Trail with your dog: the Herbeumont trail station in Belgium!
Hello Wouafer's! Today, we find Céline and her pack sharing new adventures with us! Céline, Dog-reporter at EmmèneTonChien.com is a fan of traction sports with her dogs. So inevitably, on the trail side, she knows a lot. And I would even say more cani-trail side. Because yes, you can go trail running with your dog. Provided you are in good physical condition and have a dog in good physical condition as it is a somewhat demanding sport. I did trail running with Musher for a while but neither me nor her were made for this sport. My dog prefers to sniff all the smells of the paths and I prefer to take pictures of Musher and each little flower on the path... The fine team! lol
So good, on the trail side, we give the floor to Céline who presents us today with a trail station that she loves. It is a trail station located in Belgium. This is the Ardenne-Herbeumont Trail Station. It offers 6 trail courses and 4 training workshops, all on 95km of marked trails.
Céline gives us her tips and tricks for discovering this resort with her 4 dogs!
I didn't have the chance to discover this trail station with Musher but thanks to our team of sports Dog-Reporters, Céline will be able to tell us everything!
Come on, we can't wait to discover Herbeumont! It's up to you, Céline!
Herbeumont, The place to trail with his dog
In the heart of the province of Luxembourg in Belgium, there is a small village in a magnificent natural site which will be the ideal playground for your dogs! Departing from the village of Herbeumont, several signposted routes will allow you and your dog to discover incredible nature, whether you are not very or very sporty.
On the walls of the Tourist Office, you will find a summary of all the routes. Distance, elevation, content and much more information, which will help you plan your day or your stay with your dog. We have walked almost all of them and some segments are just amazing!
Magnificent viewpoints, exotic landscapes, we sometimes thought we were in another country or in the mountains. Belgium is still not the first destination you think of when you think of trail running, altitude and mountains. And yet….
For the warmer periods, some walk along the Semois in order to be able to cool their dogs as they should!
Musher and Sophie: “Besides the Wouafer's, you know that the heat can be complicated for our dogs or even fatal... So to avoid the worst, I share an article with you to read and reread for Protect your dog from heatstroke ! Refreshing tips for doggies to feel good in their pads!”
Just choose your course number and follow it. Everything is signposted, all year round and even in reflective mode for your nocturnal escapades. I tested it for you at night and I was able to meet all kinds of animals, including a beaver that we were able to observe for a long time.
Musher and Sophie: “With Musher we like to go hiking at night, it's really an unforgettable experience but it requires a little organization of course! Especially when it comes to hardware! Then you will find some advice here: Night hike with a dog ! "
Whether for cani-rando, the cani trail or the cani-pluff, the possibilities are many and varied in the Herbeumont trail station. For history buffs and the curious, the Château d'Herbeumont is a must-see and it offers a spectacular view of the surroundings!
There are different routes in this resort, here are a few:
-
Wood of Conques (10,9 kms)
-
Tomb of the Knight (8,8 kms)
-
Libaipire (15,7 kms)
-
Herbeumont Forest (17,5 kms)
-
Vanne des Moines (30,6 kms)
-
Semois Valley (27,4 kms)
Musher and Sophie: “I love hiking with Musher, yet I never go off on the spur of the moment. A hike must be prepared because prevention is better than cure. An accident can happen so quickly so you might as well be prepared for any eventuality! To properly organize your hikes with your dog, take a look at this article to discover all the advice: Hiking with your dog cannot be improvised ! "
Cani-trail with your dog!
The cani-trail is the act of running with your dog over medium or long distances, on a trail-type course with more or less sustained help from the latter. But be careful, don't improvise cani-trailer who wants. Suitable equipment is necessary as well as good preparation.
The equipment for cani-trailing with your dog is similar to that used in canicross. Namely, a harness to limit back strain, an elastic lanyard that absorbs shocks and a traction harness, often of the X-back type (X-shaped on the back).
The harness must absolutely be adapted and adjusted so as not to cause injury to your buddy. It is the most important material.
For ease and safety, your dog must master basic commands such as directions (left/right), paces (slow/faster/stop) and focus (forward).
And the key word to remember is progressiveness. You don't do a marathon if you haven't trained for it. We remain logical, we gradually increase the distances by ensuring that the health, the will to go and the body of the dog and the runner follow, thanks to a veto control and canine osteopath.
Book accommodation with your dog in Herbeumont in Belgium
800 meters from the departures and 200 meters from the Semois, there is a small family campsite where dogs are welcome. The “Le commerce” campsite welcomes you with your dog without reservation and with great sympathy from the tenants and residents. Rated 1 star, it nevertheless has nothing to envy to others more expensive and more “luxurious”.
The toilets are clean, the showers are heated, clean and hot. A fridge and a washing machine are available. And all this for a really reasonable price. Its location is ideal for making the most of the region with your dog. There is even a small barbecue available at the campsite.
Go camping with 4 dogs
With 4 dogs, staying on a campsite requires a bit of organization.
We travel by van, in which each dog has its custom-made cage. They must not be too big, so as not to risk untimely swaying and in order to secure our darlings as much as possible in the event of an accident.
We limit our land with a fenced dog park. As well as sheep fences 90 cms high (25m long) delivered with their stakes.
Unfortunately, not all dogs respect the zone and it is not always possible to set one up. Especially for short stays. We then use a “stake out”. A kind of metal cable lifeline where the dogs are arranged at regular intervals which does not allow them to get entangled.
These two methods bring us real comfort but obviously require some learning.
Everything is arranged under an awning, so as to offer a shaded or sheltered space depending on the weather conditions.
The shade cloth to be placed on your vehicle to protect it from the sun is also one of our essential travel tools in good weather.
Equipment that requires a certain investment but which allows greater freedom and to circumvent the difficulty of finding accommodation that accepts several dogs.
Find all our gear tips and travel tips on my blog and Insta: @the_nordic_squad.
Musher and Sophie : “Besides, if like Céline, you have an XXL family and you want to go on vacation with all your darlings, here is an article that may be useful to you: Traveling with multiple dogs – tips and advice!"
Thank you very much Céline for sharing this experience! All your advice is precious for our cani-trail enthusiasts! And I'm sure you've made several of our Wouafer's want to try the experiment with their dog!
If you want to know more about Céline and her sports team, I invite you to discover their portrait of Dog-Reporters: Céline and her pack: our Dog-Reporters fans of canicross ! They live many Wouafement Bien adventures and I encourage you to follow them on their Insta account, you are going to enjoy it!
Thanks again Celine! And we are already looking forward to discovering a new adventure with your darlings! See you soon !