At first glance, there is not much to do in the village of Herbeumont, but that is not counting the great hiking trails along the Semois, and the castle ruins of Herbeumont that give you a beautiful view of Le Tombeau du Chevalier – or the grave of the knight – after climbing.
A real grave? Unfortunately not. It is an impressive hill formed by a bend in the Semois River. You can compare it very well with Le Tombeau du Géant, only this one is much less known. On this hike, I take you over Le Tombeau du Chevalier along narrow paths and through densely leafed forests, with beautiful views along the way of course!
Practical Info
- Distance: 6.2 km
- Duration: 2 hours
- Difficulty: medium
- Start: Herbeumont Tourism
- Signs: green rectangles
- Download GPX
Starting at the tourist office of Herbeumont
The village of Herbeumont is not large. Finding the starting point of the hike is therefore not a difficult task. It starts at the tourist office, also called Syndicat Initiative asbl on Google Maps. It is located right next to the town hall, where you have parking to leave your car for free.
The start of the hike leads from the crossroads in the direction of the castle ruins. During your visit you will find some large signs with all the hiking routes indicated so no confusion is possible! Just follow the green rectangles the entire route, it couldn’t be easier!
Hike ‘Les Crêtes’ in Herbeumont
You start the hike right away with a visit to the castle – where you can also park your car. Or to put it another way, just before you enter the castle ruins, the route sends you to the right into the forest. Would you like to visit the ruins? Then you can do this either before or after the walk. Keep in mind that you have to go uphill for the ruins. So perhaps you want to have fresh legs for that. Fortunately, the view is more than worth the climb!
Once you have dived into the forest, you slowly descend towards the river Semois, with a first beautiful view over the river itself! The paths are somewhat slippery and full of loose stones, so be sure to pay attention. At the very bottom, you almost reach the water and cross the street to continue the route between the trees on the right.
Here it goes straight up again, a tough bit of climbing. But that is soon rewarded with a beautiful view over the castle. Where you just looked into the valley on top of the castle, you can now admire the castle from that valley. Super beautiful! The ideal place to take a break from the climb.
Once you arrive at the top, you walk on Le Tombeau du Chevalier or the grave of the knight. It is an adventurous stretch straight ahead – a narrow path that takes you over rocks. Not much later you will also come across the second viewpoint. A bench invites you to sit down and enjoy the view because it is more than worth it! This place was therefore my favourite viewpoint during the walk.
After this view, the route continues downhill again. On the flanks of Le Tombeau du Chevalier, you descend towards the river, until you reach the banks completely. Not a boring path but a road along heather and ferns. Now you are about halfway through the hike. The second part of the route takes you further along the banks until you arrive back in Herbeumont.
Even though this part of the hike is less adventurous, it is still beautiful! Be sure to pay attention to the waterfall that you will encounter on the left side of the river. Here I met a family with young children. So is the walk suitable for children? Sure! As long as they can make a steep climb.
Eventually, you follow the river until you get back on a paved road. The route will take you the last part on the asphalt until you return to the foot of the castle and the village of Herbeumont. Anything but spectacular, so would you rather hike through the woods? Then head left into the woods up to the castle – the same route you did at the beginning of the hike to get down.
Tip: Do you like to enjoy a drink or a snack afterwards? Then you have to be at ‘La Fille du Boulanger’. You sit on the terrace in the sun and enjoy delicious savoury pancakes!
Good to know
- Dogs can walk (on a lead) on the route.
- It is not possible to take a buggy with you on the walk. I’ve seen people try it, not recommended… Instead, opt for a carrying backpack.
- The route runs over rocks and sometimes slippery paths. Keep that in mind and choose the right footwear.
Staying nearby
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