Author Topic: Day ride routes around lake Garda  (Read 1709 times)

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Day ride routes around lake Garda
« on: 19 January, 2020, 11:23:23 am »
Family holiday on Lake Garda this year, I'm hoping I'll have an Airnimal by then so looking to do a few day rides.

Anyone been there and have any recommendations? Maybe a bit of light off-roading, definitely some hills, probably looking for about 80-100km to allow an early breakfast and rejoining the family around lunchtime, missing the worst of the heat.
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: Day ride routes around lake Garda
« Reply #1 on: 19 January, 2020, 11:50:21 am »
It's a long time since I've been there,but one piece of advice would be to take some lights. When I did it, the road along the western side had a lot of unlit tunnels with bends at the entrances, so were pitch black. Maybe it's changed by now, but I'd take lights anyway.

Re: Day ride routes around lake Garda
« Reply #2 on: 19 January, 2020, 12:05:47 pm »
I am hoping to spend a few days in Torbole after finishing Italy Divide in May ... the number of days will depend on how slowly I finish the race.

I am looking to do some 'light' riding in those days, favouring off-road routes. Nearer the time I can share my planned routes if that is helpful ... I don't know the area, so somebody with local knowledge might be a better bet, for both of us!

Eddington: 133 miles    Max square: 43x43

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Day ride routes around lake Garda
« Reply #3 on: 19 January, 2020, 12:25:37 pm »
Thanks, I have been there before, about twenty years ago, and do remember those tunnels. I'm planning on speccing the bike with dyno lights in any case, but lights were already in mind.

Any route suggestions welcome

“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Day ride routes around lake Garda
« Reply #4 on: 19 January, 2020, 01:35:44 pm »
No suggestions about Lake Garda routes, but isn't the main outlet for Airnimals the same bike shop in Longstanton that sells Circe tandems? Richard, the owner, is a very pleasant guy (you may already know this) and I suspect he would let you have a reasonable trial. I rode one a couple of years ago when he organised a free camping weekend on the 10th anniversary of his shop and invited anyone who had bought a bike from him. Thus, I went, as did the Clariflies. I thought it was a really good ride and I think one model comes apart and goes into a suitcase-sized container, making it good for travel. I'm not sure but I think the suitcase might also double up as a trailer.
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ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Day ride routes around lake Garda
« Reply #5 on: 19 January, 2020, 02:48:35 pm »
No suggestions about Lake Garda routes, but isn't the main outlet for Airnimals the same bike shop in Longstanton that sells Circe tandems? Richard, the owner, is a very pleasant guy (you may already know this) and I suspect he would let you have a reasonable trial. I rode one a couple of years ago when he organised a free camping weekend on the 10th anniversary of his shop and invited anyone who had bought a bike from him. Thus, I went, as did the Clariflies. I thought it was a really good ride and I think one model comes apart and goes into a suitcase-sized container, making it good for travel. I'm not sure but I think the suitcase might also double up as a trailer.

You are correct, they are based in Longstanton, just down the road from me. As I have next week off, I'm planning to take advantage of their test ride option. They will let you have a couple of hours to try, and even hire one to you and take the cost off a purchase.  They do a rohloff version which I'm very keen on with a few tweaks. Need to give them a call tomorrow to set it up.
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Angstbremser

  • Zwei Minuten einwirken lassen
  • not the nature of Audax
Re: Day ride routes around lake Garda
« Reply #6 on: 26 January, 2020, 09:12:37 pm »
Family holiday on Lake Garda this year, I'm hoping I'll have an Airnimal by then so looking to do a few day rides.

Anyone been there and have any recommendations? Maybe a bit of light off-roading, definitely some hills, probably looking for about 80-100km to allow an early breakfast and rejoining the family around lunchtime, missing the worst of the heat.

Where exactly on Lake Garda are you going to stay? Slightly depending on your base there are quite a few worthwhile rides. Monte Baldo, Monte Bondone, Monte Velo, Lago di Tenno, etc. Lodging in Torbole/Riva/Arco generally preferable, however most families tend to stay in the Lazise/Bardolino region.

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Day ride routes around lake Garda
« Reply #7 on: 27 January, 2020, 05:49:35 am »
staying in Riva Del Garda, been there before and found it to have good access via the busses and lake ferries

EDIT - re-found this site i've used before. https://www.bikemap.net/en/l/3169272/, also looks like there is now a plan for a round the lake route, might be good for one day, take the ferry back if I run out of time
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Angstbremser

  • Zwei Minuten einwirken lassen
  • not the nature of Audax
Re: Day ride routes around lake Garda
« Reply #8 on: 27 January, 2020, 10:47:54 pm »
Quite a lot of good riding to be had from the North end of the lake with two caveats:

1) The Gardesana tunnels. A bigger issue on the Western side but manageable even if annoying. Bring some lights. They are constructing a bike path right now on the outside of the cliff face directly over the water but it is available only in fragments up to now and you have to share it with lots of pedestrians, when I went from Tremosine up to Riva during the Alpi4000 in July 2018 I gave it a miss.

2) The only tarmac road from Lake Ledro down to Riva leads through a long tunnel officially closed to cyclists. It is a constant downhill and I went through there once (again with lights) and it was not a problem technically as the cars will only be marginally faster than you. Transit takes about five to seven minutes. But I have heard rumors of Carabinieri controls and fined riders.

Apart from that there are plenty of rides with spectacular roads and views, even though many tours will be longer than the range you indicated. And Lake Garda is crowded during the season so you will definitely not be on your own, ever. Weekend traffic around the Southern end can be downright horrific:

- Riva, up the Sarca valley past Arco and Dro, past Lago di Cavedine to Sarche and Ponte Arche (spectacular bike path through the gorge around the road tunnel), back via Passo Ballino and Tenno down a fabulous descent to Riva.

- Riva to Arco and Massone up Monte Velo, over Passo Santa Barbara down to Loppio and back over  the hump to Nago and Torbole.

- Riva to Massone and again over Passo Santa Barbara but turn left at the junction, over Passo Bordala and past Lago di Cei up to Monte Bondone and down via Cavedine and back to Riva through the Sarca valley.

- Riva to Torbole, down the Gardesana Orientale through Malcesine to Torri del Benaco and then hop onto the Toscolano ferry (important means of transportation for cyclists). There, head North to Gargnano. In Gargnano you have two choices: Along the lake through the first tunnels to the Tignale turn off, up to Tignale and over the mountain to Tremosine, down to Limone and again through the tunnels to Riva. Or, turn left uphill in Gargnano and through the fantastic Valvestino to Lake Idro, North to Storo, on the Lake Ledro over the Ampola pass and down through the forbidden tunnel to Riva. I do not know how the Airnimal is off road as just before you enter the tunnel there is the turn off to the old Ponale road that was used before the tunnel was built but which has been downgraded to hiker and mountain bike use and is half gravel (but with really great views).

- From Riva down the Gardesana Occidentale tunnels past Limone to the Strada della Forra through the Brasa gorge up to Tremosine and on to either Limone or Tignale.

- Riva to Torri del Benaco and on to Garda, there turn East over the ridge, through Caprino Veronese up to Spiazzi and further up to Monte Baldo. Do the wild descent down to Mori and again via Loppio to Torbole.

Depending on your range and willingness to employ a car there is a lot more still. A circumnavigation of the lake is about 150km but I have only done that the weekends before Christmas yet when traffic is low.

If interested I can provide you with GPS tracks of the Rando Imperator, Verona-Resia-Verona, Solstizio d'Inverno and the Alpi4000 but you should also be able to find lots of those on Openrunner, too.