Mortroux-Messitert-Val Dieu along the Berwinne and back 27 km

Hike with superb views, the famous abbey Val Dieu, woods and pasture, along the Berwinne river between Mortroux and the hamlet of Messitert and back. It also includes the beautiful valley of the Ruisseau d’Asse. The hike includes a round of the Val Dieu abbey gardens. I did this hike in early spring with frost in the morning and some wet places which would require waterproof shoes. Most of the hike is in quiet, rural areas, but the short stretches along the main road in the Berwinne valley and around Val Dieu abbey can be busy. There are restaurants at Val Dieu, and in the Bel valley, and also one close to the start in Mortreux, but the restaurants at Val Dieu are most convenient, and a beer of local brewery would not go amiss. At the start, the hike connects to another hike along the Berwinne river, from the place where it flows into the Meuse river to Mortreux and back. See https://nl.wikiloc.com/routes-wandelen/langs-de-berwijn-en-door-de-voerstreek-29-km-9043017/.
You can park your car along the road at the end of the old railway track. From here, you cross the Berwinne and the Val de Berwinne road to take a small path taking you steeply uphill through hillside forest. You arrive to the plateau and a larger field track. You follow several field tracks across the N627 towards the road Croix Madame to Warsage. You follow this road shortly and then continue on a path towards the Château Regout. You pass by this private castle back on your way to the Berwinne valley, cross the main valley road, and then the Berwinne river on a footbridge. You then take a minor path through pasture below Château de Wodémont. The path continues in the forest above the Berwinne and then continues on pasture before descending towards the Berwinne again (it can be wet here). The beautiful path ends on the La Mouderie minor road and the on the Bois de Mauhin road. You continue a bit further on a path through woods and then pasture to the Berwinne which you then cross. You follow the major road through the valley until you take the turn-off taking you uphill to Lammerschot. You take a peak at a viewpoint above abbey Val Dieu, and then return to Lammerschot. You walk down this minor road to Saint-Jean Sart and then descend to the Bel valley. You follow the Chemin du Diable towards Bushaye and then another path to the Bois d’Ansy road N642. You follow the road a little while and then take the Marcra road which turns into a field road descending towards the Berwinne. At the end of the descent there was a lot of water on the path, with planks to negotiate the water. You then climb again towards the hamlet Messistert. There is a minor road here, and you then descend again towards the Berwinne, first walk along it, and then cross it towards the N650 main valley road. You take a minor road, Houyeux, uphill out of the valley with on the top great views towards Henri-Chapelle. You then follow paths towards the road Rossenfosse, and another wet path to the N650 main road. You walk along and parallel to this road, near the Berwinne, to Abbey Val Dieu. At the abbey you cross the Berwinne and then make a touristic visit to the abbey courtyard, the gardens, the brewery, and the church. There is also a restaurant here. You leave the abbey to take a look at a bird observatory at a lake near the Moulin de Val Dieu, another restaurant. After this intermezzo you cross the Berwinne back and ascend on a minor path through pasture towards the hamlet Hawières. You follow a larger road uphill towards Mortroux before taking a path downhill to the valley of the Ruisseau d’Asse. You cross the meandering stream and then take a path through the valley to Mortroux, first on the south side, and then the north side of the valley. Before Mortroux, you arrive to the minor road Foulerie which takes you to the Sainte Lucie church in Mortroux. Through the village you continue to the starting point.