1st Grisons: Gravel biking à la carte
Graubünden, located in the east of Switzerland, is the largest canton in the country with an area of 7,105 square kilometres. It is known for winter sports resorts such as Davos and St. Moritz in the Engadine. Three languages are spoken in Graubünden: German, Italian and Romansh. The landscape is dominated by the massive peaks of the Grisons Alps. With almost 1,000 mountain peaks, around 150 valleys and hundreds of lakes, the canton offers ideal conditions for adventurous gravel bike tours.
Menu for cyclists: Tour packages for racing cyclists and gravel bikers
Inspired by star chef Andreas Caminada, the region has launched the "Menu for cyclists" - tour packages for both racing cyclists and gravel bikers. There are exactly ten gravel tours on the menu, which lead through the region on gravel paths, mountain trails and tarmac roads. The programme is divided into "starter", "main course" and "dessert". Gravel fans can choose between shorter and easier routes of 10 to 25 kilometres (from 250 metres in altitude) or opt for day-long, challenging routes of up to 65 kilometres and more than 1,500 metres in altitude as well as tours lasting several days. These routes take cyclists over spectacular Alpine passes to vantage points in the high mountains with sweeping panoramic views. You cycle through impressive gorges and picturesque valleys with crystal-clear lakes, past castles and palaces as well as flowering meadows. On tours lasting several days along the Vorderrhein or Hinterrhein, you also reach their confluence at Reichenau.
Journey
By car: The A13 Munich-Milano motorway runs right through Graubünden. From Zurich via the A3 motorway in just over 60 minutes. Motorway sticker in Switzerland: CHF 40 (valid for around 1 year).
By train: From Germany via Chur or Landquart with the many train connections in the region to the individual towns in Graubünden.
By plane: From Munich, Zurich or Basel airports it takes 2 to 4 hours by train or car to Graubünden.
Accommodation
The "Graubünden Bike Hotels" are geared towards mountain bikers and are also recommended for gravel bikers. These are tested and certified establishments with various services for cyclists. www.graubuenden.ch/de/buchen/unterkuenfte/hotels/mountainbike-hotels
Bike service
The "Graubünden Bike Hotels" (see above) have workshops and expert staff. A mobile service between Davos and Chur is available at https://bikefix-manno.ch/. The railways - including mountain railways - or the Postbus take guests and their bikes. Usually free of charge from one overnight stay in a mountain bike hotel (see above). Or with the "Graubünden Pass Bike". Luggage transport from hotel to hotel is also offered for multi-day tours.
General information
www.graubuenden.ch/de
2. Garda Trentino: Gravel biking between lakes and mountains
Northern Lake Garda and its surroundings have long been a paradise for mountain bikers. Now gravel bikers are also discovering the region. On the west coast, the Alto Gardo, as well as in the mountainous and lake-rich area between Riva del Garda and Trento, there are many trails: gravel and natural paths, tarmac cycle paths and roads with little traffic - ideal for gravel biking.
Let's go on a gravel adventure!
Sports enthusiasts can test themselves on circular routes such as the "Terlago-Banale Gravel-Experience" over 64 kilometres and more than 1,650 metres in altitude in the upper part of the Valle dei Laghi. The route starts at Lake Terlago and winds its way south-west via Comano at the foot of the Dolomites along other small lakes back to the starting point. The "Ponale Gravel Experience" offers a shorter alternative. This leads from Riva del Garda over around 15 kilometres, mainly on the "Vecchia Ponale", which is closed to traffic, always alongside the lake up to Pregasina at around 530 metres above sea level and back again. With breathtaking views of Lake Garda and through several tunnels, this route is an unforgettable experience - just like the other gravel tours in the area.
Journey
By car: From the north via the A22 Brennero-Modena motorway (toll road), exit Rovereto Sud/Lago di Garda. Then take the SS240 into Garda Trentino. 17 km to Riva del Garda. From the south via the A22 Modena-Brennero motorway, exit Rovereto Sud/Lago di Garda Nord or via the SS45 Gardesana Occidentale.
By train: To Rovereto, from there by bus to Lake Garda. From the south, e.g. via Verona railway station and from there by bus to the lake.
By plane: Verona Airport, from there by bus or hotel transfer service or hire car.
