Three Country Highpoints in an Afternoon

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Signal de Botrange
- Additional Parents
- Vaalserberg
- Buurgplaatz
- Signal de Botrange
- Europe's Highpoints
Three Country Highpoints in an Afternoon

Page Type:	Trip Report
Date Climbed/Hiked:	Jun 27, 2011
Activities:	Hiking
Season:	Summer

Vaalserberg, Netherlands

My dad and I flew into Brussels from Prague. After an issue with a lost bag, which I found on another carousel, we were off to bag three country highpoints in an afternoon. Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg highpoints were the goals. It was about noon, and first we drove to the Netherlands. The highpoint, outside of Vaals, was an easy drive. We parked at the bottom of the hill in Vaals and walked up a paved path to the highpoint. It took about 10 minutes of leisurely walking to get to Vaalserberg. There were a couple towers along the way. The first was in a café, and the one next to the highpoint marked the borders of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Me at Vaalserberg.

Highpoint of the Netherlands.

My dad and I at Vaalserberg.

We walked down the path and jumped in the car, headed for Signal de Botrange.

Signal de Botrange, Belgium

Signal de Botrange, Belgium’s highpoint, was on the side of a highway. We knew it would not be an issue. We drove to the highpoint, and parked at the far side of the parking lot so we at least walked a bit. The highpoint is 694 meters, but there is a 6 meter staircase to 700 meters.

Signal de Botrange from the parking lot.

Me on the staircase to Belgium's highpoint.

700 Meters, with help from a 6 meter staircase to nowhere.

Another nearby marker.

My dad and I.

It was an easy highpoint and we got back in the car to drive to Luxembourg.

Burgplatz and Kneiff, Luxembourg

The drive to Luxembourg was not easy, the highway was closed for construction so we had to drive on small farm roads for awhile. We got back on the freeway and drove to Burgplatz. We saw the tower along the side of a road, and drove to it.

me at Burgplatz, Europe's Highpoints book in hand.

My dad at Burgplatz.

Commemorative plaque for the Grand-Duke's visit in 1960.

Tower at Burgplatz.

Around the corner we drove to Kneiff, the new disputed highpoint. It was a little walk up a hill from the freeway.

Me at Kneiff.

Three country highpoints in an afternoon…not bad.

Images

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Comments

McCannster - Nov 25, 2013 10:38 am - Voted 10/10

Awesome reports

Makes me happy seeing a father/son team tackle some highpoints! I've only have 2 Euro highpoints under my belt (Liechtenstein and Luxembourg), but will focus on more the next time I get over to Europe. Nice highpoint guide too...I took the photo that appears on the back cover of that book.

Andrew Rankine - Nov 26, 2013 8:53 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Awesome reports

Thanks! Grauspitz is a peak I have yet to climb, but it is on my to do list of course. That guidebook has been indispensable as a resource, and having a great photo on a unique guidebook is pretty cool! The highpoints are great fun, and a good way to give a little direction to an otherwise purely sightseeing trip. It also gets one off the beaten track--particularly further East, and to some very strange and interesting places. The father/son team has been great, I think we have 16 or so country highpoints so far which has been a blast!

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