Not far beyond the Netherlands’ southern borders there are several large reservoirs. Most of them are clustered around the German city of Aachen, in a region of never-ending forest, steep and rugged hillsides, and fast-flowing rivers. Close to the highest point in Belgium, there are two more sizeable reservoirs. We drew a 125-kilometre line linking seven of these reservoirs , starting in Langerwehe (D) and ending at Dolhain (B). On the StauSeeSteig you will be left to your own devices and along the way, you will be met by stunning views at almost every corner. The trail passes through the infamous forest of Hürtgenwald and takes in spectacular dams. From the Eifel national park, the route crosses the bleak and boggy moors of the Hautes Fagnes before ending in the old fortified town of Limbourg.
You’ll have realised by now that the StauSeeSteig® is a unique long-distance trail. Reason enough, we believed, to make a unique trail guide. The route description appears in the form of a literary travelogue, written by author Max Hermens. The book is so designed that 1:25,000 fold-out maps and stunning photographs by Frank Husslage alternate with Max’s literary peregrinations.
It was in the autumn of 2023 that Max and Frank started exploring the route. This resulted in several splendid photos and enthusiastic reports.
Max wrote:
‘It was a beautiful walk. We were totally immersed in nature, with hardly any contact with humans and there is an abundance of forest. Because much of the route passes through deep valleys obscured by shadow, it’s overwhelmingly dark. Not forgetting of course, all the streams and rivers. It’s certainly not a route for your average holidaymaker. It is a physical, as well as a mental challenge, because the landscape is unforgiving and in places inhospitable. In the winter, the villages are withdrawn. There were times we hardly saw a soul and were very much left to our own devices. Our food for the whole of the journey we kept in our rucksacks and along the way our water had to be filtered, which gave it even more of a wilderness feel, which in fact made it all the better. At times, it felt as we were further from home than we actually were.
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The StauSeeSteig® trail and the trail guide are copyrighted under the Creative Commons-licence below, and are the exclusive property of the Dutch Mountain Film Festival / Stichting Moving Mountains. Non-commercial use is permitted, under the condition that the Dutch Mountain Film Festival is mentioned as initiator and owner. Contact us for any other uses.
BY: credit must be given to the creator.
NC: Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted.
ND: No derivatives or adaptations of the work are permitted.
