Warche from Ambleve to source and back 124 km

This cycling tour takes you along the Warche River from the hamlet Warche near the point where the Warche flows into the Amblève River to as close to its source you can get on a road bike, and back, also taking in a small stretch into Germany. The route includes various climbs, usually on quiet roads through woods and meadows with great views. The tour is suited for the racing bike. Highlights are the various cycling paths on former railway lines, the views from Côte de Chevofosse, the climb of Tros Marets into the High Fens, the Bütgenbacher See and the upper valley of the Warche. You can find places to eat and drink at only a few places, with the best options in Malmedy and Bütgenbach. You can park at the start on a gravel parking lot near Warche. Part of this route between Weywertz and Nidrum was blocked during my trip due to a rally. I omitted the lengthy detour I had to make from this track and included the originally planned route in this track. At the start this route connects to a cycling trip along the Amblève from Trois-Ponts to the source of the Amblève (https://nl.wikiloc.com/routes-fietsen/trois-ponts-to-source-and-back-along-the-ambleve-120-km-89433908).
From the start you take a look at the Warche River which flows into the Amblève below the highway viaduct. You then start the climb of the Côte de Chevofosse which has beautiful views of the Warche River valley. At the top you descend towards Stavelot on a road with mediocre paving. You then access the RAVeL L45 cycling path to Malmedy. This cycling path passes through a tunnel and over the Warche. In Malmedy you cycle close to the river to the center of town, with the cathedral. Past the cemetery you continue towards to Bevercé on the main road N68. Past Bevercé the road winds up into the High Fens nature park. You take the Mont Spinette climb into Mont rather than the N68 and then continue to Xhoffraix. You descend and climb to Longfaye and then descend and climb again, now to Ovifat. You then descend to the reservoir dam of Lac de Robertville. This lake is created by the Warche River, and you cross it twice more going upstream. After the third pass to Champagne, you continue to Weywertz where you enter the Vennbahn, which takes you across the Warche again. You may take a look at the stone quarry and then follow the Vennbahn for a while. You then return to Weywertz on minor road and continue on minor roads to Nidrum. You continue to the reservoir dam of the Bütgenbacher See and then take minor roads on the north side of the lake. The route then passes the Warche just before it flows into the reservoir and directly after you enter the Vennquerbahn, a cycling path on a former railroad which takes you up through the Warche valley all the way to the water divide separating the Meuse and Rhine basins. You cross the Warche twice in this stretch close to its source in the woods. You follow the Vennquerbahn all the way into Germany, and leave it at Losheim. You directly turn back into Belgium, descend to Hüllscheid, and then climb back to the water divide near Lanzerath. Via Buchholz you descend to Honsfeld. You then follow the Warche valley downstream, passing the river and the Vennquerbahn twice. Via Büllingen you go back to the Vennquerbahn at the point you entered it previously, but now continue on it towards Bütgenbach. After Bütgenbach, you leave the cycling path, and cross the Warche valley to Nidrum. From here the route continues to Weywertz, again passing the Warche. In Weywertz you enter the Vennbahn cycling path, and follow it to Waimes. Here you take the RAVeL L45 cycling path all the way down to Malmedy. After the station you leave the RAVeL, and then climb to Bellevaux. From Bellevaux it is not far back to the starting point. Back in Warche, I took a look at the Rocher de Warche, a lookout point across the Amblève River at the end of an unpaved path at the end of the minor road from Warche.