YOUR NEXT GREAT RIDE
THE TYROL
IT’S A NAME to conjure with, the Tyrol. Anyone can blather on about heading off to “the Alps” – but it’s a big old place: where are you actually going? Ah, the Tyrol… That shows discernment and understanding, that you know what you’re talking about and what you like – which in this case is a combination of great roads, pleasant hotels in quaint towns, and perhaps a stein or two of ice-cold beer at the end of a ride.
Covering parts of southern Germany, Austria and northern Italy, the Tyrol has all you’d look for in a biking destination. There are famous passes, from the involving Deutsche Alpenstrasse to Austria’s Timmelsjoch and the nearby Otztal glacier road (a 2930m dead-end that’s Europe’s highest paved road) and the legendary Stelvio Pass in Italy – plus many more. It’s not all high-altitude stuff, though, as there are miles of relaxed, quiet, flowing valley roads as well.
There are plenty of amazing sights to see, from Neuschwanstein Castle in Fussen to the Eagle’s Nest in Berchtesgaden to the motorcycle museum atop the Timmelsjoch. There are the biking events as well, from BMW’S huge Motorrad Days festival in Bavaria to the Triumph-flavoured ‘Club of Newchurch’ event (once called Tridays) in Austria. Whatever you want from a biking trip, you can find it in the Tyrol. But if you’re thinking of going there, you probably know that… HOW TO GET THERE: If you’re prepared to do a lot of motorway, you can get to the Tyrol in two long-ish days (or even one long, fast day on German autobahns from Rotterdam). But it’s better to take three days, taking pleasant roads across France and through the Black Forest. WHEN TO GO: Any time from June to late October. The Club of Newchurch event in Austria is on June 11-18 (see www.globebusters. com for a group tour); BMW Motorrad Days in Garmisch-partenkirchen is on July 7-9 (see www.motorrad-tours.com for a group tour). WHERE TO STAY: If you’re not going to one of the events, we’d look at Innsbruck in Austria or Vipiteno in Italy (at either end of the Brenner Pass) as a base to explore the region. WHERE TO RIDE: Download our favourite routes from www.ride.co.uk/routes