The Ourthe and its tributaries

The Nisramont dam

Just downstream from the confluence of the Eastern and the Western Ourthe, the Nisramont dam has created a lake of the same name.  It’s the ideal setting for a walk, especially in autumn, when the light filtering through the trees and falling on the water gives the area an Indian summer feel.  Be careful, the walk around the Nisramont lake is very long.  Don’t forget that winter days are very short and that it takes 5 to 6 hours to complete the walk.  It is difficult and dangerous to leave the trail.

Another hydrological characteristic of the region is that most creeks and rivers have a relatively fast current,    creating numerous opportunities for water sports and fun on board a canoe or a kayak.

A rugged landscape

Due to the long and narrow profile of the rivers, the power of erosion is considerable and has created a rather rugged landscape over the course of time.  The meandering riverbeds deep in the valley are a paradise for anglers, who enjoy a unique experience.

To quote the novelist René Henoumont : “The river was like an open book to me, I knew all its bends and curves, its blue or grey horizons, but at Le Hérou, in the dappled light of the sun filtering through the thickets like it would a stained glass window, I had the feeling I was entering the cathedral of the Ardennes”.

Fauna and flora

Perhaps you will be lucky and spot a deer or a group of wild boars on one of your walks.  It’s difficult to imagine a forest without its wild inhabitants.  Near the river, you will probably be equally enchanted by the call of a dipper, the swift passage of a trout or the flight of a butterfly.