The hills around Vielsam are laced with marked walking trails — a mixture of local circular routes (marked with coloured blazes on trees and posts) and long-distance GR trails that cut across the Belgian Ardennes. The terrain is varied: beech forest on the high ground, open meadows and farmland in the valleys, and stands of conifers on the steeper slopes. Most of the local circular routes are between 8 and 15 km, manageable as half-day or full-day walks depending on pace.
In winter, when snow falls — which is not guaranteed every year at this altitude, but happens reliably in cold winters — the area opens for cross-country skiing on prepared tracks. The Ardennes is better suited to cross-country than downhill skiing, and the area around Vielsam has enough elevation and terrain variety to make it worthwhile when conditions are right. Check the local snow reports before planning a winter trip; the Belgian highlands can have surprisingly fickle winters.