The best gravel rides around Hannut

This RAVeL follows the old railway line 127, which once ran from Hannut to Huccorgne. The RAVeL winds through the heart of Hesbaye, past grain fields and orchards, and through villages like Villers-le-Peuplier and Avennes, before ending in the Burdinale and Mehaigne Valley Nature Park.

Excavations are conducted year-round at Moha Castle, making it unique in Belgium. When I visited, two archaeologists were uncovering a wall that runs beneath the visible castle and likely dates back to the 12th century.

The castle is free to visit. At the foot of the rock, there's a visitor center where you can pick up a badge to open the gate. For €4, you can also get a brochure with information about the most important points. The castle is only open to visitors starting in April, but the friendly man at the visitor center let me in on February 27th... as far as you can even call it "inside" at this ruin ;-)

The fortified tower, situated on the edge of the Fosseroule stream and defending the valley, is considered a peripheral bastion of Moha Castle, located a mile and a half away. Agricultural and residential buildings form an enclosed complex, built between the 17th and 19th centuries. In the eastern corner stands an imposing tower, built of limestone rubble, with a square plan (16th century) on a wider, sloping base. This tower originates from an earlier structure, the cellars of which have also been preserved. The openings were modified, and in the 17th century, the tower was extended on the south side with a bay of limestone rubble and brick, reaching the limits of the original structure. To the west of the tower stands a two-story house, perpendicular to the tower, built of limestone rubble, probably dating from the 17th century. Source: bibliotheca.wanze.be

Please note that the second part of the walk is inaccessible due to the quarry expansion. There are no signs indicating the direction of travel. A sign from the town indicates the change in the local road where you rejoin the trail. Information should be provided at each end to avoid unnecessary backtracking.

In Fumal, two historic buildings stand out: Fumal Castle and Saint-Remy Church. Fumal Castle is a medieval fortified manor house, with later extensions, which was once the power base of local lords and still dominates the village skyline. Saint-Remy Church is a Gothic-Renaissance church, with elements from various periods, and has been the religious center of the village for centuries. Together, they are important witnesses to Fumal's history and heritage.

The Château de Fosseroule is actually the Ferme-château de Fosseroule, a historic farmhouse with castle features, located at the confluence of the Mehaigne and Fosseroule rivers, near the famous medieval Château de Moha. It is a former walled farm and residence built in the 17th-19th centuries with an impressive east tower, a beautiful example of local heritage. The Fosseroule, after which the castle is named, flows into the Mehaigne River here. The castle grounds house a rural gîte "La Vieille Brasserie" (separate building) - see https://visitwallonia.be/fr-be/content/gite-rural-huccorgne-la-vieille-brasserie

The exact origins of the medieval County of Moha remain unknown. It is likely that the county was formed during the fragmentation of the Carolingian Empire and the Hesbaye region at the end of the 9th century. The first known count, Albert of Moha, is mentioned in a document dated 1026 or 1028. The first defensive stone walls also date from the first half of the 11th century. Having no male heir, Albert of Moha married his daughter to Henry I of Dasbourg around 1050, thus linking the county's destiny to that of this powerful family of Alsatian origin. Initially, it is highly unlikely that the Counts of Dasbourg regularly resided in Moha, entrusting the county's administration to trusted men and a small garrison. However, the situation changed with Hugh II (1130-1180) and his son Albert II (d. 1212), who decided to become more involved in the region's politics. Albert II, in particular, chose to align his interests with those of his nephew, Duke Henry I of Brabant, whose policies he would follow until the end of the 12th century. In 1204, Count Albert III, having lost hope of having a son, chose the Prince-Bishop of Liège as his heir. But the late birth of his daughter Gertrude would jeopardize these agreements. Quickly betrothed to Thibaut of Lorraine, who died in 1219, she then married Thibaut of Champagne, who repudiated her, and subsequently Simon of Linange. At 19, she died childless. On March 19, 1225, the Prince-Bishop of Liège, Hugues de Pierrepont, took possession of Moha. Under the Prince-Bishops, Moha became a prison for political prisoners and a fortification tasked with controlling the city of Huy and blockading merchants. This policy was deeply unpopular and led to reprisals: the people of Huy besieged Moha in 1255. The fortress of Moha was considered impregnable. It was therefore through trickery that the people of Huy, taking advantage of a request for a truce, seized the castle on May 6, 1376. After the attack on the castle, the site's history is largely unknown. Mass is still celebrated twice a year in the castle chapel. During the 18th century, the ruins served as a refuge for a hermit. The castle's stones were gradually plundered, notably to build the surrounding houses. In 1889, the ruins of the castle were purchased by the Belgian state. Source: https://chateaumoha.be/histoire