800,000 people visit the Three-Country Point over the course of a year. There, at the highest point in the Netherlands where the Belgian, German and Dutch borders meet, numerous attractions beckon.
But you can also explore this popular destination by taking one or more quiet paths through the border forests.
Node network points: At Karlshöher Hochweg car park/barbecue hut, continue straight on along the road past the barrier, take the first left to node network points 44-43-42-40-39-29-12-13-32-33-97-34-35-36-37-86-87-42-46, before node network point 46 at the crossroads with the information board and pilgrim’s cross, turn right, then continue straight on back towards the car park at Karlshöher Hochweg.
Node network points (DE), Node network points (NL), node network points (BE)
Free hiking app: Information and offline maps are available here in the hiking app (Android & Apple) and on the Aachen Region’s hiking portal.
Places of Interest:
Refreshments and Dining:
From Karlshöhe, past the ‘Mulleklenkes’ telecommunications tower (133 m), we follow the course of the former boundary trench, a medieval fortification. It consists of an earthen rampart, a moat and a beech hedge. It stretched for over 70 kilometres around the rural areas of the Aachen Empire and protected the lush forests from timber poachers. In 1611, boundary stones bearing the city’s emblem – the eagle – carved into them identified the rightful owner. We come across two eagle stones on the tour: one hidden near the German-Belgian border crossing and one later, in the middle of the path near the Wilhelmina Tower. Along the way, remnants of the old rampart and the beech hedge with its rows of old, gnarled trees can be glimpsed again and again along the current borders. At the Beeck Turret we also come across one of the old watchtowers on the boundary trench.
Then a vast expanse of meadow opens up before us. It lies on the German side and boldly creeps into the Belgian forest along a narrow strip. The small turnstile known as ‘Rüttchen’ marks the inconspicuous border crossing. We now head along the Geusen Path, as if through a green tunnel. In the 18th century, this provided a hidden route to church between Eupen and Vaals, where Protestants – who were at that time reviled and persecuted as ‘Geuzen’ (beggars) – found a haven of tolerance within a predominantly Catholic environment. With views over the western part of the city, the trail leads up to the Three-Country Point. An ancient eagle stone and wooden posts painted in national country colours allow you to experience both past and present borders in the forest. We emerge from the secluded spot in the woods and enjoy the quieter end of the Three-Country Point, with its viewing tower, skywalk and restaurants, boasting magnificent viewing terraces. After a break we take the quiet forest path along the old boundary trench, away from motor traffic. At the end of the parallel route, anyone willing can immerse themselves in the hustle and bustle of the Three-Country Point area: the Three-Country Point (the highest point in the Netherlands), a maze and the Baudouin observation Tower.
The return journey takes us along the Königsweg Path, a popular walking trail leading to the Three-Country Point. Spoken greetings quickly alternate between ‘Hallo’, ‘Middag’ and ‘Bonjour’, revealing the diverse origins of the crowd. Before long, we reach the next pilgrimage route – this time in the true sense of the word. Since 1863 the eight-kilometre-long Pilgrimage Path, which is also part of the Way of St James, has been used once a week by the ‘Wednesday pilgrims’ for their pilgrimage from Aachen to Moresnet-Chapelle. Throughout history the path through the border forest has served as an escape route in times of war or, as a smuggling route for many! War and peace meet at the concrete defences of the Siegfried Line. Although the Nazis had touted it as an impregnable line of defence, the fortification built in 1938–39 was already obsolete just five years later and offered little resistance to the Allied liberation. The neighbouring pilgrims’ cross commemorates the victims of the war and serves as a reminder of the need for peace in Europe.
