http://www.ambmag.com.au - 53Savour some gelato in Tirano before boarding
the Red Train for a ride on the historic Bernina
Express as it winds its way back to where you
came from. You might even choose to get off at
the station near the pass – this way you can enjoy
about 500m of altitude loss back into St Moritz,
along what you climbed earlier.
There are countless more options for riding, you
could even ride to Livigno and back. There are bus
shuttles to and from Livigno, which makes big
point-to-point rides possible. You could ride all
the way to Bormio and get back via bus and train
on the same day. Almost every pass has a trail,
and every town has a story. Those with a sense of
adventure will be rewarded.
The Lower Engadine Valley is geographically very
different to higher in the valley. It is steep, and
jagged up high, but with sculpted terraces down
low, where most villages have been built – as
there is little fl at ground along the river, unlike
around St Moritz.
The mineral properties of the waters in the
quaint village of Scuol have been known since the
14 th Century, with four different mineral water
springs, each with different qualities. There is an
old, disused “Trinkhalle” by the river, for drinking
the water, and the Bogn Engiadina Spa attracts
many tourists from around Europe.
Yet this narrower part of the Engadine Valley,
wedged between Austria and Italy, holds some
brilliant mountain biking. A place that developed
for tourism is shifting its focus. The waters and history remain,
but rafting companies, climbing outfi tters, and bike guides
now call Scuol home. While not as heavily developed as St-
Moritz and surrounds, the riding is also a great way to explore
the area and the Swiss National Park. There is lift accessed
riding, rides along bike paths, singletrack in high valleys – and
some trails so steep, so exposed, you are surprised they are a
marked riding route.There are few trails that cross the Swiss National Park – it has
just celebrated its 100th year anniversary, and is said to hold a
lot of pristine alpine fl ora and fauna. Steinbock, marmots, and
black bears are all within the park. Most activities are banned
inside the park, save for day hikes. But you can ride along
trails right on the edge of the park border, and experience this
rugged and wild part of the European Alps.Riding isn’t off the menu, and there are Swiss National Routes
that make their way through the area. National Route One
actually starts in Scuol and goes to Geneva, traversing east
to west across the whole country. All marked, with supported
packages to book via Swiss Tourism. But a personal favourite is
route 444, the National Park Bike marathon route. It follows a
138km loop with about 4000m of climbing that circumnavigates
the Swiss National Park, and passes through Livigno, Italy. If
you’re not in town for the race in late August, it’s a great route
for summer – even if you split it into two or three days and stay
in hotels with your luggage sent ahead, or your essentials in a
small bag. The route climbs up a long valley, through summer
pasture and over sublime singletrack, before descending
into the Val Mustair, a UNESCO Biosphere. The climb to Doss
Radond is steep, through a rugged valley with glacial melt
waterfalls tumbling through the open pine forest. Over the
pass, you descend through the Val Mora – perhaps one of
the least developed high alpine valleys in Europe. The gentle
descent meets the river, turns into singletrack, and negotiates
avalanche fans until you reach the Lago di Cancano, and the
climb to the Alpisella pass, complete with the Fascists emblem.
You’re right in the area where Mussolini and the Fascists
planned their last stand. The route continues through Livigno
and back out – the hard way. See the information box about how
to fi nd the rest of the route and more.Perhaps the most enchanting views of the area come from
route 443. Well marked and mapped, this route climbs out
of the valley towards Italy, just east of the 444. But instead
of an open pass, it tackles a trail carved out of the cliff in
the early 20th century. Highly exposed, chances are you will
walk large sections unless you have nerves of steel. There is
no nanny state in the high alps - and very little guard rail to
stop you before a big drop into the chasm below. The route