Lower Reaches of the Meuse (or Maas) in Belgium ….

… with a little bit of the Albert Canal, and the two tiny canals of Monsin and Haccourt-Visé

28th July – 7th August 2020

We were back on the Meuse after a year and a month. Last time we came downstream from France and turned off at Namur. This time we popped out of the Dendre at Namur and turned downstream towards Liège.

It was excellent fun having new special crew abroad who had not cruised with us before.

We had two locks to go through and we were very pleased to have the assistance at the first, where the bollards were widely spaced and also the ropes needed to be re-hung at different levels as we went down. Someone had had greater problems than us in this lock – the lock door is the type that rises from under the water. It looks like someone did not wait long enough and tried to drive over it!

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Both crew took a turn at the helm and show themselves very capable!

So what did we do? We went to the tourist office and got authorisation – In fact they were surprised we asked and said nobody else ever moored there.

So moored up and lunched we set about exploring this rather interesting and characterful small town.

This began with a climb to the top of the rock opposite the boat where a huge triangular citadel, Li Tchestia, sits looking out over the river, (Huy wonder 1). There is of course plenty of history to this 1818 fortress but for now suffice it to say that PG Wodehouse was incarcerated here for a few weeks, along with hundreds of other prisoners, during the Second World War.

First we toured the cells, administration rooms, and displays.

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Then we climbed the steps to the top.

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The views from the big grassy roof were wonderful. Little Calliope can be seen in the third photo …..

… and from there the Captain, who had stayed with his ship, took a photo of us tourists above.

It will come as no surprise to readers of this blog that we had worked up a thirst for a beer in the square by the time we climbed back down. We arranged to meet the Captain by the 15th century fountain, Li Bassinia, (Huy wonder 2). He was ready and waiting with a hop and a skip ….

We carried on to supper in the Irish bar – a bizarre concept in the middle of Belgium but they had the best deal on new season moules.

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The bridge we were moored next to was the third wonder of Huy, Li Pontia. It had so many guises, depending on the tine of day. Here are just two views.

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Due to coronavirus the town could not have its usual summer festival, but a plethora of metal sculptures around the town made it seem an artistic environment.

The following day our crew had to leave, but luckily not until the afternoon. This meant we had time for coffee in the square, an exploration of the market and a chance to buy some good cheeses, bread, fruit and a delicious rotisserie chicken for our lunch.

Captain and I walked up to the station and waved a sad farewell before returning to Calliope.

Then off for a walk, and over the old railway bridge – iconic in its own way, but not a Huy wonder.

We took our chance to walk through some of the oldest streets of Huy and discovered the quirky museum sited in an old abbey cloister.

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The museum housed many old artefacts of ordinary life in Huy over the centuries, as well as more art based exhibits. It also housed some of the Cats of Huy – another summer festival substitute, and to be found everywhere.

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We also went top the cathedral and saw the last of thew four wonders of Huy – Li Rondia – the rose window. My photos does not do it justice, nor justice to the East window and part of a wonderful art exhibition that was there at the time.

Time then to sit back and enjoy the reflections of old Huy across the Meuse.

Now, time to start planning our next move! A split hose in one of the toilets meant that we needed to find an address to which a new part could be posted. Luckily the yacht club just down stream could do that for us so we cast off next morning and travelled a couple of kilometres before tying up in the club basin.

We fully expected to be waiting at least five days for the new part from the UK so we settled in and got to know our new surroundings. To be honest there was not a lot to learn. We were very close to a busy road and rail line with no shops or bars nearby. 

The saving grace was a small nature reserve that had been created within the adjacent basin. It was a pleasant place to walk around in the evening.

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The reserve was built around an old basin that was presumably once busy with industry. A long pier marks the entrance.

Quite amazingly the part arrived the very next day, received by me sitting in the shade by the unmanned Capitainerie, worried that the courier would go away if the delivery was not really easy.

Our next move, a little further downstream, was to moor up to a high quay in the lea of an island. This gave us some protection from the wash and turbulence of the big commercial barges ploughing up and down the river.

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It turned out to be wonderful. We were moored so low down the quay, to bollards in the wall, that we were out of sight of passers-by and could sit on the back deck watching kingfishers and the other birds that used the Island. As usual there are no photos of the kingfishers!

No kingfishers, but we did have one avian visitor who wanted to pose!

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Once again we were adjacent to a nature reserve, this time created from a huge old gravel pit. It even had a bird hide, although not much to see at this time of year. Presumably the quay we were attached to had originally been the place for barges to moor and take away the gravel.

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We spent two nights here and did have a mini explore of Amay, the local village. Like so many places in the area it has had an illustrious past. The church and many of the houses were quite grand in style.

