Hockai-Malmedy-Botrange-Lac de la Gileppe-Spa-Hockai 110 km

Nice cycling trip on RAVeL cycling paths on former railways, forest roads and in the Hautes Fagnes/Hohes Venn area. The ascent is moderate, considering the Ardennes area you are touring, due to the RAVeL cycling paths. Tour suited for the road bike, although the forest roads can be a bit bumpy in places. It can be busy with tour cyclists on the cycling paths, especially the popular Vennbahn. You can find something to eat and drink among others in Hockai, Waimes, Küchelscheid, Botrange, Mont Rigi, Baraque Michel, the reservoir dam of Lac de la Gileppe, Solwaster, Sart-Lez-Spa and Spa.
The start is in Hockai near the highway where you can park freely along the road. You directly access the RAVeL cycling path line 44A which recently has been paved. You first descend towards Francorchamps and then continue towards Stavelot, passing the Formula-1 racing track of Spa-Francorchamps. In Stavelot you make a sharp turn to get on the RAVeL cycling path line 45 which takes you up to Malmedy, and then further up to Waimes, passing by a stone quarry. In Waimes you access the Vennbahn (or RAVeL line 48) and continue on this beautiful cycling path all the way to Küchelscheid/Kalterherberg on the German border, passing by the old station at Sourbrodt. The last part is through the Rur valley. In Küchelscheid you leave the cycling path and take a forest road on the edge of the Hautes Fagnes natural park towards Sourbrodt, on the way passing the young Rur river. In Sourbrodt you acces the main N66 road towards Botrange, the highest point of Belgium. You continue to Mont Rigi, where you access the main N68 road which takes you past Baraque Michel down towards Eupen. At Drossart you leave the main road and descend on a quiet forest road to the reservoir Lac de la Gileppe. A road hugs the reservoir and you follow this to the reservoir dam (a quarter triathlon was going on on the day I did this trip). You cross the dam and then climb away from the river towards the road to Jalhay. In Jalhay you continue to Solwaster and then Sart-lez-Spa, slightly undulating. Here you descend all the way to Spa, the major spa town. Here the RAVeL line 44A starts which brings you all the way back to Hockai. Although a moderate grade, the continuous climb of 2 % for more than 10 km on this stretch can be more strenuous than you think…