Following an enjoyable and, at times, educational ride through France and Germany I spent a night on the German-Swiss border before heading into the mountains of Switzerland and Italy. If you would like to read about the first part of this trip you can do so in my previous post.
A Scenic Route to Switzerland - Riding in the French Ardennes, Vosges Mountains and The Black Forest
Day 4 - Monday
128 miles
Waldshut (Germany) to Landquart (Switzerland)
The heavy rain continues into the early hours of the morning but I wake up to find my tent has done it's job and is bone dry inside. I'm slightly relieved, my Vango tent hasn't seen a huge amount of use but it is nearly 10 years old now. I make sure it's dry before it goes away but other than that I haven't done anything with it. It's probably over due re-waterproofing so I'll do that before next year!
I leave my tent up while I have some breakfast and coffee. There are picnic benches here so I sit chatting to Josef and Hans. Josef sat with Ingo and I last night but didn't join in very much. He's a lot chattier this morning, he is bike packing along the Rhein for about 800km finishing in Manheim. Hans is cycling west and hopes to hit the Atlantic near Bordeaux in about 2 weeks time. Bikepacking seems very popular in Germany and I'm left with plenty of ideas about giving it a go next year! By the time I've finished breakfast my tent has dried out properly so I pack it away and am on the road by 9:30.
I ride along the German side of the Rhein for about 50km (31 miles) before crossing into Switzerland and stopping at Rheinfall. I had hoped to get here yesterday but the thunderstorms persuaded me to stop early. I park up and go for a walk.
The sign I read as I look across the basin tells me Rheinfall is the largest waterfall in Europe by volume of water flowing over it. I have been to Niagra in Canada and although it's not quite on that scale there is no denying that it is an impressive sight and sound. I spend an hour taking pictures from various vantage points and walk up the steps to look at it from the top. I even ask someone else to take a couple of pictures of me in front of the falls.
I don't want to stay too long, the parking charges look very high, I am at a tourist spot in Switzerland after all. Coaches are €15/15mins and I can't work out if bikes are free. On the way out I discover the bike was free, but I'm happy with what I've seen and am happy to be heading further into Switzerland.
Before leaving I take another look at the forecast and decide on a slight change of plans from what I looked at last night. Instead of heading south-west into the heart of the Swiss Alps I am going to continue south-east towards Davos, there is some heavy rain working it's way through and I'd like to avoid it for as long as possible
I get on the road to Davos where I can see mountains on either side but I'm riding in the valley. It's built up and busy as well so I stop to have another look at the map, there isn't really any alternative in the direction I want to go so I carry on. As I get further into Switzerland it does get quieter and there are certainly no complaints about the scenery.
After stopping for a quick lunch I park up to go for a walk in the hills. I know there is another waterfall round here so I go looking for that. It turns out to be a 90 min round trip, partly due to my going the wrong way to begin with! I don't mind walking, and it's nice to be away from the bike for a bit, but if I'd known I was going to be that long I'd have swapped my boots and riding trousers for shorts and trainers!
Once I find Leuenfall I have the place to myself, so I use my new tripod and remote to take a picture of myself in front of the falls. This is the first time I've used this kit, I rarely get pictures with me in them but have decided to try a bit more on this trip.
By the time I get back to the bike my feet hurt and time is getting on. I haven't done many miles but I've had a great day being a tourist so set off in search of somewhere to stay for the night. Riding through Rüthi I stumble across the British Corner Bar, I stop for a look but discover it is only open Thursday-Sunday. Given that it's Monday today I won't be waiting, but it looks like somewhere to visit in the future.
Somewhere between the bar and tonight's campsite I ride through Lichtenstein, blink and you miss it! I don't realise I've been in Lichtenstein until I see the sign welcoming me back into Switzerland, at least I can say I've been.
As I get further into the twisty roads of Switzerland I see more and more of their road signs warning about riding too fast. They are all slightly different but whoever designs their road signs has an artistic flair and I'm a fan!