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Now it was time to move a lot further downstream, to Liège. The days cruising only included one lock, but for that one we had a bit of a wait outside and then a bit more inside, as so often happens. It was all very gentle and pleasant, this time with unbroken railings on the upstream gate, and nice floating bollards to ease our descent.

Above Ovoz-Ramet lock at Flémalle a chateau, built high on a rocky outcrop, peered down at our progress.

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It was obvious we were moving away from the countryside and into an area of current and past industry. Some of the buildings and structures that intrigued us included an old blast furnace ….

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…. and a series of about 12 ‘station de pompage’ (pumping stations). The latter had been built across a period that included both art nouveau and art deco styles. Here are just two; I should have taken photos of more of them!

We came under the famous bridge at Liège and found the long pier where we planned to moor completely empty! So we had our choice of places to tie up.

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The pier offered lots of photo opportunities – on the left is a view from a higher vantage point, and then yours truly posing in the ring sculptures at the land end of the pier. Apparently there is a fountain installed at the far end, sadly not operational during our stay.

And for the eagle-eyed, yes we had been joined by other boats by then! Firstly the Piper Boat previously encountered upstream, with whom we shared a glass or two, and then Dreamer, our friends from Ninove.

The water that floods under the central section of the pier made this a surprisingly bumpy mooring each time a commercial barge went by – and even more so when two passed each other beside us! This is warning for those who follow us; moor towards one end or the other of the pier, avoiding the section where you can see the water flows beneath! We moved after a couple of nights as the commercial boats move from about 5.30am until about 10pm!

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We stayed late for four nights, using the days to gently explore the city. It was still a place of coronavirus restrictions, with masks worn in all busy public places, restaurants carefully measuring the distance between tables, and hand sanitiser every few paces (it seemed).

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The first building I fell for was this modern blue edifice, home to the Ministry of Finance and at leat one finance company – I think. Next was the stunning and inspiring station just Wow! You cannot trust appreciate it from this photo – just take my word for it.

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It is the 374 steps of the Montagne de Bueren, taking you from the old town by the river up to the citadel at the top.

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We found a different way down, through very pretty narrow cobbled lanes, winding between the high walls of gardens and houses; a ‘Zone calme’ indeed. (Whoops, one too many photos of me; sorry) (Whoops, crew has noticed the slightly ironic sign above her…)

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Liège is the third largest city in Belgium and the old quarter is full of ancient churches, squares and lanes – and also full of the bustle and hustle of a modern centre with shopping arcades and busy streets. But our mooring was effectively on a large island, mostly given over to a pleasant park popular with the Liègoise. (Apologies again – I just can’t keep out of water!)

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Our days in Liège meant I had time to photograph the surrounding waterside quite a few times; the trumpeting cherubs are at either end of Fragnes bridge.

Fragne bridge is so lovely, so one more photo at dusk to show it off some more.

For just one night we were joined by El Perro Negro and Dreamer; three WOBs (Women on Barges) in a row.

After the four days and nights we were ready to move on to our last section of the Meuse, interspersed with a short time on the Albertkanaal, and also the mini connecting canals of Monsin and Haccourt-Visé.

As we cruised downstream we looked up at the citadel and the hill we had climbed a few hot days before, and enjoyed the fact that it is always cooler on the water.

Before long we met the Albertkanaal, marked at its beginning with the HUGE Albert monument, sadly in the shade on our approach.

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That didn’t stop me attempting to capture its height, majesty and style – front and back.

Only two kilometres on and we were at the Monsin lock where we could rejoin the Meuse (or Maas as it is called in Flandria) for a while, away from the hectic swirl of commercial traffic – not that bad really!). We had not realised that this lock only operates three times as day, and that we had three hours to wait, in the shade. It was also our official entry to Flandria from Wallonia so much paperwork ensued in the lock office!

Then we were through the lock and cruising along the Maas, fully expecting to find a nice mooring in the shade somewhere. But it was not to be. After the full 10 kilometres of the river between Monsin and Visé, including the port at Visé, we found nowhere suitable.

Eventually, speaking to the harbourmaster at Visé, a very nice and helpful man, El Perro Negro were allowed to use an absent boat’s mooring for a night, and we tied up at the lock back to the Albertkanaal.

This turned out to be a lovely last resort! Calliope, dressed overall with her extreme heat uniform of un-uniform drapes and shades, helped us cool down from a very hot day.

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After a siesta the evening light was just right for deadheading geraniums, a gentle supper and cold drinks on the back deck, again! And we were joined by a butterfly – maybe a comma?

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The morning was as bright as was expected and the lock was lit by sunlight. It was the 7th August; the heatwave was with us for another week by the look of it!

So into the lock which was pleasantly spraying water all over me; towel at the ready.

And goodbye, Meuse/Mass; we go back onto the Albertkanaal.