Belgium is not known for great hiking, but you would be surprised. The cliffs and forests of Marche-les-Dames, close to Namur are stunning. We went on the first day of 2021 because I wanted to start the new year doing something I love, being outside. It’s a beautiful park with lots of options for trails. Be warned! After the rain it’s a very muddy hike.
Hikes in Belgium: Marche-les-Dames
Marche-les-Dames is a small village in Namur. It’s well-known for rock climbers because of the high cliffs and the beautiful Meuse River. There are so many trails here, we found a way to make our loop slightly longer. You can really customize the trails to work with your preferences.
For those with kids- we saw lots of families along the way, many of them had young children. With the variety of trails here, you can really make your day as adventurous or as relaxing as you want.
Hiking Trail- King Albert I Loop
- 6.45 mi / 10.4 km
- Moderate to Intermediate
- Points of Interest
- Abbaye-Notre Dame de Viviers
- Memorial to King Albert I of Belgium
- Meuse River
Start(s):
- Some start the trail at the Abbey of Notre-Dame du Vivier
- Some start at the Marche-les-Dames Train Station
Tips for hiking in Belgium:
- After the rain, it is VERY muddy and slick. You may slip and you are very likely to get muddy. If you go up and down the steep rope sections, you WILL get muddy.
- In preparation for the wet day, we packed extra towels in our car.
- Despite the muddy day, we had SO much fun. I especially loved the opportunities to hike up and downhill with the ropes.
Fun To Know:
- This particular loop was named after King Albert I of Belgium. He was an avid climber, who died here during a mountaineering accident in 1934.
- You may see some rock climbers scaling the cliffs while you’re here.
Get Outside and Hike Belgium
My favorite sections included the fern area, where you will feel like you’re in Jurassic Park. Funny enough, there is a loop called Jurassic Park, and some of it does intersect with King Albert I Loop. I especially loved some of the steeper sections that were set up with ropes to help you get up and down. Despite all the mud, we had a jolly good time. Speaking of jolly, I also loved the abundant holly plants along the path.
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