Beaver walk

This route combines two classics from Rendeux: the Ourthe promenade and the beaver walk from Marcourt. Start at the Bardonwez watermill at the Robert Lenoir arboretum and walk through the stream valley of the Rau de Quartes, passing several beaver dams.

Route description

• Start: Bardonwez Watermill (1918)
  • Historic mill in Rendeux
  • Nowadays mainly known as the home of the Robert Lenoir Arboretum
  • Unique arboretum of around 10 hectares with over 3,000 trees and shrubs from all over the world
  • Founded in 1937 by forestry manager Robert Lenoir
  • Owned by the Walloon Region since 1991
  • The entire site covers more than 22 hectares across four specific sections: « les îlots de l'Ourthe », « le vallon d'Arlogne », « le coteau du Wanny », and « Dessous le Gros Chêne »
  • Due to its diversity, various plants bloom in every season
• Route along the Ourthe to Marcourt
  • Hike along the banks of the Ourthe
  • Pass through Marcourt with its church and cemetery
• Rau de Quartes stream valley with beaver dams
  • Hike in the forest and along the Rau de Quartes stream
  • Spot gnawed trees and several beaver dams
  • Beavers thrive in the Belgian Ardennes
  • Reintroduced in the late 1990s
  • Now home to more than 2,000 beavers in the area
  • The beaver is a herbivore feeding on grass, leaves, and bark
  • A beaver family typically consists of 5 animals: the breeding pair living together with their offspring
• Route to Marcouray and return
  • Continue hiking towards Marcouray
  • Return route through a rolling landscape back to the starting point
  • Final section leads back through the arboretum
  • A few poisonous plants to admire along the way