Jump to content

Group Trip to Italy and the Alps 2019


Recommended Posts

Yes Bob, you need to bear with me on this,

Day one, was an early start in Cumbria for the four cars planning to complete the whole trip,

Alan and Catherine Pattinson in their recently aquired TR 250 with P.I.

Ken and Chris Wilson in the Le Mans Peerless,

Peter Guy and Dave Welch in an MX 5, Peter thought this a tad too far in his TR3A,

..and Doreen and myself in our TR4, we were through the tunnel by mid afternoon, and

on to our overnight in France.

 

1239388079_bethunecars.jpg.6dca5cbc656356ca55f74aee48a0c630.jpg

The Four Cars that completed the whole 16 day Trip, Milage on day one was about 440.

Day Two saw us cross France, in temperatures of up to 35/36C, too hot to take the tops off! to An Overnight in

Offenburg in Germany, here we met up with Dave, Diane and Adam Couling, who had journeyed down through Germany, after taking the Overnight Newcastle to Amsterdam Crossing.

Lovely Town - Offenburg, and the group enjoyed an open evening meal, recc'ed by Dave and Diane.

Day Three, and the driving starts to get interesting! Across Germany, and along the northern Side of Lake Konstance, down into Austria, and hang a right to turn up the Otztal Valley to our overnight in Obergurgle. We were looking forward to having a walk around Obergurgle, over 6,000 Ft,, and with the highest Village Church in Europe!

Well none of that happened, we were within 15 miles of the hotel by mid afternoon, when arriving in Solden, in drizzle, we found the road closed, as there was a marathon cycle race in progress, no one was going anywhere until 7.30! We met up with Jim McVey and Anne Whitehead, as planned, and consoled ourselves with a local Apple Strudel, Ice Cream and Coffee.

We finally arrived at our hotel at around 8.15, as dinner finished at 8.30, it was, 'Forget Check-in, and Eat!' Milage for the 'Gang of Four' was now about 1060, for the three days.

Day Four, and our, now six cars, turned for Italy, via our first Alpine Pass of the Trip - The TIMMELSJOCH, (8,231ft) The information states,

'If you drive along the Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road, the highest pass of the Eastern Alps, you can enjoy a majestic veiw of the Otztal Alps and a masterpeice of road consruction.' Well thats true! cracking drive, we had drizzle climbing to the top, but spectacular veiws and driving decending.

Our route was then on to Lake Garda via the autostrada, but leaving at Trento, so that we could arrrive at the very top of the lake, and drive the Eastern side of the lake all the way down to our hotel in Bardalino.

Plan now was to park the cars for a day or two and have a holiday, we have six nights, five full days in Bardalino. The group enjoyed both collective and individual trips, Verona was a must, (4 Euros on the local bus) days on the lake ferries, and days being, 'Lazy - just enjoying the pool.

verona.jpg.70f555efe9045287d0c09e3e6c78cd8e.jpg

Some of the group outside the, 'Arena' in Verona.

1229917161_kenandchris.jpg.d32b6fae6d609118ed375aac692e6f2a.jpg

Ken and Chris take a romantic stroll along the lakeside at sunset.

 

 

 

Lasize.jpg.a380b5dc043191cbcd424ff2bb894c5c.jpg

and visiting Lasize on the lake.

721938991_TheGritti..jpg.c40dcc9beec4f60ddf61759efd9a68e7.jpg

So, after our, 'Holiday' on the lake, on Day Ten, we leave Lake Garda and turn North to start to enjoy, The Alps,

We said, Cheerio, to Jim and Anne today, as they turned for France, and the rest headed for Switzerland.

805280912_outofItaly.jpg.21de2e347d89d9a1be61d20b4dd3187f.jpg

First Pass of the day, was one that we underestimated!

The Passo di Croce Domino,  a mere 6, 207ft,

proved to be very Challenging, narrow in many places, not always a good road surface and lots of unprotected sheer drops, certainly focused driving, but very satisfying.

1100621726_PassoCrocedeDomino.jpg.da24616d6b1ed15c0bdcd226d11d058a.jpg

Next onto the Bernina Pass, (7,638ft) and the observant amongst you all will see we have snow, no problem driving, but really made the veiws extra special. From the Bernina, and needing to wait for the famous Bernina Express to pass, we were down into St Moritz, for the hotel which would be our base for the next three days.

377242687_Italyswitzerland2019020.thumb.JPG.3c753fc2379ee07df7fc6cd443dd25b2.JPG

1684937231_Italyswitzerland2019017.thumb.JPG.b4067100b34b55746331a1cec5d30257.JPG

Day Eleven, and just great driving now, of course made so much better being in a TR, now with the top stowed on the boot lid! Plan was to drive the Stelvio, Ofenpass, (Pass dal Fourn) and the Umbrail. So back over the border into Italy.

