The Rur Near Bosfagne

Along with Hill, Schwalm, Warche, Soor, Our, Olef, Trôs Marets, Holzwarche, Warche and Gileppe, the Rur is a well-known Vennbach. The Rur has its source in the Wallonian Fens, from where you can wonderfully observe during a hike how the initial brook becomes a powerful Vennbach. From the Walloon Fens, a beautiful nature trail leads in places directly along the river bed. The dark, brown color of the Rur comes from the content of dissolved iron and manganese and organic matter in the raised bog. The acids produced when the moor vegetation decompose dissolves iron and manganese from the subsoil. The water is always extremely acidic and undrinkable. Water striders, water beetles and other insects can only live in it.

The Rur is a Fagnarde river originating from 2 small streams which have their source in the Fagne Wallonne. It is also, but erroneously, named Roer or Rour. With a length of 165 kilometres, it also crosses Germany and ends its course in the Netherlands. It only flows in Belgium for a few kilometres. Its main tributaries in Belgium are the Schwarzbach and the Schwalm.

As can be seen very well from the dark brown color of the water, the Rur rises in the High Fens, not far from the highest point in Belgium, the Signal de Botrange. After about 10 kilometers, it crosses the Belgian-German border between Küchelscheid and Kalterherberg. After another 155 kilometers, the Rur flows into the Meuse in the immediate vicinity of the Dutch city of Roermond.