Snow. It’s probably the four-letter word I hate the most. I’ve never been a skier or a great fan of winter. Growing up in the Midwest, where lake=effect snow made winters unbearable, seeded my hatred of snow. Undergraduate school in Ithaca, New York, and decades in Upstate New York cemented my opinion of the evil white stuff. And moving to Minnesota convinced me. I hate winter, and I hate snow. Why was I bundled up in a shearling coat with layer after layer of clothing just to stay warm? And driving? Don’t get me started. It was in Minnesota that I discovered that you should NEVER try to put gas in your car after you have it washed in the winter. And that the exhaust from the car in front of you can leave a nasty patch of black ice.
I cocooned at home in front of the blazing fireplace during my first few winters in Minnesota. After a few years of feeling stuck, I found a fabulous hiking group. The “Hardy Hikers” went out in all kinds of weather. Rain and snow didn’t dampen their enthusiasm for the outdoors. Soon, I was one of them, preferring winter hiking to summer hiking. Heck, there are fewer mosquitoes.
Winter in Belgium
When I moved to Belgium in 2010, I didn’t know what to expect weather-wise. Would we have a nasty winter or would it be mild? Well, in the Ardennes, you can be almost guaranteed that you’ll see snow. But I lived just outside Brussels where temperatures were more temperate and the altitude was lower, We faced a few minor snowfalls (maybe an inch or two) that made travel a bit of a headache, but nothing like what I experienced in the US. This season, we’ve only had a dusting of snow. Color me happy! And, yes, I found another great hiking group — and two great photo groups.
Picture This
When one of my photography groups planned a trip to the High Fens, the highest point in Belgium, I was intrigued. It straddles the east Belgium/German border and is a natural paradise.
Our visit to the largest nature reserve in Belgium would mix hiking through some beautiful terrain with photography. What could be better? Some people in the group had never seen snow before, and Baraque Michel promised to give them a bit of a winter experience.
We arrived early in the day, getting the last few parking spots before cars lined the streets for as far as the eye could see. We grabbed our cameras and headed out into the frozen tundra, Belgium-style. The wooden walkways raised over the frozen marshes and the running waters below were ice-covered in many places. Other spots were more like a mud bath, as one friend found out as his leather hiking shoes became wet and muddy. You burn a few more calories wallowing through the mud and carefully navigating icy pathways.
Temperatures were in the low 30s, which is like spring for Minnesotans. Still, I dressed in layers prepared for frigid weather. We saw dozens of young families pulling children on sleds, and giddy kids building snowmen. They were having the time of their lives. It was fun watching their fascination with winter.
By the time we were halfway through our hike in Haute Fagnes (the High Fens), I abandoned my down coat and warm gloves. I had my share of winter! Honestly, it was worth the nearly two-hour trip to get to Baraque Michel — the only place in Belgium where you can find snow this week.
Okay, I have to admit it. Seeing the snow was cool. And photographing it was even more fun. But I will be happy to delay my next experience in a winter wonderland to 2023.
