See-Camping Zittauer Gebirge
The campsite in Upper Lusatia advertises itself on its homepage as "different from the usual". It is not only idyllically situated on the shores of Lake Olbersdorf, but also directly on the trail area of Germany's smallest mountain range. And as luck would have it, the Czech border also stretches across the Zittau mountains, from where the trail network for mountain bikers is known to branch out into infinity.
What makes it special: The camp site is family-run with great attention to detail. You don't have to walk far for fresh bread rolls in the morning, as the camp has its own bakery. To flavour your evening meal, you can pick the right spices in the herb garden and roast your meat over the campfire. The camp site itself is a spacious meadow with individual trees that provide shade and privacy from the neighbours. You are free to choose a pitch for your own camper van, or you can simply book into one of the available camping huts for 30 euros.
- Parking spaces: 185
- WoMo fee: 10 Euro
- Per person: 9,50 Euro
- Trail area: 5 stars
- Info: sachsencamping.com
Punta Ala in Tuscany
Okay, there's a good chance that you'll bump into your equally trail-crazy neighbours here: the campsite on the Tuscan Mediterranean coast has become a firm favourite with bikers. It all started in 2013, when the Enduro World Series made its very first stop in the coastal mountains behind the campsite. Back then, there were already a few trails in the hinterland, but these were mainly used by cave climbers and wild boars. But the EWS kept coming back to Castiglione della Pescaia because the combination was simply perfect: pitches in a light, cosy and fragrant pine forest, a beautiful sandy beach with a beach bar and an enduro trail plantation that has been growing and thriving within rolling distance ever since.
The run on these trails is now so great that a trail centre with a complete service for mountain bikers has blossomed within the campsite: rental bikes, shuttles, guided tours and even the booking of all-inclusive event weeks including a camping hut on the beach is possible. Incidentally, this is also available for gravel bikers, as the coastal mountains also have a very interesting network of gravel paths!
- Parking spaces: 400
- Motorhome fee: from 20 euros
- Per person: included
- Trail area: 5 stars
- Info: campingpuntala.it
Alpine road trip from lake to lake
Pack the motorhome once and then tick off six super spots in the Alps on a round trip - all with an after-work beer by the lake. This is possible on this route: Garmisch - Ehrwald - Nauders - Livigno - St. Moritz - Lake Como - Molveno. If you add the return journey from Molveno to Garmisch, you will cover a total of 765 kilometres on this tour of the Alps. But there are also plenty of trails: the icons Blindsee Trail and Seebensee await in the Tiroler Zugspitz Arena, the 3-country enduro trails in Nauders and a big mountain area with two bike parks, epic main ridge trails and duty-free petrol for the onward journey in Livigno.
Over in the Upper Engadine, you check in at Silverplaner Lake and test out the new trails on the Bernina Pass. The route continues over the Maloja Pass down to Lake Como, where there are lake view mule tracks to be explored along the northern shore. The legendary Paganella bike park on Lake Molveno is the final highlight. All information including GPS tracks of the best tours: bike-magazin.de
- Campsites: 6
- WoMo fee: 10-19 Euro
- Per person: different
- Trail areas: 3-5 stars
- All information about the road trip through the Alps
Trails and camping in the Altmühltal
The Altmühl has its source in the Franconian Heights and is in no hurry at all on its way to the Danube. The river winds its way through its nature park bed for 200 kilometres without a steep gradient. Past vertical cliffs and ancient castles. This has always attracted outdoor-loving families and the density of campsites in the Altmühltal is correspondingly high.
However, as the officially authorised trails in the valley flanks are now also opening up, a road trip here is now more worthwhile than ever for bikers. The gems to pick up: the Heumödern trail park in Treuchtlingen at the western entrance to the valley (six trails with lift), the trail circuits of Eichstätt and Kipfenberg, as well as the newly signposted trails in Kelheim at the eastern end of the valley. The best places to camp: the well-equipped campervan site at the Kurpark Treuchtlingen (91 pitches, from 15 euros), the 4-star Kratzmühle campsite in Kinding (400 pitches, from 29.50 euros) and the very idyllic Azur-Camping in Kipfenberg (from 29 euros).
- Campsites in the valley: 23
- Motorhome fee: from 15 euros
- Per person: mostly incl.
- Trail area: 5 stars
- Info: naturpark-altmuehltal.de
Car park comfort in Klinovec
An idyllic meadow with a bathing lake is of course not to be expected on a cable car car park. But that's not what bike park campers are usually looking for. Here, it's more about a caravan park with like-minded people and a tarmac car park is perfectly adequate for this. Campervan wall to campervan wall, it's the perfect place to toast with a beer after work, work on the bikes together and exchange experiences. What's more, you can sleep in in the morning and still be the first at the lift.
