Soft roading northern Italy and is there a half decent app that focuses on camping accomodation?

[Hatcho]

So, as things would have it I might be heading to Europe solo. Am keen to do some soft roading which is off tarmac, but not rock climbing or mud plugging stuff. Think fire roads, bit of gravel, all doable on standard road tyres.

Trip will start and finish in Memmingen, southern Germany. Some research has revealed some class Col soft roading around the Italian/French border due west of Turin. My question is, is there similar around the Stelvio / Dolomite region?

If not I'll be forced to ride all the way through Switzerland and back again , which in itself is a bucket list item!

Next question - is there a half decent app that focuses on camping accomodation? A campsite version of booking.com/airb&b, that sort of thing.

Any and all advice is welcome!

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Mild edit to title.

Richard

 

[Neil W]

There are loads of old alpine WW1 miilitary roads in the Dolomites that are still rideable , bit of online research will give you their locations

 

[Hatcho]

There are loads of old alpine WW1 miilitary roads in the Dolomites that are still rideable , bit of online research will give you their locations

Cheers Neil, much appreciated. I shall hop on t'internet as you suggest.

 

[AndrewA]

Pitchup.com has a limited selection.

I found Google Maps was better for finding campsites in a specific area.

 

[Northern jock]

Pitchup.com has a limited selection.

I found Google Maps was better for finding campsites in a specific area.

Yup, Google maps then search for details about the site. I find it the easiest way to find a site in the area I want to head to, you see all the sites, not just the ones a particular app has

 

[Richeyroo]

Trans Euro Trail in the Dolomites is magnificent
I was there a couple of weeks ago

 

[Richeyroo]

August will be busy though

 

[Richeyroo]

 

[Richeyroo]

Wild camping is very possible in the area

 

[Hatcho]

Wild camping is very possible in the area

Cheers Richeyroo! You've just ticked several boxes in one go! Trails look right up my street and the wild camping is an added bonus!

As Hannibal said... I love it when a plan comes together!

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

@ikkje

 

[ikkje]

Sounds exactly like the potential trip me and Johnny Boxer were talking about last week, though our initial focus was Spain. Really interested in how you get on with this one and happy to help with research if necessary. Mark

 

[Richeyroo]

I honestly don’t think much research is needed
Download the TET app and go. Make sure you download the most up to date GPX route and only from the TET page as it does change due to road closures and weather and seasonal changes
Most people think the Western and eastern extremes of the Italian TET are the best and the middle bit is not so interesting
The lakes are nice but there’s a lot of road work in the middle portion

 

[Northern jock]

A sticky somewhere listing easy off-road routes that can be done by road riders with road tyres would be very handy, I suspect a few of us want to take loaded bikes along the occasional easy track without going down a one way track to trail riding hell. Even just to find wild camping spots.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

I honestly don’t think much research is needed
Download the TET app and go. Make sure you download the most up to date GPX route and only from the TET page as it does change due to road closures and weather and seasonal changes
Most people think the Western and eastern extremes of the Italian TET are the best and the middle bit is not so interesting
The lakes are nice but there’s a lot of road work in the middle portion

Looks ace and Dolomite tracks look easily doable on a Tenere 700 & Tuareg 660/DR650 or G/S

Nothing too arduous

 

[Richeyroo]

I’d say absolutely possible on bigger bikes but more enjoyable on a lighter bike

It’s obviously weather dependent and whether you’re on your own or not and whether someone is with you to lift the bike

Without blowing my own trumpet, I spoke to 7 or 8 TETers during my week away and most were pretty envious of the lightness of 300Rally which is very well sorted and the perfect TET bike in my opinion

The difficulty is in getting a 300 to Italy which would be a ball ache but it’s not logistically impossible

The other thing to add with a 300 is that my trip cost virtually nothing (admittedly I live in Munich which helps)

95mpg
10,000 miles out of all consumables
Wild camping
4 euro bottles of red wine

It’s an incredible way to travel and I’ve just bought a 300 for my son

 

[ikkje]

For me my target would be the DR650. Not a huge amount heavier than your 300 (without the original half ton exhaust system & a Lion battery) and more capable on road stuff. Finding that balance between weight and capability is always going to be an ongoing debate, but I bet the 300 is really great on this kind of trail.

 

[Richeyroo]

…….. but I bet the 300 is really great on this kind of trail.

It is. It is perfect

And on the road, my thinking is this. You’re not allowed to go fast so I don’t. Off the motorway in Europe, you’re not allowed to do more than 100kph and my 300 cruises fine at 100kph and that’s what I do

I’ve got a zx6r track bike for going fast (ish)

 

[Hatcho]

No light bike option for me - only choice is the 1250. Nice and light once you keep them upright. Really like the idea of mixing in some wild camping during the trip. Means I'll have to buy more 'stuff'

Bike will be delivered to Memmingen in southern Germany, and then I'll make my way south towards the Dolomite region via some nice tarmac passes. This is shaping up to be an excellent trip - God I do love the planning bit!

 

[Deleted account 250722001]

Best app?
install Park4night
Free version is fine but to get all the photos etc you need the paid version, some 9 euros.
You save that in one night!
All sorts of options tents, campervans, wild, 4x4 etc etc
You can save your favourites, create your own favourites different folders etc etc read other people's comments too.
Load and pay for it. You'll be very glad you did