This is the 1st stage of the GR5 from Spa to Nice by the Mediterranean Sea.
Short trail, but due to two tough stretches of ascent and descent, still a tough hike. The route soon enters the forest and later arrives at a beautiful piece of moorland. At the end, the trail descends through a nice little tunnel into the picturesque village of Stavelot.
Yesterday we had a lovely rest day. Besides taking it easy, we went to Spa and stocked up on supplies for the next few days. So today we set off well equipped and well rested.
Today we are planning a 17km hike. Not that many kilometers, but due to 2 steep climbs and 2 tough descents with all the kilos on our backs, still quite a challenge. After the first climb, we reach a beautiful peat area with sections of path over decks and a watchtower, where we pause briefly. The trail continues through woods and dirt paths down and up again, finally making the final descent through meadows and woods. The only downside of this trip is the persistent noise of the Francorchamps racetrack…
With buckling knees and tired ankles from descending over uneven paths, we walk through a beautiful little tunnel into Stavelot. This turns out to be an unexpectedly beautiful old town with nice houses and friendly people who say hello to us. We chat with them about which route we are currently hiking and which routes they have already hiked (the GR20 on Corsica). So nice, it really gives you new energy for the last kilometers to the campsite.
Upon arrival, the campground seems to be closed again, but fortunately a friendly construction worker is fixing up the reception house and he advises us to call the owners. We can pick a spot on a large piece of grass next to a stream. It is a spacious campground, but we are the only guests.
To save as much weight as possible for the next stages, we go through all our stuff again. There appear to be many labels and unnecessary items in our clothes and on our gear. After we all sorted it out, the only thing left to do is to saw off the handle of our toothbrush, but for the time being that’s a bridge too far, lol.
Towards the evening, the owners stop by. We pay for our stay and have a quiet but cold evening; temperatures drop to just a few degrees above 0°C. Nevertheless, we sleep wonderfully!
