Slovenian and Swiss Cycle Tour 1995
Train Journey Itinerary
Wednesday 14th June 1995 OUTWARD
Crewe 05.37
London Charing Cross 08.55
Dover Eastern Docks 12.30 (ferry)
Calais Ville 15.46
Hazebrouck 16.42
Paris Est 18.43
Strasbourg 23.30
Salzburg 05.53 (15/6/95)
Salzburg 07.08
Monday 19th June 1995 RETURN
Villach 22.50
Schwarzerach 00.24 (20/6/95)
Schwarzerach 00.49
Innsbruck 04.10
Thursday 22nd June 1995 RETURN
Zurich 07.15
Paris Nord 17.10
(By Eurostar, my first trip on it).
London Waterloo 19.09
London Euston 20.10
Thursday 15th June 1995 Salzburg to Vrsicsattel (Slovenia)
Wurzen Pass and down to Podkoren, along to Kranjska Gora We changed from sweaters and longs for the long climb to the Vrsicsattel (1612metres) and stopped at the climbers pension at Erjavceva Koca, 1km below the road pass, a wooden structure with those red and white chequered tablecloths so typical of what you expect in Alpine huts. We had soup then Helmut had a long conversation with fellow Austrian visitors. Later we walked outside and followed the old military road to Potarski dom where we were amazed to see people skiing way down below with the help of a moveable draglift. There is also another hostel at this point that Helmut says is better than the one we were staying at, but he didn’t know if it existed as he couldn’t fond the address. He and Johanna had walked up here but couldn’t find it. We later walked back to the road pass and to the mountain hut. I had a good meal of wurst and bread. Helmut had goulash. I went to sleep at 22.00
Friday 16th June 1995 Vrsicsattel to Tolmin (Slovenia)
Over the Vrsicsattal and down the mountain to the Soca Valley with views of Slovenia’s highest mountain, The Triglav, to the left (east). Steep downhill, to the Tricarjev dom at the foot of the pass where the road joins with Koca pri Zvaru Soca to the Trenta road. The Soca is clear, turquoise water, coming down from the chalk hills. We visit a natural gorge and see the denkmal of a local explorer before Trenta as well as seeing the alpine garden, Trenta to Bovec is particularly interesting for the gorge scenery on the way along to Bovec town. In Bovec we changed some Austrian money to Slovenian dinar, bought some zwetschger and followed the river. It’s grand river scenery with waterfalls. The river flows through the Soca Gorge for many miles. In Srpenion – scenic but a ‘poor’ village. At Trnova we try for the footpath without success, too many boulders to take a bike along here. We find the path further along and this is possible to ride from Dkrib to Kobarid Bridge then we kept north of the Soca, through Lasdra and Kampo into Tolmin. We take a footpath and ride along here to Kobarid, three kilometres from Trnovo. At the junction over the road / river bridge we take a quiet road to Tolmin via Camno and succeed in dodging the rain ahead and behind us. The sky was turning dark and menacing.
In Tolmin we book in at the biggest hotel in the town, which was only equivalent to £15.00 each for the night. I washed a few clothes, enough for the remainder of the holiday. We look for somewhere to eat and find a wonderful pizza place along a nearby street, opposite the hotel, along and on the left. It was an excellent meal, really big pizzas with plenty on, with beers. Both meals only came to the equivalent of £10.00 I put in my industrial earplugs before going to sleep as Helmut warned me that he snores!
Saturday 17th June 1995 Tolmin to Bled
For breakfast we had ham and egg mix, a bit unusual. (ham and egg - and when you say that fast it’s a Styrian expletive! Used by Helmut uses it a lot.) We head out south to Most then along a valley to Podbrdo for the climb up to Rotek and to the top of the Dom Na Soriski Planine. Down from here to Bohinjska Bistrica, an industrial place, and the smell of wood factories as we entered in to the town. The road was easy going, following the river from here to Bled via Bitnje, Nomenj, Bohinjsks Bela. It was a wide main road but not busy, following the railway line and the river. We found a pension at a very reasonable rate, all self-contained. We went for a meal at the lakefront hotel overlooking Lake Bled on a veranda. We had some disagreement but I should have realised that the prices were negligible and that we could eat in the most expensive place in town very cheaply. Sleep at 22.00 and I needed the industrial earplugs again. It sounded like a woodcutter’s sawmill that night and the noise was coming from inside.
Sunday 18th June 1995 Bled to Villach
We cycled out from Bled along the lake and through Poljsica and Krnica on the back lanes. We left the bikes at the beginning of the Pokjuska Soteska Gorge. We walked for ½ an hour through a narrow gorge over planks strategically placed through the narrow openings, as the ground is uneven and rocky. I took plenty of photos as we walked, then we returned the same way. We met an English couple that had just parked their bikes on the fence at the entrance. They decided against going for the short walk, which puzzled us as they had come this far not to spare the ½ hour to take in the scenery.