Accommodation
The Garda Trentino website filters out "outdoor-friendly accommodation providers": www.gardatrentino.it/de/outdoor/radwelt/bikehotels
Bike service
The region offers a network of bike-stop repair centres where you can get minor repairs done, for example. There are also many bike shops offering service and hire (enquire in advance whether gravel bikes are available). Shuttle cars are also available to chauffeur bikes and riders to their chosen route.
www.gardatrentino.it/de/outdoor/radwelt/überblick-radwelt
General information
www.gardatrentino.it/de
3rd Hunsrück-Nahe: Off into the wilderness
The low mountain region near Trier in Rhineland-Palatinate, situated between the Rhine and Moselle, extends over a plateau with the Erbeskopf as the highest point at 816 metres. Despite being sparsely populated, the region offers unspoilt nature. The Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park and the Soonwald-Nahe Nature Park are home to a piece of wilderness in the middle of Germany, characterised by an extraordinarily diverse flora and fauna.
Dense network of routes in the Saar-Hunsrück Nature Park
The official route network in the Saar-Hunsrück Nature Park, with its extensive gravel and nature trails, is ideal for gravel biking. You will find routes through dense forest, along quiet roads across gently undulating plateaus with sweeping views of the landscape, as well as along streams and small rivers. On the gravel routes, you can discover spectacular rock formations, reservoirs or the impressive viaduct near Rascheid. There are challenging variants ("Fitness tour to the Primtalsperre": 53 km, 1,000 metres in altitude) and more moderate options ("Over the ridge of the Hochwald": 58 km, 800 metres in altitude) for different sporting ambitions.
Journey
By car: E.g. via the A61 motorway into the region, at the Rheinböllen or Bad Kreuznach motorway junction onto the main road and via this and possibly country roads to your destination.
By train: From Trier main station, take the Ruwer-Hochwald cycle bus to Kell am See or Hermeskeil. Timetables at www.radbusse.de
Accommodation
Bicycle-friendly accommodation at www.bike-region-hunsrueck-nahe.de
Bike service
Radhaus Thalfang is located in the immediate vicinity of the route network. Further workshops at www-bike-region-hunsrueck-nahe.de
General information
www.bike-region-hunsrueck-nahe.de
4th Gravel.Tirol: Spectacular mountain world
Tirol is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, and gravel bikers will also find ideal terrain here. Gravel.Tirol is a co-operation between the tourism regions of Lechtal, Reutte Nature Park Region, Tannheimer Tal and Tiroler Zugspitz Arena, which together make up the "Tiroler Außerfern" - and describe themselves as the "largest gravel region" in Tirol. The region stretches along the German-Bavarian border from the Zugspitze to Lech, Füssen and Oberjoch.
Spectacular summit views
A total of 1,000 kilometres of routes with many natural trails are marked out, spread over 18 routes. Some of them are very demanding: The most challenging route, "Through the Lechtal and Ammergau Alps", stretches over 85 kilometres and 3,200 metres in altitude. In comparison, the "Arena Runde" through the Tiroler Zugspitz Arena is easier with its 41 kilometres and 481 metres in altitude. All routes lead through the sometimes spectacular high mountain landscape with views of peaks, surrounded by lakes and along wild rivers.
Journey
By car: From Ulm via the A7 motorway to Füssen, from there via main roads to the destinations (to Tannheim: exit Berkheim), from Munich also via the A95 motorway to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, via main roads to the Zugspitz Arena or to Reutte.
Train: Train stations in Reutte (from there or from Imst station also by travel voucher to the Lechtal and by bus to the Tannheimer Tal) and in the villages of the Zugspitz Arena; to the Tannheimer Tal by shuttle bus free of charge from Ulm on presentation of a booking confirmation, from Sonthofen by bus.
Accommodation
Specialised bike hotels can be found at: www.gravel.tirol/unterkuenfte
Bike service
Lechtal: At www.lechtal.at, under "Activities", "Cycling"
Reutte Nature Park: At www.reutte.com, under "Experience", "Sports and leisure activities", "Cycling"
Tannheimer Tal: At www.tannheimertal.com, under "Active in summer", "Cycling"
Zugspitz Arena: At https://zugspitzarena.com under "Summer experience", "Biking"
Plus: bike transport on many trains and buses, for example in the Lech Valley and in the Zugspitz Arena.
General information
www.gravel.tirol
5. cycle region Ruhr area: discover the industrial monuments by gravel bike
The Ruhr region has become an attractive destination for cycle travellers. The region's unique selling point is its impressive industrial heritage with a high density of industrial monuments such as disused collieries and blast furnaces. In addition, the man-made spoil tips as landmarks and the workers' housing estates tell the story of the Ruhr region. Disused railway lines and canal-side paths along the water are also among the highlights. Many of them are perfect for exploring by gravel bike.