514955147_Theborder.jpg.b1c1fb4c8db64912d1f0a8f8011ee78d.jpg

Well, as they say, best laid plans, Ofenpass was fine, more of what we were rapidly becoming used too, and then we were two thirds up the Stelvio, and found our way barred, the road closed due to the risk of avalaches!

ofenpass2.jpg.f7354a7d1a3f486a92918c54da2a64cf.jpg

ofenpass.jpg.ec4839413c37c70d257ecb44ce361c5a.jpg

Most of the group atop the Ofenpass, vigilant amongst you will note that some passes have more than one name, some have three!

1804796668_stelvioshut!.jpg.261bec75a5e545812fbd46f9dc2f462d.jpg

Ah, such is life, I did the Stelvio in 2012 on the way to Classic le Mans, so wasn't too bothered but one or two of the party, sure will want to go back, honestly just any excuse!

umbrail.jpg.0d6c7d85218ac890a101da4b5fc04acc.jpg

......and the top of the Umbrail, (8,205ft)

Day twelve, so no such closures as the snow began to disappear, and we enjoyed the Julier, (7,498ft)

1023254979_julierpass..jpg.5957eef77a0ae02b2aac66718a452d80.jpg

637706253_julier2.jpg.356948b2a95b860cbd94ba3ac7bd75d9.jpg

The Fluelapass (7,819ft)

albula2.jpg.0dbe625b5afa91f857baf1db133b3c06.jpg

The road down from the Albula Summit, N.B;- The Snowchains Roadsign, almost buried in snow!

albula.jpg.1c09345fc55c49caad908af1c2822416.jpg

Day Thirteen, and we start our turn for home, but not directly. Out of St. Moritz we head for the Malojapass (6,955ft), before turning North for the

Splugenpass (6,939ft) and then completing a complete turnabout to travel South for the San Bernadino. Then it was head for Andermatt, via

the St Gottard (6,860) and the drop into town for D B & B

629179668_gottardpass.jpg.8fb0f40afa23ecb7454b856816ebbdb2.jpg

Our Veiw from near the summit of the St. Gottard.

gottard pass 2.jpg

....and the summit, with the snow all but melted.

Day Fourteen, and we said goodbye to, Dave, Diane and Adam Couling, as they head towards Germany, and the original 'Gang of Four,' looked forward to their final day in Switzerland, and the following;-

First The Big one that is The Furka Pass, infamous from The Bond Film, Goldfinger, but so much more than just that, its a drive and a half, make no mistake,

195335545_furkasummit.jpg.ef2bb0092b5af01f8c40a48ff8af3563.jpg

712614607_furkahotel.jpg.e7ceac4271a3c9b53a593c40aa08d49e.jpg

Having 'Conquered' the Furka, and started the decent towards Gletsch, we had a stop, at a very special place, namely, The Rhone Glacier, source of the  Rhone River.

1859946101_RhoneGlacier.jpg.d29408ef81c09202eef2ed27bc284403.jpg

Some of the group, before actually walking inside the glacier.

1185228550_insidetherhoneglacier.jpg.349045f4ca5931a955c396b70cb1213a.jpg

....and the tunnel, remade annually, to allow entry to the galcier.

Finally, having left the glacier, we took in the Grimsal Pass (7,100ft) before starting for home proper.

....and some final facts for you all, trip over 16 days, covered just less than 3,000mls. of the 'gang of Four,' cars all four each had a slight issue,

The MX5 sufferred a low tyre pressure warning light - I kid you not, the TR 250, had a slight fuel leak, on the return, The Peerless needed a small repair to the throttle linkage and my TR 4 started misfiring, cured with a new set of plugs, and that was it.

 

Collectively nearly 12,000 mls of mixed, hard driving, - thought the cars did really very well!

For anyone contemplating, European TR'ing, perhaps for the first time, I would so, 'Go for it,' absolutely, it is something that can be very special.

John.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Good to know that you are all home safely and that the cars performed very well. Particular praise to Alan who readied his 'new' TR250 for the journey and was confident enough to go for it.

Nice to see that Ken & Chris continue the romantic approach!

Next time it will be snow chains for the grand accent of Stelvio north face. All very scenic. Well done.

Peter

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • John Morrison changed the title to Group Trip to Italy and the Alps 2019

Great trip and write up John - Thank you.

When did you actually do this trip, what months ? We have done road trips over the years covering most of the places, roads and passes you cover here and they were all as wonderful as you describe. However, there’s a lot more snow in you pics of those passes than when we did them. 

We just completed a 24 night trip across Europe in the 4A covering 6 countries .... I need to get writing I think ...

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Andy,

thanks it was a great trip, a lot of planning, but well worth the effort.

We left the UK, August 30th, and pulled out of Bardalino to head for St Moritz, Sun. 8th Sept.

We tried the Stelvio, Mon 9th.

I have to say the early snow, did add to the experience, it came and went quite quickly, indeed if you check the later photos,

you will see on the Gottard and Furka passes it was all but melted.

I saw your trip detail, and the mishap you had with the garage, we were lucky, nothing we couldn't sort ourselves.

Cheers,

John.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Please familiarise yourself with our Terms and Conditions. By using this site, you agree to the following: Terms of Use.