Nauders to Castelbello

August 8, 2016

Downhill, the Adige way, through wall to wall apple orchards.

August 8 Monday 63km

Nauders to Castelbello 65kms

Downhill, the Adige way, through wall to wall apple orchards.

Nauders does a busy trade in visitors. Lots of accommodation, sports shops, restaurants, but all in charming style. Perhaps Queenstown would improve with a few Alpine buildings and a Tyrolean band.

We set off along with day walkers, speedy cyclists, (no panniers), on another blue skied day with a gradual increase in elevation. Meadows rise to wooded slopes then rocky crags.

Opposite, a sign to tell us we are in Italia.

The path is a little up and down but easy cycling on a smooth track.

The cycle path we are about to descend to. We stopped to give first aid to a young English couple who took a spill at the bottom of this hill.

We stop to help a young couple who have taken a spill- or mainly Ann does as the young woman has a nasty cut to her lip and several abrasions and is suffering shock. Ann has our first aid kit out and has skilfully applied several bandages before you can say Dr Spock. The couple, both sunburnt redheads are Geordies. The chap’s accent is so strong that initially I take him for German. Back on the track we are a little chastened and careful for a while, but before we know it we are in Italia.

The local carabineri are languidly checking incoming traffic. It all looks pretty relaxed except one is casually waving around a sub machine gun. Time to go. And then the glorious blue green Reschensee! This water storage lake contains a drowned village, the church tower of which is the sole remaining visible trace.

Although the initial action in drowning the valley was opposed, the lake is popular for water sports now, especially windsurfing.

When the valley was flooded to create an artificial lake, an unpopular decision, some metres of the church steeple were left pointing skywards from the lake.

Downhill also includes some climbing around the edge of the lake. Mostly the trail is sealed, but the loose gravel feels treacherous.

Alpine villages cling to rocks, old fortifications are evident. Clear mountain water gushes down the slopes and into the Adige which has now the milky colour of an alpine river.

Fortress at Malles Venosta - Fürstenberg Castle.

By afternoon we are among the apple orchards- kilometres of them. This area supplies most of Europe’s apples. Another change is in numbers. Where once we had trails pretty much to ourselves, Italian holiday time means more family groups with baby trailers, more guided groups, and more hardcore bell ringers. Most are friendly and sometimes brief acquaintances develop with a nod or a smile.

The downhill gradient is indicated by the line at bottom- downhill all the way toTrento!

Apple orchards border both sides of the cycleway. A majority of Europe’s apples grow here.

Late afternoon and we are forced to abandon our camping plans (full house!) for a hotel at Castelbello- also called Kastelbell. Tough decision! But we realise that with several thousand Italians now on holiday plus all those other pesky tourists a bit of forward planning is called for. We swim in their pool and then dine at the Gasthaus - 5 delicious courses for 10 euros- buffet salad, spaghetti in aoli, minestrone, chicken and rosemary potatoes. We finish with yoghurt pannacotta with a strawberry sauce. Delicious and a bit of a blow out! We are served by Stephanie, our waitress who has spent four months in Australia. She’s a lovely young woman who tells us that settling back to life in Austria has been challenging.

Today's ride: 63 km (39 miles)
Total: 2,796 km (1,736 miles)

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