After stopping in a shop for some supplies (I know Switzerland is expensive but, ouch!) it's just another 8km (5 miles) before I find a campsite, pay at reception and set up for the night. By the time I've washed some clothes and had a shower I end up cooking dinner (new potatoes from the shop and a tin of beef casserole from home) in the dark. When I go to wash up I can't find my soap. I check the showers, wash room and all my kit but it's nowhere to be found. I'll have another look in daylight in the morning.
I finally climb into bed about 10pm. It's a lot colder here, probably due to the altitude, but my new sleeping bag finally gets a test and I'm nice and toasty inside it. The only problem here is the noise, there's a river with fast running water, a busy road and a train line all within close ear shot. I'm tired though so soon fall asleep.
Tomorrow I plan to keep heading east to stay in front of the incoming rain. I'm about 40km (25 miles) from Davos so I'll head there before crossing into Italy via the Stelvio Pass. From there I'll decide whether to go south to Lake Garda or even further east into the Dolomites. Let's see what happens in the morning.
Day 5 - Tuesday
185 miles
Landquart (Switzerland) to Colfosco (Italy)
It was a noisy night and I don't sleep all that well, it's also a busy campsite so I am up early to pack everything away and get going. I'm keen to leave this campsite ASAP, so after one final look everywhere for the soap I couldn't find last night (no luck) I'm riding off my pitch by 7:30. I fill up with petrol right outside the campsite and get back on the road to Davos.
It's still not very warm so the heated grips are on but I resist pulling over to put a jumper on. I'm OK tucked in behind the screen on my bike for now and surely it will warm up soon. Before long skirting around Davos, past Lake Davos which is flat calm and reflects the mountains behind it beautifully in the early morning light.
Out of Davos I turn onto Route 28 which sweeps through the valley with mountains on either side before turning onto my first mountain pass of the day. Flüelapass is immediately followed by Ofenpass, both of which are open and flowing as they snake up the mountain side. This is definitely my kind of riding and exactly the type of road that I have returned to the Swiss Alps for.
Umbrailpass is up next, this is narrow and very tight to begin with so I pull over to let some much faster German riders past. I want to enjoy the scenery and they are continually filling my mirrors until I let them go. It's hard work but worth it for the views higher up above the trees.
It's getting colder as I climb so when I pull over to take some pictures the jumper has to go on. I ask a fellow motorcyclist to take a picture of me, which he does and I say thanks, but when I look at it he has completely missed most of the view behind me in favour of a close up of me and the wall I'm stood in front of. I don't feel I can ask him to have another go so I settle for a rare selfie before moving on.
At the top of Umbrailpass I join the Passo dello Stelvio. The Stelvio Pass is probably one of the most famous roads in Europe. Jeremy Clarkson called it the best driving road in the world on Top Gear in 2008. This has served to make it very busy. Is it still worth a visit? Absolutely! I stop at the top and spend a good hour admiring the views and taking pictures. I even buy a souvenir t-shirt.
There is no doubting that it's a spectacular road to look at, but that doesn't always translate to a great riding road. Eventually I get on the bike and set off down the hairpins. It's not actually too busy today which is just as well, the hairpins are very tight and I often have to stop and let cars coming the other way use both sides of the road.
I follow a bloke on a Harley for a while until he decides not to bother waiting for the car coming the other way and gets half way round the corner before having nowhere to go. He stops, loses his footing and drops his very shiny and fully loaded bike on the steep slope. I manage to find somewhere to put my bike and, along with a cyclist, three of us struggle like mad to, eventually, get the bike back upright. It weighs a ton! He doesn't speak any English but I take his pointing at me and giving a thumbs up as a thank you before I move on, in front of him this time. He had a couple of mates with him who just sat on their bikes and watched the whole episode…
After the Stelvio I stop for lunch in a nondescript roadside café before heading on to Bolzano. From here I can either go south to Lake Garda or east into the Dolomites. Another check of the weather forecast settles that one and I keep going east.
Out of Bolzano I pick up some quieter local roads and enter the Dolomites. The road surfaces aren't as good but there's a lot less traffic and the views are every bit as stunning. I stop to have a cold drink and bag of crisps in the shadow of St. Constantine, a beautiful church on the hill, parts of which date back to the late 13th century.
