare, giving the landscape a lovely late-summer feel.
About four kilometers into the forest, we had to detour slightly because loggers were busy clearing wood and dragging logs with heavy machinery, which completely obscured our path. Luckily, we quickly found a larger, quieter trail to enjoy the peaceful morning. Later, we faced a very steep descent down a path covered in loose gravel and fallen leaves. Slipping on the muddy slope, we really missed having our trekking poles, but we managed to make it down safely to the stream below.
After nearly nine kilometers, we found a cozy, hidden picnic table in the shade for a long lunch break. We energized ourselves with sandwiches, eggs, and protein shakes while noticing tiny mushrooms growing right out of the wooden table. Even though we were circling the reservoir, we hadn't seen the water in a long time, making it feel like a classic forest hike in the Ardennes or Eifel. Further on, we deviated from our planned route to follow a familiar path where we used to forage for chanterelles and morels. We didn't find those, but we did spot plenty of inedible mushrooms growing against a tree stump.
Continuing our walk, we followed a small stream called the Kiersschijven, which was lined with beautiful, sweet-smelling Himalayan balsam. These pink-and-white flowers reminded us of our old walks back home in South Limburg. Shortly after, we made an exciting discovery: a massive, heavy porcini mushroom, measuring about ten centimeters wide, which we knew would be perfect for our dinner casserole tonight! We then took a second break in a low hunting stand, soaking in the sunshine and enjoying a new trail snack of currant buns topped with banana slices.
As the afternoon sun began to dip, casting a late-summer chill over the turning oaks and brown ferns, we completed our loop. We arrived back at the trailhead, having only seen the reservoir at the very beginning of our journey. It was a fantastic twenty-two-kilometer hike with more elevation changes than we had tackled in months. We reached the car just before five o'clock, tired but happy after a beautiful day of mushroom hunting and hiking in the sun.
