http://www.ambmag.com.au - 54WHERE TO STAY
In both Scuol and St Moritz there
are almost limitless accommodation
options. The Youth Hostel in Scuol
is a very comfortable place to stay,
with private rooms, family rooms,
and a brilliant buffet breakfast. The
owner is a keen mountain biker as
well. The Youth Hostels in St Moritz
and Pontresina are also very good,
with big meals, bike wash facilities
and storage, and private rooms.Hotel Bellaval is one of many bike
friendly hotels in Scuol. They have
secure storage, a compressor, a bike
wash area – and a brilliant wash
service. Pop your dirty kit in the
washing basket each evening and it’s
there clean and dry in the morning.
The bike hotels start at 65CHF per
person including breakfast – so
it’s a really good value proposition.
They have a brilliant restaurant and
like so many Swiss hotels pride
themselves on the quality of food
and service they provide. We stayed
half board and ate like royalty.
More details can be found at:
Bellaval-scuol.chGETTING AROUND
The Red Train (Rhatische Bahn)
connects Scuol through to St Moritz,
Pontresina, Tirano – and even all the
way to Zermatt. This train is public
transport and a tourist experience.
While you do need to buy a ticket
for your bike, bikes get their own
carriage and secure transport.
Buses in the valley connect further
than the trains do, and have racks on
the back for your bike. So feel free to
play with some maps and figure out
a long point-to-point route.If you’re staying in one of the bike
hotels in Scuol, you’ll get a Travel
Guest Card. You can use the lift in
the Scuol-Motta Natuns ski area
for free, and half price in Samnaun
and the Upper Engadine Valley.
Bus transport is free in the lower
part of the valley, and tickets on
the Rhatische Bahn are discounted.
Shuttle buses out of Livigno are also
on a reduced fare.MORE INFORMATION
The Swiss are very tech savvy,
most notably via the Graubunden
App. It is a free app for your phone
that has full route plans, weather,
descriptions, maps and GPS. This is
well worth downloading.You should also logon to
mountainbikeland.ch for a rundown
on the trails, routes and facilities.
There’s a lot to do in the area and
this will give you a great complete
picture of what’s on offer.For more details on other areas and
activities, head to myswitzerland.comcontinues and descends towards the
Reschenpass, and while you could
ride back via another climb – you
could also jump on a bike friendly
bus and make the trip back around
the mountain.
Other routes abound. Ones that
travel past the impressive Schloss
Tarasp, a 1000 year old fortress near
Scuol, or that link the small villages
of Guarda, Leven, Sent and more
that proliferate on the sun terraces
in the valley.
One of the most compelling reasons
for me to venture back to this area
is the journeys of discovery. We live
in a land with a long indigenous
history, and while it is one I respect
greatly it is difficult to associate
with due to the inherent Anglo
education and upbringing we have
in Australia. But here, I see a built
history. A history that is carved
into mountains, perched on rocky
outcrops, and settled on plateaus.
Trails, cart tracks, smuggling routes,
castles, fortifications, churches and
villages all make more sense. They
match the history I was taught at
school, and I can stand amazed in
a town square knowing that it has
stood there for centuries, witnessing
countless lifetimes and changes in
prosperity, governance, society and
more. I can ride a trail in wonder,
where a smuggling route, trade
route, or even an inter-war period
jeep track is now a sweet trail.
WHEN TO GO
There is a lot of sun in the Engadine
Valley, it’s actually known as the
“Festival Hall of the Alps”. But for
the best mountain biking, you will
want to be able to ride high, so snow
needs to be melted. Early July to
early September are good times to
visit. It’s an alpine area though, and
I have been caught out in miserable
storms in each of those months.
Pack accordingly.HOW TO GET THERE
The closest airport with flights
from Australia is Zurich. It is about
200km away by car, but is also a
very easy train trip. Getting around
Switzerland just by public transport
isn’t overly difficult, even with a bike
or bike bag.SIGHTSEEING
There is a lot of cultural pride in the
area, from maintaining traditional
building styles in the villages,
through to the protection of the
Romansch language. But one of the
best things to sample is the regional
specialties in cafes and restaurants.
Engadine Nuss Torte is a great pick
me up after a ride.Each village has its own story. There
are plenty of things to do when
you don’t want to ride, or just need
a day off. Take a look around the
genteel village of Tarasp, and if you
speak German you will get a lot out
of the tour of Schloss Tarasp, that
overlooks the whole lower valley.