Transalp stage 6 in Trentino, Italy

Dimaro - Madonna di Campiglio - Psso.Bregn de L`Ors - Ponte Arche (60 km, 1550 altitude metres)

From Dimaro, we start on the really well signposted mountain bike path to Madonna di Campiglio. These are 760 altitude metres on a stretch of 16 km. The gravel path leads continously upwards but it is mainly a pleasant slope. We only have to voercome twwo steep passages with an incline of 15%. The weather is fine with pleasant 20 degrees. The fitness and the atmosphere within the group gets increasingly better. We increasingly become a well-established team. And kilometre by kilometre, we get closer to the Garda lake! Moreover, we are proud of the difficult stage of yesterday that we could make without any problem.

The Val Rendena-Madonna di Campiglio

Meanwhile, we are in the middle of Trentino in the Val Rendena. The Val Rendena extends all over the west of lichen Trentino from the Campo Carlo Magno pass (the one that connects Rendena at the north with the Valle di Sole) up to Tione. Coming from Passo Rabbi and Male in the Valle di Sole, after a few kilometres, one arrives at the Val Rendena.

At the east, the valley is limited by the Brenta Dolomites, while at the other side at the border to Lombardy, the e Adamello - and Presanella groups complete the valley. These mountain groups provide the valley an imposing surrounding in which the Adamello - glacier and the unique Brenta Dolomites do outstand. A main part of the area is located within the borders of the natural park Adamello-Brenta, the biggest natural protected area of Trentino. The main attraction point of the tourism is Madonna di Campiglio. It is located at a height of 1500 and at approximately 60 km at the north of the Garda Lake. The 1800 inhabitants mainly live from the tourism, specially during the winter, as the place has an extended ski area up to a height of 2180 m. Madonna is also known due to the alpine ski-worldcup that takes place once a year.

We have our lunch break amidst the pedestrian area of the Madonna and enjoy the warm sun. The Passo Bregn de L òrs with the highest point of the day heighted 1850 m is still before us. After that, the way goes only downwards passing the Rifugio Ghedina to Stenico and Ponte Arche. This is at least what we think but this day was supposed to develop differently. After having searched for a while for the right way, we leave Madonna di Campiglio and keep on cycling upwards alongside the left side of the valley following a small path in directin to Passo Bregn de Lors. A dream view to the brenta mountain accompanies us during our cycling tour.

We cycle alongside a forest path that gets increasingly narrow. After having a look to the map and a short discussion, we decide to try to continue there. According to the guide, this should be the right way. Original sound of Christian: "This is ok, we will find the way somewhere"! Meanwhile, all of us push the bikes and the way goes steeply up a hill. The path is already hard to recognize and it becomes impassable due to the scree and the rock steps! It is rather similar to a climbing route than to a mountain bike trail.

We are all exhausted, we are forced to return, take enervatedely the way back up to shortly before Madonna di Campiglio and turn into a gravel path in direction to Pinzolo. After two hours up- and downhill in Val Rendena we finally arrive to Pinzolo and are already very tired. We did not find the Bregn de Lors and it is also not very clear to us where it actually is. But due to the reason we have still at least 20 km to make we do think further about it, have some ice cream in Pinzolo and view this place a little.

Pinzolo

Pinzolo is the core of the valley. here, the ambiente is metropolitan: the village consists on hotels, residences, holiday appartments, boutiques and sport complexes, and at the border of this village, numerous walks, hiking tours of some big mountain tours start. Val Rendena could be also named the kingdo of sports. Tennis, golf, mountain bike, swimming pool, horse riding for all, rafting and paragliding for the amateurs of the more demanding kinds of sports. Sports climbing, trekking: the natural surroounding with the strict steep walls and the untouched forests enable plenty of new activities.

In the winter time, Rendena becomes a paradise for skiers with its lifts to the Doss del Sabion. Also the ski tours lovers will get their money worth with the offered tours of any level of difficulty. Those who prefer to make their rounds on the cross-country trail have free choice of the pistes, either during the day as also in the evenings. Pinzolo has an ice stadion with an Olympia piste that is also opened during the summer time.

After Pinzolo we leave the Val Rendena and continue to Stenico and in direction to Ponte Arche. Shortly before we get to our destination I get a puncture, thus, break for all and a new inner tube is arranged. 10 minutes later, Maic has a puncture and we sware a little while we start to patch for a second time. In the evening at 06.30 p.m. we are finally in the hotel and simply look forward to a shower and a bed. According to the speedo, today, we made in total 82 km instead of the planned 60 kilometres! But despite of all difficulties it was a gorgeous cycling tour through the natural park Adamello-Brenta that I do not want to miss.

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Author: Kirsten Huber; Copyright: Patrick Wagner, www.tourist-guide.biz