We re-entered the National Park on the Krnica to Mozstrana road. Helmut was looking intently either side of the road trying to find a flower that grows in these parts, called the ‘Ladies Slipper’, but he never did find it. We bike along the Mojstrana-Vadis-Gozd-Martuljek road. It started to rain sop we took shelter in a hotel along here. Shortly after the rain had stopped and Helmut resumed his hunt for the ‘Ladies Slipper’ between here and Kranjska Gora, but again no success. Through Podhoren village where we turned right for the climb up the Wurzen Pass and out of Slovenia at the top where Helmut had parked his car. We put the bikes on the car and drove down the pass into Villach. At 19.00 I sent the bike on to Feldkirch. Helmut said ‘goodbye’ after we sat for a while eating wurst and drinking coffee at a café opposite the station in Villach. My bike was already on its way to Feldkirch – I hoped. I left later on the 22.00 direct train to Feldkirch which arrived at 08.00 the following morning, but unfortunately the bike didn’t.
Monday 19th June 1995 Feldkirch / Alstatten / Trogen / Gais /Alstatten / Gams / Wildhaus / Gams
Hanging around Feldkirch station waiting patiently for my bike to arrive I made some more enquires and told it should arrive on the 10.00 train coming in from Villach. This was a goods train but it wasn’t on that one. I wandered around Feldkirch for a while; taking a look at the shops and getting to know the place but after a few hours I think I got to know it so well I was getting fed up with it. I was looking to the hills to the west and wanting to be there, wishing the bike to suddenly appear. I was back at the station at 11.45 having been told that the bike should now arrive at midday. It finally arrived but I was not impressed with Austrian Railways. The bike had been taken off the Villach – Salzburg train at Schwarzerach St Veit but wasn’t placed on the connecting train heading west. It should have arrived last night but instead it spent the night between routes.
I set off from Feldkirch at noon, relieved to be away on the road through Brederis Meiningen then out of Austria over the Rhine (photo here) then into Switzerland cycling a long straight tree lined road into Alstatten. I didn’t want to mess about around the small town as I had lost the morning. I went straight on and up the Trogen Pass, pass number 1. There are Great views of the Rhine down below, snaking through the countryside. Down the other side of the pass in Trogen there are some spectacular grey-green buildings. The road climbs up again from here then a sweep downhill again to Buhler over the shoulder of the hills that separate the Trogen and Gais passes. From Buhler the Gais pass road starts but it’s only a short rise to pass number 2. Again there is a wonderful view from up here of the wide valley separating the two countries with the Rhine glistening in the sun. Took some photos then enjoyed the long downhill back to Alstatten. I changed some Austrian for Swiss currency and also the remaining travellers cheques. On to Oberreit on the border but this time headed off south to Sennwald. There is an interesting gorge at Hirschensprung on this route. The road was quiet from here to Gams. I booked in at the Schaffi Hotel, unloaded the panniers in the room then went up the Widhaus Pass, pass number 3 through wooded scenery and following a mountain stream until the road went higher above the trees giving another panoramic view of the Rhine but this time to the south as far as Sargens. I could make out Sargens Castle in the distance on its isolated hill. It was an easy climb of 1½ hours. The pass marker was silhouetted in the sun and low on the horizon now so it was difficult to take a decent photo. I did an about turn at the top, put on my gortex jacket, longs and helmet and freewheeled back to Gams. I enjoyed a meal on the veranda with a beer and a bottle of wine. Retired to a good night’s sleep at 23.00.
Tuesday 20th June 1995 Gams / Buchs / Vaduz / Luzenseig / Maienfeld / Sargens / Walensee / Kerenzerberg / Glarus / Klausenpass / Unterschach
After breakfast I paid the bill and left through Grabs and on to Buchs. It was a bit confusing here but I rode on a cycle path under the railway then over the Rhine Bridge to Saanan in Liechtenstein. On along the easy road to Vaduz, the capital, where I had a walk along the main street. I bought a tea towel, an edelweiss pack for Ruth and a set of 6 slides. On then to Balzers in the south of the country and to the Luzensteig pass, pass number 4. I took some photos at the border. It’s only a small pass so the top is in trees. There are military barracks at the top. From here down to Maienfeld – Heidi’s town, vineyards on either side of the road on the south facing slopes. There are some very old buildings here and cobbled streets leading away from the main road. I doubled back from here through Bad Ragaz, past the long building of the spa to Sargans. I stopped a supermarket to buy some milk, oranges and yoghurt. Not so interesting scenery from here to Walenstadt. I stopped to eat at Berschis. Along Walensee, starting at Sargans was a constant stream of bike race support vehicles coming from the opposite direction. When I reached Mols I found out that the ‘Tour of Switzerland’ bike race was coming through. This is one the prelude races to the ‘Tour de France’ so a lot of famous names would be in this race heading this way. I stopped along the road next to a group of children to ensure I joined in the scramble for the free gifts when the support cars showered the freebies in their direction. I felt like a seal at the edge of a zoo pool waiting for its fish. I would take my chances and bang my head against theirs’ when the scrapping started. At least I was at an advantage – I had my helmet on and would use it as a weapon