Gravelling over collieries, slag heaps and railway lines
Gravel bikers can expect sporty but manageable tours with a varied combination of tarmac sections, beautiful gravel and dirt tracks, tricky passages through the forest and challenging climbs up the slag heaps. Most of them cover around 50 kilometres with 250 to 450 metres of ascent. The Enneppe circuit (45 km, 460 metres in altitude), for example, leads along the former Haspe-Voerde-Breckerfeld railway line in wide bends over a mixture of gravel and forest paths up to Hasper Talsperre, then up to Voerde and steeply downhill behind the Enneppe dam. The "Haldencross Linker Niederrhein" (48 km, 310 m elevation gain) connects three slag heaps in the far west of the region over 49 kilometres.
Journey
Car: The A2, A3, A40, A42 and A52 motorways lead to the region.
Rail: Numerous small and large cities are close together in the Ruhr region and are easily accessible by train.
Aeroplane: Dortmund, Düsseldorf or Weeze airports are located in or near the Ruhr region.
Accommodation
Bett+Bike establishments for all towns in the Ruhr cycling region can be found at: www.radrevier.ruhr/radurlaub-im-ruhrgebiet/bett-bike/
Bike service
Bike hire, parking spaces and other services:
www.radrevier.ruhr/radurlaub-im-ruhrgebiet/fahrradverleihsysteme/
General information
www.radrevier.ruhr
6th Andermatt: Alpine enjoyment not only at festival times
Around the picturesque town of Andermatt in the canton of Uri near Graubünden Eight passes and bike trails with plenty of opportunities for gravel toursto enjoy the impressive alpine landscape. From the sporty and ambitious to the connoisseur, everyone will find something suitable here. Hard-core cyclists can enjoy the route of the Events Octopus Gravel with 140 very challenging kilometres (approx. 4,400 metres in altitude), which can also be ridden in individual stages. The tour to the Vermigelhütte is a more moderate 18-kilometre ride with a stop for refreshments at the hut. The tour from Andermatt to Realp and back is even more relaxed, covering around 21 kilometres on flat single trails and gravel roads.
Journey
By car: Take the motorway to Göschenen, from there 10 minutes to Andermatt. Motorway toll sticker in Switzerland: CHF 40 (valid for around 1 year).
By train: Take the national railway, e.g. via Basel, Zurich or St. Gallen, change to the Matterhorn Gotthard Railway in Göschenen.
Plane: The nearest airport is Zurich. From there about 2 hours by train. The airports of Basel, Geneva and Lugano are a little further away.
Accommodation
Radisson Blu Hotel Reussen www.radissonhotels.com
Hotel Schlüssel www.hotelschluessel.com
More: www.andermatt.swiss/de/ferien-planen-buchen/uebernachten
Bike service
Many service and hire options. E.G:
- https://imholzsport-andermatt.ch/bikeservice/
- www.intersportrent.de/bikemiete-andermatt~3949547
- www.shimanoservicecenter.com/ch-de/
- www.bikeweltgisler.ch
General information
- www.andermatt.swiss
- www.andermatt-sedrun-disentis.ch/de/
7th Ore Mountains: Gravel biking through a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Ore Mountains/Krušnohoří region, which stretches across Saxony and Bohemia, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its 850-year mining history. The underground treasures - silver, tin, cobalt, iron and uranium - once brought wealth to the Saxon rulers. Today, a network of natural forest paths, well-maintained forest roads and picturesque roads attracts gravel bikers to explore the diverse nature and culture. The route leads through deep forests, wide fields and charming villages. For the more ambitious, there are challenging routes with steep climbs in the high altitudes of the low mountain range. Those who prefer a more leisurely pace will find their happiness on paths through idyllic river valleys.
The "Kammtour" largely follows the mountain ridge for around 170 kilometres. The multi-day routes "Saxon Central Mountains Cycle Route" in Saxony and "Ore Mountains Cycle Route" in the Czech Republic are ideal for travelling the entire Ore Mountains. However, individual stages are also worthwhile for a shorter trip.
Journey
By car: Via the A72 motorway from Leipzig or Hof, via the A4 from Dresden or Erfurt or via the A17 from the Osterzgebirge/Sächsische Schweiz.
Rail: Larger cities such as Chemnitz or Zwickau can be reached by ICE, while various regional lines and buses serve the smaller towns.
Aeroplane: The nearest airport is Dresden. From there you can quickly reach the Ore Mountains by train or hire car.
Accommodation
www.erzgebirge-tourismus.de/radfahren/unterkuenfte-angebote
Bike service
www.erzgebirge-tourismus.de/radfahren/verleih-service
General information
www.erzgebirge-tourismus.de/gravel
