I need to confess that after spending a month dwelling on Robinson Crusoe Island earlier this yr, I used to be satisfied I may by no means be “wowed” by my travels once more.
I skilled weeks of intense withdrawal signs, spent days not eager to get out of a four-walled room, missed deadlines, and reached out to a therapist to strive to determine how I may claw my means again into the true world. Her recommendation didn’t assist, however the universe discovered me a means.
Route 1291: E-biking by means of the guts of Switzerland!
I’d already mentioned no to 2 potential journey assignments, unexcited by the prospect of a meaningless journey and extra flying emissions.
But Switzerland Tourism had a singular proposition for me: My companion and I might check out one of many nation’s latest sustainable tourism choices – Route 1291, a 7 day e-biking journey throughout the magnificent Swiss Alps!
Having skilled a little bit of wintry Switzerland just a few years in the past, and tried quick distance e-biking in Austria and Goa, I knew the 2 would make an epic mixture. But I may by no means guess simply how epic.
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E-biking up the Swiss Alps: A take a look at of sustainable mobility and our personal endurance
After the preliminary pleasure of being invited on our first “Swisstainable” self-guided, multi-day biking journey, I used to be fairly rattling nervous about our potential to cycle 50-80 km every day and pedal up a few of Switzerland’s highest Alpine passes.
But because the journey started, I rapidly realized that each drop of sweat and each sore muscle could be definitely worth the reward – rugged karst mountain surroundings, turquoise blue lakes, idyllic Swiss villages, mist-clad peaks, historic church buildings, gushing rivers and streams, meadows bursting with wildflowers.
Besides, our Swiss-made Flyer ebikes have been simply good, with upto 100 km battery life in eco mode – making this lengthy distance biking journey difficult however fairly doable on a reasonable health degree.
Looking again, it’s arduous to place in phrases the sensation of climbing up hair pin bends (thank heavens it was an e-bike!) to excessive mountain passes, flying down lengthy downhills within the cool Alpine breeze, and pedaling from vacation spot to vacation spot with none motorized transport.
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Switzerland’s awe-inspiring community of e-biking (biking) trails
I’ve skilled the cycling-friendly streets of Copenhagen and Amsterdam, and examine cycling-only highways in Korea. But the Swiss Mobility Network got here as a whole shock. This community of biking / climbing trails, with no or minimal motorized transport, winds throughout the nation and its majestic landscapes, making a haven for cyclists.
Route 1291 golf equipment the most effective of various biking trails throughout Switzerland – and has been curated by Eurotrek such that no two days really feel the identical. Our round loop began in Lucerne, climbed as much as Andermatt and Meiringen, handed by means of Sorenburg, then winded into the ‘wild west’ of Entlebuch and Sursee, earlier than taking us again to Lucerne.
The panorama stored altering from dramatic mountain panoramas to lakeside villages to rolling meadows to wheat and maize fields to stark karst mountains to gushing rivers to glaciers to farming villages with no paved roads to protected forests. Despite the low I hit after Robinson Crusoe, I’ve in all probability by no means uttered “wow” so many instances in per week!
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Taking gradual journey to the subsequent degree
To me, gradual journey has all the time meant connecting deeper and staying longer (mentally if not bodily). But lengthy distance e-biking launched me to an entire different dimension of gradual journey.
I skilled each slope, each curve, each bump on the highway. I may inform how the air modifications from the meadows to the fields to the forests to the excessive mountains. I may really feel the isolation of distant mountain villages but additionally their bond with nature.
Unlike climbing and common biking, we have been capable of cowl for much longer distances (50-80 kms every day on common, with common elevation features of 1200-1700m) and expertise a surprising vary of pure landscapes, dwelling traditions and architectural types round Switzerland. I don’t suppose I may’ve identified this nation so intimately another means!
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A win for sustainable tourism
Ebikes are probably the most eco-friendly mode of transport, particularly with a clear grid
- With zero tail pipe emissions and 0 PM 2.5 emissions from the tyres, e-bikes are probably the most eco-friendly modes of long-ish distance transport proper now.
- We needed to cost our e-bike batteries each evening, however the grid in Switzerland is fairly clear. Electricity primarily comes from hydro (59.9%) and nuclear (33.5%), with solely 2.3% from fossil fuels.
But some detrimental impression have to be acknowledged
- Depending on the method, mining lithium ion for batteries can contaminate groundwater and be environmentally harmful.
- Our baggage was (virtually magically) transported from one place to the subsequent by Eurotrek – both utilizing public transport or grouped with different baggage in a automobile, so there have been nonetheless some emissions concerned.
All in all although, I can’t consider a greater technique to journey – experiencing a spot slowly, deeply, whereas conserving our environmental footprint low.
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Practical suggestions for e-biking in Switzerland
How to prepare a self-guided ebiking journey in Switzerland
Our journey was organized by Eurotrek, an energetic holidays firm based mostly in Switzerland. Their route maps and descriptions have been extraordinarily useful for a first-time self-guided journey throughout Switzerland. And we actually appreciated their baggage transport service!
How to search out the way in which: Signposting, Swiss Mobility App, Google maps
We discovered the Swiss Mobility app (Schweiz Mobil) a bit arduous to navigate, however the trails are brilliantly signposted all alongside. With some assist from google maps, we by no means obtained too misplaced.
How to stop a sore butt whereas biking!
Long distance biking can result in a really sore butt. I purchased a pair of padded biking photographs from Decathlon, and although not eco-friendly, they have been a life saver, particularly over 7 steady days of biking. I hope to make use of them for all future biking journeys.
What’s it like being vegan in distant Switzerland
With a standard weight-reduction plan that largely consists of meat, cheese and potatoes, Switzerland isn’t precisely vegan-friendly. But even within the remotest countryside, I hardly ate any potatoes! Many eating places and cafes supplied atleast one vegan choice (suppose vegan rosti, gnocchi, burgers, pasta, salads and curries with Southeast Asian flavors). We even discovered a neighborhood veggie cafe alongside the route, value a 20 km detour for a lentil Buddha Bowl and vegan ice cream 😉 As all the time, the HappyCow app was my go-to supply for suggestions.
Cost of a 6-day e-biking journey in Switzerland
Costs for the Route 1291 begin at CHF 2700 for 2. Summer is a superb time to cycle, with cool climate and heat solar – although warmth waves have gotten extra widespread in every single place. The biking route is fairly offbeat and we hardly encountered any crowds!
Have you been to Switzerland or tried e-biking? Do you dream of e-biking within the Swiss Alps?
*Note: I’m so grateful to Switzerland Tourism for internet hosting us on this journey – and turning what appeared like a loopy proposition only a few weeks in the past, into an unforgettable reminiscence!
Welcome to my weblog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been known as a storyteller, author, photographer, digital nomad, instagrammer, social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism advisor and environmentalist. But in my coronary heart, I’m only a lady who believes within the transformative energy of journey.