if I had to! I was at Murg along the lake and spotted a support car coming, showering its contents, but especially at the children – potential racers of the future. The children accepted me as part of their group and chatted away to me in Schweizerdeutsch. I could only smile and nod. There was no fight; I got a hat and a ‘Novell’ team bottle, which had been thrown by a rider. I still have both of these at home, 8 years later when I typed this. Danke viel mals! I waited at Muhlehorn and took some photos of the race going through. After the excitement of the race passing through I continued on my ride and started off up to the Kerenzerberg, pass number 5. Not too difficult but it was still a hot day so shirt off and plastered myself with high factor sun cream. There were good views of the lake, Walensee, down below before turning south and away from the lake and down through Nafels to Glarus in its small canton of the same name. At Ennenda a local told me that it was more pleasant to take the cyclepath a little way down the valley and follow the road up to Lenthal. I did this and it was a lot quieter than the road and I could look at the scenery without being too aware what was coming up behind me, it was pleasant cycling between fields of freshly cut grass on a narrow hard surface. In Linthal I rejoined the road where the cycle path ended and it was an almost instant climb through tunnels and road works where new tunnels were being built. I stopped for a Radler beer (light) at Port than began tackling the real grueller to the top of the snowbound Klausenpass, pass number 6. It took ages getting to the top – 5½ hours in fact. There were plenty of motorcyclists revving their way up the pass, but plenty of cyclists too. There were also plenty of cyclists coming up the other side of the pass. There were only two kiosks at the top. Shepherds were herding cows, three herds of them. I stopped at a hotel in Unterschachen on the right on the way down. I had a meal then an early night.
Wednesday 21st June 1995 Unterschachen / Altdorf / Ibbergerrigpass /
Einselden / Biberbrugg / Zurichersee / Albis / Zurich
I was up at 08.00, ready to do four passes today; the Lukmanier, Ibergerrig. Aescherli
and the Albis – but it was pouring down! The best-laid plans go to dust. I decided on plan B. I left the hotel at 09.00. There was a small climb at first getting out of the village then more road works (the other end of the new tunnel) and down to Aldorf. It had stopped raining after about ½ an hour out on the road and as far as Fluelen on the south end of Lake Lucerne. From there it was rain again. I counted myself fortunate that at least the covered Axenstrasse at this end of the lake, overhanging rock over the road, sheltered me. I was on a cycle path from Brunnen to Schwyz and it was dry along here. I noticed the Victorionix Swiss knife factory facing me on my way up through Schwyz. I was now climbing away from the town on the Ibergerrig, pass number 7. Rain started again at Richenbach at the foot of the pass and continued unabated until the 1139 metre marker near the top. I dried out at hotel on the road summit and got some energy back with a hot soup and a Radler. After a bit of breather in there I donned my sweater, longs and helmet and freewheeled down to Unterberg where I changed again. At Euthal I stopped to buy at a supermarket and more rain on the way out. Through Steinbach to Einsiedeln and the rain stopped for the rest of the day. There is a massive catholic church here with a large square in front of it. The bookshops around the square sell catholic literature. Perhaps this is a catholic pilgrimage site? I had a look in some of the bookshops to find out what was special about the church but there was nothing in English. From here it was a pleasant ride through Biberbrugg and joining up with last year’s route at this point. At Schindellegi I turned off for Wollerau and Richterswil alongside the lake to Wadenswil. I stopped for a while then geared down for a climb to Burstel passing heavy industry. Down from here to Sihlbrugg, overtaking a long queue of cars, people leaving work from the factories around. I headed off here along quiet roads through Ebertswil and Hausen to the Albis pass, pass number 8. Down from here for my last leg of the tour into Zurich.
I passed through Langnau, Adliswil and Wollishofen to join up with the road alongside the lake and leisurely into Zurich. I bust my rear guard, catching it somehow on stone pillar. No matter at the end of the trip. I wheeled the bike along to the station despatch area to send the bike off on its way home but the office was closed until morning. There were no more direct trains to Ostend or Calais anymore, I was told. The only way home was to travel on Eurostar. I was disappointed in having to wait for several hours in Zurich but the idea of travelling on Eurostar for the first time appealed to me. I bought a ticket, £19 equivalent in Swiss Francs, a reduced rate for staff travel and sat in a restaurant called “The Spaghetti Factory” in one of the city’s narrow streets until it closed at 04.00.
Thursday 22nd June 1995 Zurich / Paris / London / Crewe / Holmes Chapel
I made my weary way back to the station. I arranged the despatch of the bike when the goods despatch office opened at 06.00. I left Zurich on the 07.15 to Paris Est, arriving at 13.00 approx then had a few hours around Paris, leaving my bags in the left luggage at Paris Nord. I went down to the river as far as the Eiffel Tower and wandered around the Tuilliers Gardens then to Paris Nord to collect the pannier bags and queue up for the Eurostar to London Waterloo International. The train glided into the station at 19.09. I crossed London by Tube and caught the 20.10 from Euston, arriving in Crewe at 22.11. Ruth collected me from the station.