The Bikepacker: Bikepacking - Andermatt to Bellinzona via Gotthard Pass and The Tremola

Day #

State of Legs

:-)

	Distance (miles)	Distance (km)	Ascent (feet)	Ascent (metres)	Punctures
Today	58 miles	km	2687 feet	metres	0
Trip Totals	750 miles	km	33066 feet	metres	0

Today's Route

Relive the Route

Route So Far

Travelogue

Today was another special day and stage 2 in my crossing of the Swiss Alps to Italy.

It was special because today I got to complete the first major ascent and cycle the famous Gottard Pass and the old Tremola road.

The total ascent for today was less than yesterday but the climb up to the top was quite a lot harder. Maybe my legs were already tired and that was a factor. Maybe the fact that mile after mile was on weird but wonderful cobblestones. Or maybe it just was. Harder.

The climb was memorable and one for me to feel a little proud of. But the decent was perhaps better still, especially winding down the hairpin bends of the Tremola. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Overall, the climb was a small proportion of the day's cycling. After the climb, there was about 40 miles of almost uninterrupted descent to my destination of Bellinzona. Tremendous.

As always, I left early, with the moon showing over the mountains still.

I passed through the village of Hospental and was amused to see a load of mopeds parked! Touring by moped in Switzerland must be popular!

The road was quiet. After Hospental, a left turn took me into a new valley and the climb started immediately. It was relentless and felt fairly steep. Until of course it relented. At the top :-)

The area I passed through was almost entirely uninhabited and felt isolated. But the views were tremendous and got better as I climbed.

After about 5 miles, I forked right and joined what I assume was the start of the Tremola. It was cobbled anyway. There were lots of camper vans parked on this first section. I think they were pretty much all climbers, waiting to start their day and walk in to the start of the selected climb.

Eventually, I reached the highest point in the Gotthard Pass. I don't think I realised I was at the top.... until I started to descend of course! It was pretty chilly too so this also perhaps prevented any kind of celebration!

From here it was downhill! The best part of which was the series of tight bends and fast descent that forms the best known part of the Tremola.

And here's a quick video of the Tremola from halfway down.

In the town of Airolo, there was a big truck unloading something with a crane. I asked (with sign language) if it was OK to squeeze past the truck on the pavement. And the answer came.... in Italian! Because on the Andermatt side of the mountain they speak German but in this part of Switzerland, it's Italian!

In Airolo

I cycled on, stopping once for a coffee and croissant and again for a banana to keep the legs going.

It was hot but the landscape was lovely and cycling was great. Eventually I reached Bellinzona and found my way to the campsite where I got set up for the remainder of the day and the night. My final night in Switzerland in fact!