Belgium's outdoor landscape is modest in scale but rewarding in detail. The Ardennes in the south — limestone plateau, river gorges, beech forest, and cave systems — delivers hiking and cycling terrain that feels more serious than the country's flat reputation suggests: the Ourthe and Semois river valleys are scenic walking routes of genuine quality, and the High Fens (Hautes Fagnes) moorland plateau in the east is a protected peatbog landscape of unusual bleakness and beauty. The Zwin nature reserve on the coast is one of the most important tidal mudflat bird habitats in northwestern Europe, with avocets, spoonbills, and migratory waders in large numbers. The Meuse valley between Namur and Dinant carries castle-crowned limestone cliffs above a river that is peaceful by kayak. Then the hidden gems start showing up. No rush.