14 Anthills and a Jump across the Ihrenbach
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 9.47 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,043 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Easy
- Elevation loss
- 1,043 ft
- Max elevation
- 1,772 ft
- TrailRank
-
46
4.3
- Min elevation
- 1,772 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Time
- 4 hours 50 minutes
- Coordinates
- 1042
- Uploaded
- October 21, 2017
- Recorded
- October 2017
near Schoenberg, Wallonia (Belgique)
Viewed 660 times, downloaded 22 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
There was a time when anthills could be seen at every intersection in the forest. These days they are a rather rare occurrence. On this hike, we counted 14 anthills, right next to the trail. Take it as a sort of geocaching exercise - can you spot the fourteen anthills?
The trail is a variation of the trail #17 of the 2012 edition of the Rother Ardennen Guide. The trail descriptions in the guidebook have not always been up-to-date. Either follow the GPS coordinates or have a detailed map at hand - or better have the GPS coordinates with an underlying map such as the Freizeitkarte BeNeLux (OMP). Some logging activity had destroyed parts of the originally proposed trail at a critical point, leading us to 'jump' across the little but deep Ihrenbach stream....
But the original idea of the trail is still great. The hike starts and ends a Schönberg, indeed a very pretty (non-touristic) village in Belgium near the border to Germany. The guide says that Schönberg looks very German, while the dark beer in the local pubs is decidedly Belgian.
The hike is partly through forests and partly through farmlands - nothing really spectacular but worth a quiet and leisurely hike. Its the right thing to do when the weather is not that stable, or when you simply want to explore an area you haven't really been to. The trail starts and ends in Belgium, but part of it is in Germany. The trail is easy - except for the jump across the stream - though with some patience you will surely find an easy way to cross the stream... In October 2017, part of the trails were very muddy.
And if you haven't found all the 14 anthills, just go it again.
The trail is a variation of the trail #17 of the 2012 edition of the Rother Ardennen Guide. The trail descriptions in the guidebook have not always been up-to-date. Either follow the GPS coordinates or have a detailed map at hand - or better have the GPS coordinates with an underlying map such as the Freizeitkarte BeNeLux (OMP). Some logging activity had destroyed parts of the originally proposed trail at a critical point, leading us to 'jump' across the little but deep Ihrenbach stream....
But the original idea of the trail is still great. The hike starts and ends a Schönberg, indeed a very pretty (non-touristic) village in Belgium near the border to Germany. The guide says that Schönberg looks very German, while the dark beer in the local pubs is decidedly Belgian.
The hike is partly through forests and partly through farmlands - nothing really spectacular but worth a quiet and leisurely hike. Its the right thing to do when the weather is not that stable, or when you simply want to explore an area you haven't really been to. The trail starts and ends in Belgium, but part of it is in Germany. The trail is easy - except for the jump across the stream - though with some patience you will surely find an easy way to cross the stream... In October 2017, part of the trails were very muddy.
And if you haven't found all the 14 anthills, just go it again.
Waypoints
Waypoint
1,485 ft
SO 02-Top of the Hill
Waypoint
1,396 ft
SO 04-Ford
Waypoint
1,631 ft
SO 05-Amelscheid
Waypoint
1,681 ft
SO 06-Fork
Waypoint
1,682 ft
SO 07-Fork
Waypoint
1,676 ft
SO 08-Marker
Waypoint
1,536 ft
SO 10-Fork
Waypoint
1,681 ft
SO 11-Marker 205
Waypoint
1,497 ft
SO 13-Ihrenhof
Waypoint
1,672 ft
SO 15-Fork
Waypoint
1,628 ft
SO 16-Invisible Fork
Waypoint
1,618 ft
SO 18-Asphalt
Waypoint
1,697 ft
SO 19-Fork
Comments (2)
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I have followed this trail View more
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Easy to follow
Scenery
Easy
nice walk
thank you
I have followed this trail verified View more
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Easy to follow
Scenery
Easy
Afstand is 17,5 km volgens Strava