THURINGIAN FOREST (photo above)
Low mountain trails by the Thuringian Sea: the best section of the Deutschland Trail.
When bikers think of Thuringia, they think of Tabarz, bratwurst and the famous Rennsteig ridge trail. In contrast, only the locals rave about the Hohenwarte reservoir or the Schwarzatal valley. And that's exactly who showed us the most beautiful corners and hidden trails in the Thuringian Forest last year. We were travelling through on the Deutschland Trail, which took us from the edge of the Alps through Germany's low mountain ranges to Hamburg. However, we were so impressed by the middle section of the 19-day tour that we can recommend this section as a perfect three-day tour.
From the small village of Mödlareuth on the Bavarian-Thuringian border, you hop along a section of flagstone path before the winding course of the Saale sets the direction. The paths around the Bleiloch dam side arms seem never-ending. The rocky ascent to the Hemmkoppe summit is rewarded with a super trail to Ziegenrück. The next highlight: the forest trails on the banks of the Hohenwarte reservoir, which adorns the landscape like a fjord and was already a popular excursion destination in GDR times. After Bad Blankenburg, the Schwarzatal branches off, which whips lactate tsunamis through your thighs with its short, poisonous climbs. But the ramps are sweetened with fun trails. Sometimes the suspension fork works its way over root carpets, sometimes you balance around hairpin bends.
The tour
On the route of the Deutschland-Trail through Thuringia: 181.8 km / 4575 m elevation gain / 3 stages.
The tour follows the former inner-German border from Mödlareuth, then follows the course of the Saale river. With the Bleiloch dam and the Hohenwarte reservoir, you pass two of the largest reservoirs in Germany, mostly on moderate forest paths and gravel tracks. The first day ends on a technically challenging super trail from the Hemmkoppe to Ziegenrück. Long climbs are the exception, but the constant ups and downs are challenging. Fit marathon bikers can complete the tour in two days.
Info
There is plenty of accommodation in Ziegenrück and Bad Blankenburg - from simple hostels to 3-star hotels. The GPS data for the tour can be found below in the download area and further information is available here->
SUPERTRAILS DAVOS
Two super trails in one place, and the lift tickets are free if you stay one night or more.
A long weekend simply seeing mountains and trails - nowhere better than Davos. The town in the Swiss Prättigau may be almost as big as a city, but the cable cars lift bikers directly from the centre up into the surrounding mountains. And right into the centre of the valley-spanning and permanently maintained transport network of the local trail crew. Hundreds of kilometres of trails wind their way over mountain ridges, squeeze through rock gates, zigzag through forests or balance as a narrow ledge along gorge walls.
Every trail excursion in Davos leads through spectacular landscapes and takes several hours. The trails here are in no hurry to get down into the valley, and in between they lead gently uphill again. Two trails in this huge network have already been recognised as "super trails". The Chörbschhorn Trail and the Alps Epic Trail. The latter runs for almost 40 kilometres from the Jakobshorn summit over the Rinerhorn down to Filisur. An eventful day's ride, where you can hop on the Rhaetian Railway for free at the end and be shuttled back to Davos.
The tours
- Alps Epic Trail: 36.2 km / 993 metres altitude / 2580 metres altitude / 5-6 hours
The trail starts at the summit station of the Jakobshorn (2590 m) and ends at an altitude of just under 1000 metres in Filisur. In between, the trail winds its way up and down the valley side in all its facets. Flowing passages are followed by blocked or rooty sections, and sometimes you have to push or carry. But everything is moderate.
- Chörbschhorn Trail: 18 km / 370 m / 1471 metres / 3-4 hours
Another big mountain experience on the other side of the valley. The Parsenn funicular railway takes over the main part of the ascent, but the trail wants to go even further uphill at the top. After that, however, the finest natural flow follows.
Info
Favourable package deals on www.davos.ch - the tours are signposted. You can find the GPS data for the tour in the download area below.
GARDASEE-RONDA
There are places on Lake Garda where you have never seen a biker. This Ronda takes you there.
Altissimo, Tremalzo, Monte Velo - those who often travel to Lake Garda usually ride the tried-and-tested Moser classics and meet up with like-minded people in Mecki's Bar after the tour. That's nice too. But how about getting to know the lake from a completely new angle: this tour crosses Monte Baldo on its rather unknown eastern flank and makes its way to Torri del Benaco on gravel and meadow paths. There you take the ferry and sail to the western shore. From Toscolano, turn off into a secluded valley towards Monte Caplone and follow a steep tarmac road through old towns and villages.
You really do wonder about mountain bikers here. Incidentally, Monte Caplone is a direct neighbour of Tremalzo, albeit two metres higher. Its gravel ascent is correspondingly long, but the landscape around the old military roads is magnificent. The highest point of the tour is reached at the rocky outcrop of Bocca di Campei. From up here, a fine gravel super trail swings down to Bocca Lorina. And what should not be missing as the final highlight of this tour: of course, the Tremalzo itself!
The tour
Circumnavigation of Lake Garda North: 200 km / 6500 m elevation gain / 4 stages
The tour does not circle Lake Garda completely, but crosses over to the western shore by ferry in Torri del Benaco - where the mountains turn into flatland (timetable www.torridelbenaco.de). In terms of fitness, you should expect some long and sometimes steep climbs on this tour. However, this tour is also suitable for ambitious touring cyclists. There are no sharp-edged scree trails on the route. Most of the route is on tarmac, gravel and forest paths. You can find the GPS data for the tour in the download area below.
Further information is available here->
Info
An overnight stay in Torbole is ideal for an early start on the first day. We chose the Aktivhotel Santalucia. We spent the second night in the pilgrimage town of Spiazzi at the Albergo Speranza (more like a youth hostel), as accommodation is very scarce in October. A better place to spend the night is the Rifugio Cedron (www.albergorifugiocedron.it or Malga Ime (tel. 0039/045/7265104), especially as both are directly on the route. After the ferry crossing, you can look for accommodation in Toscolano-Maderno. We chose the dusty, run-down Hotel Adria & Resort (not recommended!). But there are many small guesthouses and smart hotels there. Before the last stage, you spend the night in Pensione (Valvestino). The small Antica Osteria Pace is a great place to go, www.anticaosteriapace.it
If you would like to go all the way round Lake Garda or include more trail descents, you can find alternative routes at www.bike-gps.com
ORTLER CIRCUMNAVIGATION
King Ortler is high (3905 m), but also tough: a kind of transalpine tour in six days.
Ortler, Gran Zebru, Cevedale - the glaciated peaks of the Ortler massif wait shoulder to shoulder behind the South Tyrolean border like determined bouncers. Only over-motivated bikers would tackle a tour right through the middle. But a tour around it makes sense and is fun: the route climbs up the southern flank of the Vinschgau Valley on old military roads and reaches its high points at the Vigiljoch, Gampenalm, Brezner Joch, Tonale and Gavia Passes, before finally turning back into the Vinschgau Valley via the Stilfserjoch and the Dreisprachenspitze.
All climbs are long and gruelling due to their location near the main Alpine ridge, but are always rewarded with a trail descent. At the very end, the famous Goldseeweg trail from the Stilfserjoch to Glurns awaits. It is best to plan the tour so that the sun shines on the last stage. Otherwise the most beautiful view of the glacier will be shrouded in fog. Incidentally, every path along the way has a story to tell, as the opponents of the First World War battled it out for years on the "Ortler Front". Photos in the huts along the route bear witness to this.
The tour
From Naturns in Vinschgau around the Ortler, 258 km / 9850 metres altitude / 6 stages.
The circumnavigation does not mean that you have the Ortler in view every day. You only get really close to it on the last two stages. But that doesn't matter, because there is something to marvel at every day. Also in terms of riding. Typically for high mountains, some of the trails are a little rougher (S1-S2), from the Falkomai-Alm you even have to let yourself down for a few metres in altitude on the safety rope, but the majority of the trails are very easy to ride with intermediate riding technique.
Info
Accommodation addresses, stage information and elevation profiles for the tour at www.bike-magazin.de, webcode #14255 - There's also a link to the GPS data from bike-gps.com. Download price: 9,80 Euro.
LIGURIAN BORDER RIDGE
The classic tour of the first hour: rough gravel, hairpin bends at an altitude of 2000 metres and the sea waiting on the horizon.
If you already find the famous 48 hairpin bends of the Stelvio Pass road impressive, you will probably have to stop several times to rub your eyes on the ascent to the Ligurian border ridge: The southern ramp up to the Tende Pass is also stacked with 48 bends. However, the bends are even tighter, as the Tende road is only nine kilometres long rather than 25. At the top of the pass, the 60-kilometre military road that Mussolini once commissioned begins.
Follow the signs and pedal up and down through a treeless sea of peaks. Always above the 2000 metre mark. On the way, you cross the French-Italian border several times, pass crumbling forts from the two world wars and see the striking peak of Mont Viso hovering above the valley mist in the distance. That sounds like a reasonably leisurely ride, but this rough gravel road, exposed to all weathers, can really wear down the faint-hearted. Especially uphill. As in the hairpin bends on the Tremalzo Pass, the tyres find no grip in the often deep gravel or have to avoid melon-sized rocks. But the feeling is all the more sublime when you have this classic in your head and legs in the evening.
The tour
From Tende via the Ligurian border ridge road: 80.6 kilometres / 2226 metres in altitude / pure riding time: 7 hours
You can also start the tour in Ventimiglia by the sea, but then the tour is about 40 kilometres and 1500 metres higher. The French mountain town of Tende, on the other hand, is located in the Roya Valley, right at the foot of the famous Tende Pass road, and the adventure can begin immediately. There are no refreshment stops along the way, so be sure to pack plenty of water and food in your rucksack. Please note: there are also motorbikes and jeeps on the route! Further information is available here->
Journey
Cheap flights to Nice are available from as little as 25 euros, e.g. from www.eurowings.com
Map Vallée de la Roya, IGN 3841 (1:25000)
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