Lake Lucerne to Lake Garda

[Deleted account Cooperman]

I'm looking for route recommendations connecting the lakes from Switzerland to Italy.

Ideally some flowing passes (Stelvio seems to get bad press?), non motorway and HGV free.

Cheers

 

[Wapping]

There is nothing wrong with the Stelvio. It's not as easy as some of the other passes, nor is it as smooth nor are its hairpins quite as nicely radiused as others but it is not the monster of dark dreams that some paint it as.

Try it and draw your own conclusions. But if you want to avoid it, it's very easy to do so: Just don't point your front wheel in its direction

What rough route do you have in mind?

How long do you need to make the journey between the two lakes in?

When are you going?

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

I have no route in mind and it will be a day ride in July.

 

[2 wheel humvee]

I'm looking for route recommendations connecting the lakes from Switzerland to Italy.

Ideally some flowing passes (Stelvio seems to get bad press?), non motorway and HGV free.

Cheers

Don't let the negative waves put you off doing the Stelvio-especially if you've never done it, it's busier at the weekends obviously so if you can do it mid week you'll enjoy it more, if crowds aren't your thing the earlier in the day you go the quieter it will be, and if you're blessed by the weather gods the views are stunning.
The first time I rode the Stelvio I was with a small group and we rode it from North to South, between Bormio and Edolo we turned off the SS38 and followed the SS42 with no particular plan we followed the Passo del Tonale and continued North East toward Bolzano for mile after mile of perfect twisting asphalt, up hill and down dale passing through miles and miles of vinyards/Olive groves, it remains one of my favourite rides-ever
There are so many passes in the area it's difficult to recommend one over another-have a great trip

 

[The Phantom Pieman]

Go via Andermatt - do all the passes there ... (Gotthard old and new, Grimsel , Susten, Furka, and the one round the back of the Gotthard
If you have more time , go back over the Klausen, to wards Glarus, hack down to Davos - do the Fluela etc and then Stelvio ...
Stelvio is not that great to ride - but it doesn't stop it from being iconic

There is a really crap pass just south of Sky Moritz going into Italy - the Spulgen - don't bother - it is rubbish

 

[Wapping]

As you will have seen from your maps, the bloody great Alps get in the way.... Which is why they went to a great deal of trouble to build nice smooth motorways, I guess.

Have a look at going:

Chur

St Moritz

Tirano

Edolo

Breno

Bagolino

Lake Garda

OR

Roughly

Morbegno

Lenna

San Pellegrinno

Sarnico

Brescia

Or summat like that. It's a reasonable hike either way, mind.

A decent map is what you need, I've just hacked them out of an iPad and Google maps, not least as my detailed maps are up in the loft

 

[Wapping]

2 Wheel Humvee has it about right, vis-a-vis the Stelvio

I have seen folks who can ride a bike and drive a car reasonably well work themselves up into a state over it..... Days before they even get there.... Just from what they think they have heard... and mostly because some of their travelling companions insist on hyping it up.

Without fail, ALL of them arrive at the top with a big smile. Yup, it's sometimes mixed with a bit of relief, but they have put the demon back into its bottle.

Take a bit of care (as you should do anyway) but above all, realise that you don't need some special licence to ride up or down it (your basic one from Swansea will do) and all will be well, I'm sure.

 

[JayC]

Do the Stelvio to tick the box, then you will know whether to agree or disagree with reports.

Lucerne
Altdorf
Andermatt

Head NE along Oberalpstrasse (you will be on the North side of the Rhine) to the town Ilanz (refreshments perhaps) and take the Ilanz turning (now on the South side of the Rhine) on through Carrera to Bonaduz. You will ride this bridge at Versam over part of the Rhine Gorge.

Head South to run the Albulapass - St. Moritz - and then as per Wappings route.

That'll keep you busy.

 

[Tusky]

Agree on Wapping routes and if you don't want to do the Stelvio, (a must do in many people's eyes) then the Gavia pass head south will keep you very amused.

Believe me, this is a long days ride and you will need to set off early! Although I love The Swiss Passes, you will have little time other than to go up the Sion Valley, over Furka, through Andermatt.