About 4pm I stop for petrol again and have a drink sitting outside in the sun. I'm relaxed and feel like I have all the time in the world. I'm in no rush to get back on the bike but I should probably start thinking about somewhere to stay tonight so I pull up Google Maps and find a campsite.
It's another hour away but is right in the heart of the Dolomites and the ride there will take in some more mountain riding - we can't have too much of that now can we?
I arrive at Camping Colfosco after a spectacular days riding in the mountains, finishing off with Passo Gardena which takes me all the way down to the site.
Next follows a slightly drawn out checking in process, in which I never do find out how much it is going to cost me, just stay as long as I want and pay when I leave. Setting my tent up is a struggle, the rocky ground causes havoc with my cheap aluminium pegs and by the time I'm done they are all bent. I must get some better pegs before I come this way again! I feel better when I notice I'm not the only one having trouble and I get it sorted just in time to dive inside and sit out a quick rain shower.
Once it's dry I walk the 5 minutes or so into town where I find a busy little Pizzeria for some dinner. I am in Italy after all! I find the placemat in the Pizzeria quite entertaining and the time waiting for my Calzone is easily passed trying to identify the various cartoon characters.
Back to the campsite and I'm in bed before 10pm. I've been on the go for 5 days now and I'm tired. I think I'll stay here for a couple of days before deciding what's next. The riding today has been some of the best I've ever done but, for what it's worth, I don't agree with Clarkson. We all like different things but for my taste, the Stelvio isn't the best road I've ever ridden, it probably isn't even the best road I've ridden today. It does however, have to be the most photogenic road I've been on with loads of great vantage points for getting my holiday snaps, which, in this social media age probably has more to do with it's reputation and fame than how good it actually is to ride or drive on. Please don't think I am criticising it though. It's still great to ride, I'm glad I did it and I have no doubt I will do it again someday. However, 'the best' is a big statement which it doesn't live up to in my books.
Day 6 - Wednesday
0 miles
Colfosco
Yep - zero miles. The bike does not move all day. I've been on the go for five days and covered nearly 1000 miles. This campsite is in a stunning location and only a 5 minute walk from town so this strikes me as a good day to have off.
Camping Colfosco is pretty much smack bang in the middle of two small towns, Colfosco and Corvara. It's a stunning day so I walk down the hill into Corvara where I drop the postcard I bought at the top of the Stelvio yesterday in the post. It is going to my 94 year old Gran, she doesn't do social media or Whatsapp so isn't getting the pictures like everyone else. She has ridden a lot of the roads in this area as pillion on my Granddads bike and still tells the stories so it is nice to include her.
I have a look at the local bike hire shops and, although very tempted, decide hiring a mountain bike in this area isn't a good idea. I'm here on my own with no way of getting home other than on the motorbike. I love mountain biking but sods law says I'll get carried away and hurt myself today.
After some breakfast and a coffee outside one of the hotels, I walk back to the campsite and have an hour reading my book. I am getting better at relaxing but I can't do it all day so I'm soon walking up the hill towards Colfosco where I catch the cable car up the mountain. I find a restaurant for a spot of lunch and even manage to get a table on the balcony overlooking the valley. I can't help but smiling to myself as I wait for my spag bol to come - I have no issue dining alone when it looks like this.
After lunch I follow the hikers trail back down the mountain and back to my campsite. It is a steep hill and by the time I get back my thighs are killing me, I have to lean against a fence in order to stand still enough to take a picture!
More reading before popping into Corvara again (a different trail) for some supplies to cook for dinner, I also buy a bottle of soap to replace the one I lost in Switzerland. The shops here are so expensive it's only an extra couple of quid to go into a restaurant and let them cook it for me, lesson learnt!
I've bought the food now though, sausages and new potatoes, so I have dinner back on the campsite and enjoy some more of my book. I say 'book' but I'm actually reading off of a Kindle, so reading in the dark is no problem. It's a lot colder tonight so I'm happy to be getting into my sleeping bag for another early night. Considering it's been a rest day my legs ache like mad! I'm not sure if I'll have another night here or not yet, but even if I do a circular route and end up back here, I'll be back on the bike tomorrow.