There are several bike parks that allow camping in the cable car car park, but the pitches in Klinovec are particularly popular. The reason: car park levels P4 and P5 at the valley station of the Prima Express chairlift in Jáchymov offer real camper service: parking and toilet use are free, electricity costs the equivalent of 12 euros and you can buy a coin for the shower at the cable car ticket office (approx. 1 euro for two minutes). Well, and the other reason is that the trail descents are up to ten kilometres long and the enduro lines also attract prominent riders, who then of course spend the night in their camper in proper style.
- Camping sites: P4 + P5
- WoMo fee: 0 Euro
- Electricity + shower: 13 Euro
- Trail area: 5 stars
- Info: trailpark.cz
Wellness-Camp Winterberg
If the simple camping car park at the Klinovec bike park is cult, then the version at the Winterberg bike park should be for hot showers. But the name is not enough, because this campsite even has a sauna! There is also no need to form a wagon fortress here, because the pitches are extra spacious with lots of green Sauerland around them. Nevertheless, no one at the Winterberg campsite has ever complained about a lack of party atmosphere or bad-tempered neighbours.
On the contrary - the site was voted one of the best campsites in Germany last year. There are many reasons for this, especially for mountain bikers: simply follow the signs from the campsite to the three bike park lifts, let off steam on the 17 trails with a total of 20 kilometres and then get your equipment back in shape in the bike wash facility. There's also a bread roll service in the morning, free WiFi, separately bookable sanitary facilities and fresh water access!
- Parking spaces: 280
- WoMo fee: 33,50 Euro
- Per person: 2 pers. incl.
- Trail area: 5 stars
- Info: campsite-winterberg.com
Morteratsch - Europe's highest campsite
It is a natural site just like the Morteratsch glacier of the Bernina and the still wildly bubbling Inn created it: a little humpy underground, shaded by Swiss stone pines, decorated with rocks and alpine meadows, soundtracked by birdsong and the sound of the river. What you don't have to worry about at Camping Morteratsch are mosquito attacks and excessive heat, as the site is situated at an altitude of 1860 metres. If you don't want to barbecue and cook at your own fire pit, you can get food from a food truck, and twice a week a cheese fondue from the nearby cheese dairy is also offered.
The number of pitches available is difficult to quantify, as the size of the cars and motorhomes also plays a role in the winding terrain. You can get a good overview by entering your car size and the desired date on the homepage. The booking plan and price will then appear. Example: A week in September with a motorhome (7.5 tonnes) costs 379 euros.
- Pitches: n. A.
- Motorhome fee: 1 week 379 Euro (September)
- Per person: included in the price
- Trail area: 5 stars
- Info: camping-morteratsch.ch
Piedmont: Valle Maira - more stars are not possible
12 tent pitches, 6 pitches for motorhomes and 3 fully equipped tents are permitted at the Locanda Mistral campsite in Valle Maira. More is not possible because the site is nestled in the wildflower meadow near a Natura2000 area. That's why all the logistics and infrastructure are eco-friendly. If you want, you can even attend workshops organised by the campsite hosts, as their sustainability philosophy has won awards.
There are also e-MTBs for hire, as the gigantic military road network of Piedmont awaits right outside the tent, climbing up to over 3000 metres. But the very best thing about this camp spot is that it is located in such a way that no light pollution disturbs the nightly view of the starry sky! From 15 euros per night, open until mid-October.
Graun: Beautifully flat on Lake Reschen
In the 3-country enduro corner on the Reschen Pass, there are three options for accommodation with a motorhome. Two small, pretty pitches with a view of Ortler and Haidersee and every camper comfort. Or the camper pitch at the Schöneben cable car. Normal holidaymakers find it great for one night: uncomplicated 24-hour check-in, use the cable car toilet in the morning, then pay the parking fee at the barrier into the machine and continue their journey south. Perhaps they will be surprised in the rear-view mirror at the many mountain bikers who have made themselves at home here...
In fact, you have to take the name of the square very literally: Not nice, but nice. A sober, dusty car park with no humps and/or slopes - which you would have to work out in order not to roll out of bed at night. If you make it to the front row, you are at least on the shore of Lake Reschen and only a few steps away from the only, fairly fresh washing facilities. So what is it that attracts bikers so magically? Well, its proximity to the top trails and its great freedom to party!
- Pitches: n. A.
- WoMo fee: 23,60 Euro
- 2 pers. incl.
- Trail area: 5 stars
- Info: campercontact.com
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor
