Behind this odd name is a beautiful 6 km hike that follows the course of the only Belgian mountain stream throughout tall trees, slippery bridges (in winter) and beautiful waterfalls. I went there with some friends at the beginning of the year and it definitely exceeded all my expectations.
The valley of Ninglinspo – the stream that gave the hike its name – is located in the Belgian Ardennes, a region on the south-east of Belgium, famous for its beautiful nature. The hiking trail that follows the Ninglinspo stream is said to be one of the most beautiful ones in Belgium, probably because it takes you through natural water-basins, little waterfalls and allows the hikers to fully immerse themselves in nature.
We were also very lucky because we went there on a sunny day and there had been snow there, so the sun shining through the trees added a beautiful light that warmed us from time to time. There were also big rocks and places to sit down so it must be great to have some sort of picnic in the summer there too!
When going for that hike, I didn’t have many expectations and I thought it would be chill and easy, basically a nice walk in nature following a cute and peaceful stream. Boy, was I wrong! The hike was definitely beautiful and the stream was cute and quite peaceful, but it was much harder than I thought: there were parts where we had to cross slippery and icy bridges, other where we basically had to climb rocks, walk in very narrow paths or even jump on stones to cross the stream.
I really like hikes like these because they feel very adventurous and exciting, but at one point we were definitely wondering if we would make it before the sunset because we weren’t even halfway through and we made very slow progress. Luckily, the end was much easier as it was just a very wide path through tall trees that lead up to a beautiful viewing point over the surrounding hills and then back to the car. After a hot drink at the nearby café we headed back to Brussels.
Since I live in a city, I usually spend my weekends there, and it was really nice to change this routine and do something different than usual. On top of that, I got to discover a beautiful new place, move a bit, spend time in nature and enjoy some time off with my friends.
Do you go hiking regularly?
Other local adventures in nature:
Poppy fields
– Lavender & Sunflower fields
– Autumn walk at the park
– Belgium’s Blue Forest
Sunny Days with Juliette 
I went hiking regularly in the first half of last year, but I haven’t done a proper one since October. The Ninglinspo hike looks so picturesque at just about every corner you turn! Glad you had a good time getting away from the city life and into nature!
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I would love to go hiking regularly but have to keep track of the (many!) different hike possibilities there are in Belgium otherwise I never know where to go! Thanks for stopping by! 😊
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Since last year, I have started to hike more regularly because the ongoing pandemic and WFH situation really make my body move less than it should. However, since it is now rainy season in my part of the world, I have to wait for a few more months until I get back to hiking. Your photos here really made me crave being out in nature again.
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Thanks a lot! It’s true that it is hard to get regular movement when working from home, so it is a great idea to go hiking to compensate not only the lack of movement but also of nature! I hope you’ll do great new hikes when the rain season is over 😊
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last time I went on a hike was in 2019 with a couple of my friends as a week’s getaway. miss those pre-covid times. it’s so relaxing… as well as getting some exercise. love the pictures btw.
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Thank you! I really miss pre-covid times too… I also really like going hiking with friends as I’m pretty sure that I would get bored quite quickly if I went alone! Going with friends makes it more fun 😊
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beautiful nature!
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Thanks a lot! Living in a city and working from a computer makes it quite hard to get enough exercise and nature-time, so I’m really glad to have opportunities like these!
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Your photos are just beautiful – like something out of a magazine 🙂
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Thank you so much! The light we had during the hike is to thank for that! 😊
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I love how tall and perfectly straight the trees are. This looks like such a pretty hike!
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Yes, that part was quite spectacular! It also kind of looked like a scene from Twilight on the side that wasn’t lit by the sun! Thanks for stopping by 😊
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oh wow! The second picture is amazing!
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Thanks a lot! The hike was really beautiful 😊
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It looks like a beautiful hike indeed. I can smell the fresh air through your photos. Will definitely take note of this and add it to the list once we visit Belgium.
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The air was crisp and fresh, but it was really cold sometimes! If you come to Belgium one day and I’m there I will make sure to show you (or indicate you) all the beautiful places! 😊
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This summer!
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The Ardennes are like an oddity of geography. In a part of Europe that seems to me rather flat and full of endless cities, the Ardennes are small mountains covered with forests where there is hardly anyone. Beautiful winter sunlight in your photos.
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You’re absolutely right! They are also basically the only part of Belgian that is not entirely flat – except for some streets in Brussels ahah! Thanks for stopping by!
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This sounds like a fun and a wonderful way to relax and replenish one’s self after a week of work in the city! Lovely photos, Juliette. I can only imagine how spooky and awesome it must be at dark. What’s the wildest creature you guys have out there? Bears? 😛
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Hi Juliette! I hope you’re having a blast on your trip right now. I just wanted to let you know that I will be moving on to my own blog going forward (temporarily cross-posting content to warn readers on Bookidote) and that I’d love for us to remain connected over on my new blog (roarsandechoes.com). Stay safe! 😀
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Thanks for telling me Lashaan! I just followed you over there and love the look of you new blog! Congrats for this new step!
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Ahaha I don’t know about wild creatures in Belgium, maybe the worst encounter would have been with a boar? 😂 Thanks for reading Lashaan!
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Eh boy hahahaha I honestly didn’t expect you to mention boars! 😛
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looks like a pretty special place for hiking!
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It definitely is!
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This is a very pretty and manageable hike & workout. It sounds adventurous that it wasn’t just flat smooth terrain and challenged you a bit. I need to look up whereabouts it is in Belgium.
Carolin | Solo Travel Story
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I think it was indeed the perfect balance between a hard hike and an effortless one, plus the nature around it just makes you forget the rest! Thank you for dropping by!
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Wow, I didnt realise just how beautiful the hiking trails around Belgium really are! I’ll have to visit some soon enough! Great article my friend!
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I don’t know many others, but this one was surely beautiful! Thanks for reading!
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