 

[beatmeier]

some great ideas here .............there's another one

- do the boring bit first and travel south to innertkirchen , Guttannen and start at the foot of the spectacular Grimselpass to Gletsch and continue over the Furkapass to Andermatt and staight into the next one the Oberalppass....a long valley brings you to Tamins where you avoid the motorway and head fifteen minutes south to Thusis . turn towards Tiefencastel and then to Davos where the Flüelapass brings you to Sus. Now you have different options to do the complete Stevio ( if time allows ) or just go to Zernez and turn to Santa Maria where the Umrail pass starts. It links up with the Stelvio just about two thirds of the way and you can decide how much more you want

have fun

 

[sven]

We stopped overnight in Luzern in 2010 and it has a very pretty old town next to the lake with a particularly pretty wooden bridge

Next morning we headed to Chur via Andermatt and the Susten, Grimsel and Furka passes. The road between Andermatt and Cbur is pretty dull, so next time I'd head south out of Andermatt and into Italy.

However, I've stopped in Chur three times now and I love climbing out of the town over the Lenzerheide pass and then over to the Stelvio via the Albula or Fluella passes - the Fluella has lovely flowing hairpins.

The Stelvio is a must see, but isn't fun to ride. Not as bad as the Unbrail pass though which has ridiculously tight hairpins at the bottom.

If you do head to the Dolomites, use the SS42 to the south of the Stelvio NP, not the heavily congested SS38 to the north. The Gavia pass from Bormio to the SS42 is an interesting pass to rode, although not fast or flowing.

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

Motorrad's top 10 Swiss and Italian passes

Swiss

http://translate.google.co.uk/trans...a=X&ei=bQvfUN-mDqLV0QWZpYHQDw&ved=0CDkQ7gEwAA

Italian

http://translate.google.co.uk/trans...&sa=X&ei=MQ3fUN6sIcbE0QX3-IBQ&ved=0CDkQ7gEwAA

 

[sven]

Most of them seem to be the classic "figure of 8" out of Arabba in the Dolomites. Great little place for a couple of nights

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

I have been playing around on google and I think I have been a bit optimistic about doing this in one day

It's looking about 500km.

We did 400km on the RDGA last year - and that was a long day.

Probably need to plan an interim stop

The suggestions are great. Thanks

 

[doyle]

Good idea,trying it in one day would not do the roads justice.

 

[Wapping]

Most of them seem to be the classic "figure of 8" out of Arabba in the Dolomites. Great little place for a couple of nights

...and 'kin miles off route for someone who is looking to go from Lake Lucerne to Lake Garda in a day

 

[Wapping]

I have been playing around on google and I think I have been a bit optimistic about doing this in one day

It's looking about 500km.

We did 400km on the RDGA last year - and that was a long day.

Probably need to plan an interim stop

The suggestions are great. Thanks

It was always going to be a decent schlep

But, 500 km is about 300 miles, so it's not impossible given the time the sun pops up in the morning and goes to bed in July. Make a decent start with a full fuel tank. Pick up breakfast enroute, combined with a pee and tea break.

Refuel at lunch.

Bat on until tea time. Stop for a lash and a coffee.

An hour and a half later, you'll be there. Lob in a shortish chunk of motorway and it's even easier.

There you go; the day broken up into bite sized chunks. Have a go at it.

 

[Pauly S]

Do the Stelvio.its awesome in its own way.Forget what some of the others say make yer own mind up.weve done the stelv three times now and ill do it again.
I agree there are better passes furka offenpass fluela but the stelv is equally worthy of a blast.up:

 

[mikey5]

Stelvio

do it mid week in the morning its a got to do thing i did it on a weds morning 9:30 am two up with overloaded camping gear and topbox and it was most rewarding ride !!

 

[Tusky]

I have been playing around on google and I think I have been a bit optimistic about doing this in one day

It's looking about 500km.

We did 400km on the RDGA last year - and that was a long day.

Probably need to plan an interim stop

The suggestions are great. Thanks

Now you're talking !!!

A no brainer for day one....

Lake Lucern heading south - Susten Pass - Grimsel Pass - Furka Pass - Oberalp Pass then pick your preferred route to the St Maurice / Livigno / Bormio area for an overnight stop.... (Be sure to fill the tank in Livigno if you're passing through).

If you want a few more Swiss Passes and a few more miles, skip Furka and do Nufenen Pass and St Gotthard Pass instead