Day 7 - Thursday
84 miles
Colfosco
I sleep well despite the cold and wake up to an overcast but slightly warmer day. The campsite is busy and a bit clinical for my liking but it serves a purpose and the area surrounding it more than makes up for the downsides. I had a look at the map last night and I've worked out a 135ish mile loop in the mountains that will finish back here for tonight so I leave the tent up and set off.
The forecast is for heavy rain later so after breakfast and coffee I'm out on the road just after 8. It's a lot easier when I haven't got to take everything with me. First up is the Passo Gardena which I rode in on the day before yesterday. I usually try to avoid retracing my steps but it's totally different and equally spectacular in the opposite direction.
The Sella, Pordoi and Falzarego passes follow in quick succession. These are some of the best riding I've ever done. There's a lot less traffic than in the Alps and, although it rides very well when fully loaded, the bike feels lighter and more nimble with all my luggage back at the campsite.
I stop for pictures and videos and to marvel at the scenery, but try not to hang around too much. I know the weather is going to turn later and I don't want to be out in it if I can avoid it.
As I climb Passo Giau the sky is getting darker and it's getting cold. It makes for an impressive backdrop but I know what is coming. Despite having my own coffee with me I buy one in the hotel at the top, it's bloody cold now so I want to sit inside! I brave the elements to get some pictures of the breathtaking surroundings before returning to the bike.
My waterproofs go on before I set off again, it's not raining yet but it won't be long. They also help to keep the wind out and keep me warm. I get to enjoy the ride down the other side of Passo Giau in the dry but then, the heavens open!
I quickly pull in to look at the sat nav and the map. There's no point continuing my loop in this weather, it's biblical. I know how fast the weather can change in the mountains but I wasn't quite anticipating this and it's started a lot earlier than forecast! I'm soon on the quickest route back to camp. This involves a couple of roads I've already done and one new pass back into Corvara.
It isn't my first choice of riding conditions but there is something spectacular about riding through the valleys when it's raining hard, the water is running down the rocks and the clouds are rolling through. Up on the mountain is another matter though, this is just about getting there as quickly as possible, but riding fast is asking for trouble. I'm followed over the last pass of the day by another rider and I'm grateful to have someone behind me. I have no idea who this rider is but it's reassuring to think we're in this together. I would also hope that I'm not on my own if I have a problem.
Feeling very glad that I cut the ride short, I'm back on the campsite and getting changed just after 11:30. My waterproofs have worked and I'm pretty dry underneath them but I hang everything up in the drying room on the campsite, have a hot shower and spend the afternoon sitting in the communal gazebo reading again.
As the afternoon goes on a lot of people get back early in varying states of wet, muddy and cold. One cyclist gets back just after me and walks straight into the shower fully clothed. That's one way of washing all the mud off! When I pop back into the drying room I find it absolutely crammed full. Once again I am happy with my decision to get back early - my kit is still hung out in prime position.
The thermometer on the wall says 15°C but the wet and windy weather makes it feel a lot colder. I'm well wrapped up but can't quite shake that cold shivery feeling.
About 6:30 there's a gap in the rain so I take my chance and walk into town for some dinner, a different Pizzeria tonight but every bit as good as the one from my first night and the warm restaurant and hot meal is exactly what I need.
By the time I get back to the campsite I'm cold again and it's raining so I'm in bed very early - again! I don't generally get lonely while traveling on my own but the cold weather has meant people aren't hanging around outside, either at viewpoints, or on campsites. The cold evenings have certainly kept people in their campervans and I have been in my sleeping bag early each night. I haven't had a conversation beyond paying for petrol and booking into my campsite since I left Germany on Monday morning. It's now Thursday evening and it's starting to wear me down.
The forecast doesn't show the rain stopping for several days now so, as I fall asleep, I'm in no doubt it's time to move on from here tomorrow. It's time to get out of the mountains and search for some better weather. I'll have another look at the forecast when I get up and decide which direction to go in then.
The Route
This is only an approximation of my actual route which shows where the main stops were. I'll upload the GPX track of the complete route at the end.
I hope you have enjoyed what you have read so far. In the next part of my journey I start heading north, and visit one of the biggest and best motorcycle museums in Europe! You can read what happened next here.
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