South Tyrol - Veneto - Croatia

Summer is coming to an end. A week ago, we could already welcome the first snow with friends in Mürren. But now we hope that our choice of route will allow us to extend summer a little longer. The weather forecast for the first days at least suggests good cycling weather. After our positive experiences on our three-day tour through the Appenzell region and Toggenburg, we want to set off again with our gravel bikes.

Day 1 (19.9.) Scuol - Nauders - Reschen - Prad 63 km 900 hm

With the SBB, we reliably reach Scuol via Landquart. The sun, which was shining brightly during the ride, is now hiding behind the clouds, making it quite chilly here at 1250 m. We quickly find ourselves on the Inn Valley cycle path, which is almost continuously gravelled in this section, ideal for our gravel bikes. After 17 km, we leave the cycle path and immediately have to dismount. Grades of 15% and more on gravel are unrideable for us. In the next kilometer, we push our bikes while sweating, gaining around 200 meters in elevation. We are rewarded with beautiful views of the Inn Valley and now rideable gravel and forest paths. Despite the challenges of the ascent, Dominique is excited about the experiences on the gravel bike. At 1500 m, we reach the highest point and now roll downhill to Norbertshöhe, where we meet the road. We reach Nauders on side roads, where a coffee break is in order. It’s a steady uphill ride to the Reschenpass today against the wind. The wind also troubles us along Lake Resia, where we pass the famous church of Alt-Graun, the only remnant of the village sacrificed to the reservoir. Shortly after, we descend on the very well-developed Etschtal cycle path via Burgeis down to Glurns. It’s not far now to Prad am Stilfserjoch, where we will find lodging.