GR 5 (or E 2) is one of those international long distance hiking paths, famous in hiking circles.
This certainly has to do with the name "North Sea – Rivièra". It sounds like the hiking equivalent of the Autoroute du Soleil / Autoroute des Vacances, la Nationale 7 … The idea to cross Europe from north to south, to see the landscape change, to feel the temperature rise ... who wouldn't start dreaming?
The fact that this international hiking path crosses our little country only reinforces the feeling of being directly involved. All it takes is leaving the house and follow the path to the mediterranean sun.
Of course, the reality is something else. Only few people can afford to take a few months off to hike the E 2 trail. And by hiking simple daytrips you won't make it either.
For most of us GR 5 can only be a long term project. A goal you can take into account when planning a holiday, hoping that maybe one day you'll be able to finish the trail completely.
In our case that 'one day' lies several years ahead of us. GR 5 certainly isn't the only fascinating hiking project we can imagine. Knowing ourselves a bit there will always be other irresistable opportunities coming our way and we'll certainly want to get a taste of those too.
So we try to be realistic and prefer to consider the GR 5 (E 2) project as a loosely commited long term goal. Whenever we get the chance to take a few days or weeks off, we'll see if GR 5 can be part of the plans.
But what exactly does this GR 5 trail stand for?
GR 5 is the common term used to designate the continental European part of the international E 2 hiking path.
There exist 11 E paths crossing Europe in all directions, from north to south, from east to west, ... Together these trails form the backbone of an extensive European network of hiking paths. The European Ramblers Association is responsible for the E trails and coördinates their maintenance and development with local organisations like Groteroutepaden and Sentiers GR in Belgium. In turn these local organisations build a network of local paths connecting them in one way or another with the international paths. The flemish GR 5A coincides for an important part with a branch of the international E 2 trail.
Our little country has its fair share of international trails. Besides E 2 there's also E 3 and E 9 passing through our territory.
The E 2 trail has a total length of almost 5000 km from Scotland to Nice at the Mediterranean Sea.
The northern part of the E 2 consists of 2 variants. Both cross the British Isle but one heads for Dover and the other for Harwich.
From Dover the hiker travels to Calais taking the ferry. From Calais he follows the GR 128 trail or the Coastal Path to connect with the Belgian GR 5A trail. Over Ronse and Antwerpen GR 5A connects with GR 565 which is followed briefly to Zoersel.
The other variant travels via Harwich, Hoek van Holland and Bergen-op-Zoom to Zoersel. This is the place in Flanders where both variants meet and from where they continue the journey together under the name GR 5.
GR 5 travels through the Belgian Campines region to Maastricht, continues through the Ardennes and reaches the Grand Duchy Luxembourg.
The trail continues in France via Lorraine, the Vosges and the Jura region. Switserland is briefly visited and then the french Alps are crossed.
Finally the trail descends towards Nice. The hiker is supposed to cross the famous Promenade des Anglais and tramp his feet in the warm Mediterranean Sea.
A dream like any other?
