The GPS data for the Elba trip report from EMTB 1/18
EMTB tours presented
can be downloaded free of charge in the download area directly below this article. Have fun travelling!
Info: Tour descriptions and maps
Tour 1: Marina Di Campo - San Illario - GTE-Marciana Alta - Madonna Del Monte - Chiessi - Mt Turrato
Starting from Marina di Campo, scenic tarmac road to San Illario, around Monte Perone to Poggio on sandy tracks and forest paths, on forest road up to GTE, challenging crossing at GTE and singletrail descent to Marciana Alta, challenging uphill to Madonna del Monte, panoramic ride around Monte Capanne to the flowing descent via Semaforo to Chiessi, coastal road and trails along the west coast to Colle Pollombaia, trail crossing to Monte Turrato and final descent back to Marina die Campo.
Technical requirement: medium-high
Length: 45 km
Height difference: 1700 hm
Refreshment stop: Bar La Porta, Marciana Alta, Baba Yaga Pub, Pomonte
Bathing possibility: Free beaches in Chiessi, Pomonte, Seccheto, Cavolli and Marina di Campo
Tour 2: Lacona - Mt Orello - Finca Terra Cuore - Mt Barbatoia
From the start/end point at the PP in Lacona (Viale dei Golfi), take the Via del Pinone junction, head towards Capoliveri on tarmac, soon turn off onto a sandy track and uphill to Monte Orello, descend on sandy track and singletrack to Casa Marchetti, uphill to Finca Torre e Cuore, descend on sandy track and cart track towards Porto Azzurro, short ascent on sandy track and descent on singletrack to SP 26, There turn right towards Portoferraio as far as the junction at Aquabuona, via the sandy track to Colle Reciso, briefly onto tarmac and then immediately turn right again onto the sandy track towards San Martino, crossing below the crest of the hill as far as the GTE, then via Monte San Martino and Monte Barbatoia on the GTE on the sandy track as far as the junction with the single track via Serra del Perro back to Lacona.
Length: 33 km
Height difference: 1250 m
Driving requirements: light to medium
Character: Single trail, gravel & sand tracks
Refreshment stop: Finca Terra e Cuore
Bathing possibility: Free beach and Lacona Spiaggia Grande
Tour 3: Masso Quota - Vie del Granito
Start at the car park at the PP opposite the Conad supermarket in Marina di Campo, initially on asphalt over serpentines up to San Illario, continue behind the cemetery on a forest path, up technically demanding hairpin bends and finally on a single trail to the picnic area on Monte Perone. Then descend towards San Piero with little loss of altitude, turn right at the fountain onto an inconspicuous singletrail, then uphill into the forest until the path widens. From here, soon turn left onto the flow trail and follow it to the next forest track. Follow the forest track southwards to the viewpoint. From here, a sensational, panoramic descent over granite trails (follow the GPS track, otherwise it is a little difficult to find your way here), turn into the Hammer Trail to Cavoli/Seccheto near the sports ground in San Piero. There are wonderful bathing opportunities in Seccheto and Cavoli. Take the riverside road via Colle Palombaia back to the starting point or take another short climb to San Piero and a short but beautiful gravel trail!
Length: 28.28 km
Height difference: 1549 m
Driving requirements: Medium to high
Character: Single trail, gravel & sand tracks
Refreshment stop: many possibilities in San Illario, Seccheto, Cavoli, San Piero, Marina del Campo.
Bathing possibility: Cavoli, Seccheto, Spiaggia Colle Palombaia.
Card tip:
The island is criss-crossed with paths and trails, many of which are overgrown and hardly exist anymore. The Supertrail Map Elba gives e-bikers a great overview of which trails are really worthwhile.
Guiding:
Tyrolean mountain bike guide Kay Cichini is a regular guest on Elba and knows the best trails and tours on the island. He revealed his highlights to us for this article. His repertoire includes many other enjoyable trails, which he is happy to share with interested parties. You can find the contact here!
The GPS data for the Elba trip report from EMTB 1/18
EMTB tours presented
can be downloaded free of charge in the download area directly below this article. Have fun travelling!
GENERAL INFORMATION
Arrival to Porto di Piombino. From there, take the Moby or Toremar ferries, which run every half hour to hour. www.mobylines.de, www.toremar.it
Location advantage: In contrast to islands that can only be reached by plane (Canary Islands), battery transport to Elba is not a problem.
Infrastructure
There are bike shops on Elba, but they are usually closed in the low season. It is therefore best to take a basic contingent of spare parts with you. Take a multiple plug with you for the battery chargers in the hotel - note: because of the Italian sockets, it is advisable to take a socket adapter with you.
Best time to travel
Elba is particularly recommended for bikers outside the holiday season. During the holiday season, you should expect traffic on the trails and hiking tours. Elba is very quiet, especially in winter, but can also be quite chilly. From March/April, the climate is milder again and short-sleeved jerseys are often sufficient for biking. For tours in the Capanne region, it is advisable to bring warm clothing and rainwear even in autumn and spring. While it can still be reasonably warm on the beach and in the southern areas, a cold wind tends to blow at the top of the ridges. The days are also shorter by then, so it's best to pack lights in your rucksack in case a tour ends at dusk or in the dark.
Maps
The island offers everything from easy to difficult. The guide "Mountainbiking on Elba" by Burkhard Dahl, published by Delius Klasing Verlag, is excellently researched and includes GPS tracks. Good maps of Elba are available from Kompass Verlag, www.kompass.de
Accommodation
In the off-season, you should check whether your chosen accommodation is open. Hotels and guesthouses are often closed in December/January due to company holidays. There is a wide range of accommodation in every price category and it can be booked via the well-known portals. We were satisfied with: Hotel Plaza, Porto Azzurro www.hotelplazaelba.com
Restaurants / Bars
Especially in the winter months, Elba feels like it has half as many inhabitants as usual. Those of the locals who can are on holiday somewhere on the other side of the world, recovering from the island's exhausting summer season. As a result, far fewer pubs and restaurants are open. You can find up-to-date information on the opening hours of most restaurants on Elba on Google Maps.
We can recommend eating out:
- Da Floriano, Via Bettino Ricasoli, Porto Azzurro, Tel +39 0565 95092
- Ristorante Il Cantuccio, Marina di Campo, Campo nell' Elba, Tel +39 0565 976775
- Bar Rodriguez, Piazza Giacomo Matteotti 5, 57031 Capoliveri.
Tourism Association www.visitelba.de, info@visitelba.info
