Solstice overnighter
Deep in the woods of the Frech Ardennes lie the ruins of a castle, hidden from view, waiting to be discovered. It was said to be haunted. We were destined to find it, spend the shortest night there as well as spend the longest day on the bike. Since 2014, Swift Industries, based in Portland, OR, organizes the Swift Campout. It’s a worldwide group ride event calling for bikepackers and adventure cyclists to go out on a bike-camping solstice overnighter. Wildhood wanted to join this annual campout and create a grassroots event so that fellow adventurers could join us. Of course, dear Corona and the ensuing lockdown put a stop to it, as it did with so many other initiatives.
For me preparations were done, as always, last minute. However, since I discovered the REI bikepacking list – and I’m sure there’s others, maybe even better, to be found on the Internet –, I always know exactly what to take with me and can prepare things in a orderly fashion instead of grabbing stuff left and right and forgetting half of the essential stuff I would definitely need on and off the bike. If you go wild camping, a seat bag and a handlebar bag are hardly sufficient, especially if you need to take food with you. I thus decided to put a rear rack on my bicycle – I had one lying around on the attic - and make use of my grocery bike panniers.
As those panniers are of different colour and can easily be distinguished from each other, I decided to fill the orange and camo one with clothes and stuff I might need at camp, such as a sleeping bag, charger, light, etc…whilst the other black and camo one was filled with food, lots of food, too many food. As this was my first wild camping trip, I wasn’t exactly sure what to take along to eat, on and off the road. And as I am not one to overly prepare in advance, as I’ve said, and hadn’t had time to examine the track Philippe had masterminded, I had no idea if we would pass any villages where food could be bought. So, fill those panniers up. Sandwiches, crackers, boiled eggs, pasta, cheese, freeze dried mushrooms, pots and pans, granola, yoghurt, salt and pepper (push it!), baking butter, you name it, I got it. I was packed like a donkey on market day!
However, I did not take a stove with me as I still needed to buy one and I did not want to quickly buy some lousy stove just to have one with me, before I had been able to go and have a good look at what’s on offer. Anyway, Sofie had said she would bring hers along that I could use to cook up some dinner. The handlebar bag was used for tent, sleeping mat and pillow. The frame bag on the other hand for tools, a lightweight lock and other small stuff I might need on the road. I am never one to travel light, but as long as I can climb those Ardennes hills, all is fine.
Our trip started in Beauraing in the province of Luxembourg, near the French border. The first day, we had just about 80 km and 1500m of elevation to go. We had barely left Beauraing when the first climb already began. Of course, our legs had not warmed up yet and we were all struggling with our heavier packed bikes. All the grocery shopping trips during lockdown with my heavily filled grocery panniers, climbing up that damn hill where I live, finally paid off!
Soon we entered the forest, gravel roads leading us through lush vegetation. You could tell that rain had fallen these last days. Oh yes, there was the occasional puddle and some mud, but the trees, the bushes, the flowers, all was reborn with a renewed green energy. Just like us. I will not lie. Lockdown had not affected me that much, but nothing beats riding with friends oand adventure for good times. There was a deep green everywhere, a beautiful green.
They call it the Fagnes Famenne over here , somewhat similar to the High Fens on the other side of the country. We made a stop at our very own Belgian Millennium Tower, a vantage point built in 2001 in Gedinne, Belgium just meters away from the French border. It consists of two tripods fitted together (one upright, one upside down) with three different viewing platforms (at 15 m, 30 m and 45 m). The total height of the tower (including the spire) is 60 m. The legs of the tripods were initially made of the stems of Douglas-fir trees found in the surrounding forest, held together by a steel construction. Due to rot, it was however dismantled in 2008 and replaced with steel legs. It tops the plateau of the Croix-Scaille, a forest of around 90 square kilometres that was used by the Resistance during World War II. The plateau is at 503 m the fourth highest summit in Belgium (thanks Wikipedia for the info).
At lunchtime, we stopped at the little village of Hautes Rivières in the French Ardennes, on the banks of the Semois. Everyone had prepared their lunch. I brought with me some boiled eggs and sandwiches with rucola, cheese and yes eggs (one can never eat enough eggs…). Right in front of the little town square – with the traditional fallen WWII soldier on a pedestal right in the middle – was a bakery where we bought some soda’s and a strawberry cake. The baker’s wife was very helpful, cutting the cake in six parts. A little treat for my cycling buddies for my birthday which I celebrated the day before our trip. As a matter of fact, ever since I was little, when my little friends came over for a birthday party, strawberry cake was served! It’s the cake of the season after all.
Tummies filled, some Coca-Cola energy in the legs, and off we went again. Pretty soon we were rising above the village of Hautes Rivières, leaving the Semois far below us. Near the top, we got off the road leading up the hills and went back into the forests, turning and twisting on those forest roads. There’s a couple of steep climbs (there will be 9 long and short climbs in all on that first day). We huff and puff all the way up with our loaded bikes. Of course, it would not be a Wildhood ride, if there was not the occasional hike a bike or “there should be a road here somewhere” moments, but these are the things that shape adventure.
We finally get back down in the Semois valley, all dirty, sweaty and thirsty. We make a stop at the village of Nohan sur Semois where we take a dip in the Semois. The water is surprisingly warm. Cooled off, cleaned up, we take the road again to the nearby village where there’s a supermarket to stock up on some water, beer and wine and some more food. Fully supplied and even heavier packed, we cycle back to Nohan sur Semois where we have one last climb waiting for us, all the way up to the ruins of the haunted castle.
The climb is steep, about three kilometres long and we begin to feel the distance and elevation in our legs. We all arrive on the top with happy faces. Where is that castle? A local having some party at the top of the hill, points us in the right direction. It should be 200 meters or so straight ahead. We cycle on and stop when entering the forest again and arriving at some sorts of crossroads. Where are those ruins? Should we turn right? Go back from where we came? Go down the hill? But if it’s not down the hill, will we need to climb back up? Sarah, also known as wonderwoman, is courageous enough to take the challenge and she leaves us behind in search of those ruins and a camping ground. Luckily, she gets back to us with good news. She discovered the ruins and nearby there is a clearing in the forest that would be perfect to set up camp.
We set off again for the final kilometer of the day. I don’t get to see the ruins that night. There are some soft woodchips on the ground, and it’s fairly flat. We all look for a spot, unload our bikes and set up camp.
Once tents are set up, we can have our apero. Beer, wine, cheeses, peanuts, potato chips, crackers and some wild garlic dip. A fallen tree serves as our couch and some logs come in quite handy as trays. Dinner has to be made as well. Philippe prepares some yummy spicy rice with olives and chickpeas, whilst I prepare some pasta with mushrooms and grated cheese. I was a bit anxious, as I had never before cooked on a little camping stove in the middle of the forest. But the result turns out fine and very tasty. We all eat too much, drink too little and tell stories. Finally, the stars come out, It’s a wonderful night in the middle of the forest, only trees and animal sounds that surround you, and the stars gazing down at you. Being there amongst friends is a blessing. We finish off the evening with some pastis, we’re in France after all.
I wake up at around 7am, as does everyone else, more or less. Everyone is quietly going about their business. Deflating matrasses, pillows and stuff or already putting the tent away. We still need to have breakfast though, before setting off for the ride back to Beauraing. I brought with me some granola and Greek yoghurt. Leftover rice and pasta is also on the menu. And coffee! If there’s one thing I forgot to bring along, it was coffee. Luckily, Sarah and Ulf brought some handy miniature coffee filters from a German company, My Coffee Bag. Ever since, I call them my saviours. Breakfast was nearly finished when we got a visit from the forest guard. Apparently, we were on private property, although it wasn’t marked anywhere. Regulations in France are not very clear, but mostly le bivouac, just one overnight stay, is alowed on public land.
Once breakfast was finished, we had to have a look at those ruins. Apparently, it was no castle and it was not haunted. They used to be dwellings, built during WWII, for craftsmen. It was a beautiful sight though to see those ruins, quite untouched and overgrown with moss and ferns, underneath high trees. We felt like some old-world explorers discovering fabled ruins, you only hear about in legends. Getting back at camp, we packed up and got going, back to Beauraing.
As always, we start with a climb back to the top of the hill and ever further beyond. But once on the very top, it is only downhill from there! Once down, a smooth gravel road opens up for us. It seems to go on for miles and miles. But it would not be a Wildhood adventure if all went smoothly (what’s the fun in that!). After a mile or two, we get off the road and into the forest where a single track lined with rocks, tree roots and mud awaits us. Zigzagging away, we make it through the forest, finally arriving at a very steep, rock lined descent. Hike a bike it is! Once at the bottom of the hill, it’s all smooth sailing again. At lunchtime, we make a stop at the little town of Haybes, on the banks of the Meuse. We buy some water, strawberries, cherries and, what else, a Coca-Cola for that quick sugar fix! We picnic on the little square, underneath the church tower. We go off again, alongside the Meuse, easing on down the road. We soon get off and start climbing until we hit a barrier with a thousand signs saying it’s private property and that the road is trapped! Is it? Better not go any further on this nice-looking gravel road and go back on the tarmac. It takes us about 7 kilometres of climbing but once at the top you can swoosh down and feel that wind through your hair or beard or whatever!
Once down, we continue our merry way. My GPS says we still have some climbs to do, but just fairly short ones, none with a higher gradient than 4 or 5%. We pass through villages, through streams, through forests. There is some climbing, some hike-a-bike (damn that heavy bike that wants to go downhill and take you with you!) before we finally hit some inhabited territory. Hey, this is where we crossed the road yesterday! We can almost smell Beauraing again. The last kilometres are downhill before finally entering the little town. We decide to have a last stop, have something to eat and drink before going back to the cars. We have some ice-cream, pancakes for the ladies and some beers!
What a wonderfull weekend! Cheers and to many more to come!
Words: The Bearded Mamil
Photography: Philippe Michiels