What a journey! - it crosses borders and connects people and countries. Those who have done it before know the passion of traveling by bike. Covering a distance over several days by bike is a way of traveling that makes you all the more happy. You demand something of yourself, experience the surroundings more intensively, and pass places that would otherwise have remained largely undiscovered. The first two stages of the Inn Cycle Path take you from Maloja in the Upper Engadin to Zernez. We wish you: Bun viedi - a good trip!
The Inn originates at 2645 m above sea level at the Lunghin pass. Here there is a triple watershed, with the Inn flowing into Lake Sils towards the east at Maloja. This is the starting point for the Inn Cycle Path. If you want to visit the triple watershed first, leave your bike in the village, change your shoes, and hike up the mountain for about two hours. If you don't want to go quite so high, we recommend the short excursion to the Belvedere tower. This can be reached by bike and the view from the tower of Lake Sils is breathtakingly beautiful. A true first highlight. The bike path then leads from Maloja along the main road to Sils. From here you leave the traffic of the main road behind and switch to the right bank to a natural road that runs along Lake Silvaplana. If you prefer a more peaceful ride, you should do this section in the early morning. Then, only few people are on the road, the lake is calm and smooth as glass, and the sun only reaches the surrounding mountains. On the other hand, if you prefer excitement, you can wait until the Maloja wind sets in around noon and watch the colorful hustle and bustle of kite and wind surfers on the lake as you pass by.
After about 20 kilometers you will already reach St. Moritz - a good place for a first break at Lej Marsch or a little further in the direction of Celerina at Lej da Staz. In summer, these moor lakes offer a welcome cool-down and the perfect setting to stretch your legs for a moment and rest. If you want to stop for a bite to eat, you can do so at the Lej da Staz restaurant. From here it is still about 15 kilometers to the finish of the first stage in La Punt Chamues-ch, after having passed Celerina, Samedan, and Bever. The section near Bever is particularly worth mentioning. When the flood control dams running on both sides of the river were in need of renovation, the municipality decided to revitalize the area at the confluence of the Inn and Beverin rivers. Today, the river is allowed to find its own way again - the result is a landscape enhancement and thus an added value for the population, guests, and biodiversity.
Free as the wind
The first stage is done. At this point you have covered 35 kilometers of the Inn Cycle Path. There is now time to discover the village of La Punt Chamues-ch with its stately patrician houses from the 16th and 17th centuries. The Engadin sgraffiti and Romanesque life verses on the facades give the village a special charm.
Dinner in one of the restaurants provides the necessary strength for the next stage which is over 22.5 kilometers to Zernez. If you want to experience a special piece of the Engadin, it is best to reserve a table at the Krone Restaurant and order the Arven Menu - a feast for the senses.
The second stage leads from La Punt to Zernez. As soon as you leave the village of S-chanf behind you, the path leads through the forest. After a few short climbs and after Cinuos-chel you already pass the political border between the Upper and Lower Engadin without noticing it. In Zernez, however, the Rhaeto-Romanic dialect Vallader is spoken - a clear sign that you have arrived in the Lower Engadin. From here, the Inn Cycle Path continues to the traditional villages of the Lower Engadin, including the famous Schellen-Ursli village of Guarda. The ascent from Lavin via Guarda on to Ftan is a bit more than 400 meters in altitude, but the experience of arriving in these villages makes up for the effort. From Scuol, the route continues to Martina, from where it is only a stone's throw to the crossing to Austria.
Information about the entire Inn Cycle Path from Maloja to Passau can be found here: www.innradweg.com
With r Rent a Bike you can rent your bike for the Inn Cycle Path in one place and return it in another. Rent your bike at Suvretta Sports in St. Moritz or at the Swiss Cross Country and Bike Center in Pontresina and return it at the train station in Scuol.
