With the bicycle from Mals to Merano: Report by Reinhard Jakubowski

Our impressions of our cycling tour along the Etsch

After we returned our bikes shorty before 18.30 hours at the railway station of Merano (areal freight station), we noticed two things: firstly, we have just missed the posssibilty to return at 18.16 hours and secondly, we now have enough time for a cold beer and time to reflect:

The day was sporty in any case, in that we are united! “Yes, and it was also contemplative” Nina says, “just think of the train journeys with the Vinschgerbahn!”

Bärbel is very enthusiastic about the steel-blue sky and the colourfulness of the “Obstgarten Vinschgau” (orchard Vinchgau), while Michael gets excited about the castles and mountains

Of course, our trip was also very well organised, partly because we were responsible for it ourselves and mainly because of the possibility of the Event Card.

Photo: Reinhard JakubowskiPhoto: Reinhard JakubowskiPhoto: Reinhard Jakubowski
  • Left: The destination of our cycling tour along the Etsch bike path: the railway station of Merano.
  • Centre: While we are waiting for the train we reflect once more on our bike trip:” pure pleasure cycling, that’s the Vinschger bike tour!”
  • Right: With the Vinschergerbahn we return to our accommodation in the vicinity of Merano.

Conclusion of the cycling tour in the Vinschgau

Finally our conclusion – and there we were again united – is: recommended for imitation, since it is not an exhausting journey, because in total it is a 60 km long downgrade stretch.

Michael’s closing remark: „pure pleasure cycling, that is the Vinschger bike tour!

At 19.16 hours the Vinschgerbahn takes us back from Merano to Tschars, where we arrive at 19.51 hours somewhat tired but content, after a long and eventful day.

The Etsch and its way

With 415 km the Etsch is the seond longest river of Italy after the Po. It rises from the Ötztaler Alps on the pass of the Reschenscheideck (1.525 m), flows through the Reschen- and Haider lake and turns eastwards through the Vinschgau.

In Merano the Passer flows into the Etsch and at Bolzano the Eisack is the tributary. Flowing through the Salurner Klause the Etsch leaves South Tyrol.

Behind Verona the Etsch finally pushess through a swampy, shallow plain, now a sluggish and muddy river, and at Porto Fossone it flows into the Adriatic Sea.

The Etsch flows 220 km through South Tyrol and is navigable from the Eisack estuary on a stretch of 297 km, here at a width of 78 m and approx. 120 m at Verona.

Words by Bärbel & Reinhard Jakubowski from Gladbeck. Pictures by Reinhard Jakubowski & Michael Banken. They are being use with the kind permission of the authors.

Reports and wordings of guest authors are not necessarily the opinion of the owner of the media

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