Grimsel Pass: Canton Valais to Canton Bern Alpine Journey | Triumph Speed Twin 1200
We are heading towards these peaks on the horizon.
Tomorrow morning will be the one straight ahead the Furka We’re going to take a left. And
yesterday we took a right. How good is this? Gletsch 9 km. That’s where we need
to go, for the twisties to begin. Straight ahead, winding up, is a slice of heaven. So we come into Gletsch and this is
where the junction happens. Straight ahead is the Furka Pass with the sunrise
and going to the left is the Grimsol, as this sign nicely says. They’re renovating
the hotel down here by the looks of it. And a little later there should be a food
stand open, but not right now. Up we go. Ah, that’s the sun. Well, you tell me. Am I in heaven? I might well be. Eh! Grimsel Pass, that’s the climb. How good is
that? Really, really good I hear you say. A little bit of a bike stand up. Metler
motorcycle tires. Oops, just took mine off! So, that was a top of the Grimsel, just under 2,200 m. Phenomenal views. Great lakes up here. Incredible really, the whole place definitely worth a visit. I’m not even sure the drone can do this justice. Everywhere
I look, there’s more things to see. Very nice yellow Porsche. Just went past the junction
for the Grimsel Hospice. It’s quite a famous spot for the Grimsel.
It sits just to the left of this big dam, up behind it. Just make out the
roof there. Quite a dramatic spot. It’s all very Dwarfen if you’re a
Lord of the Ring kind of person. Well, you come up to the Grimsel and
you think you’ve done good and then you come out on the other side and I
think it just gets better and better. Nice place to stop for some Alp cheese Gletsch all the way down or up and then
down to Meiringen on the other side. So, Gletsch is Valais side. Meiringen is Bern,
Canton Bern side. 38 km there and thereabouts. 40, 45 minutes, but you’re obviously going to stop. So, double it. Have a nice cup of coffee at the
top. Enjoy the views. Make the most of it. Back in the tree line. Breathtaking Campsite just down here on my right. Looks pretty good. Sits in the shadows a
lot. It’s going to be cold. Well, like the Nufenen, one side is up and steep, the other gives you this,
great long sweeping turns. A place of happiness, isn’t it? Well, this is just a flowing
route. It’s fantastic. Man, the Swiss make nice roads, don’t they? I…, some people give Switzerland a bad
rep for the speed cameras and all that, and hey, fair enough, but ignore that. These are all just sublime little roads. I’m so happy that sign didn’t
say Meiringen and I don’t want it to be over. I know it’s coming
up soon, but this is too too good. So if you go right here, you’re
going to come up to the Susten Pass. There’s another great one,
that’ll take you into Canton Uri. How many bikers have we been past? Hundreds. Try and make yourself one of them. Hey That would be my advice. We are coming to Meiringen. Got a little busier on the road towards the end
there, but the views, the views were making up for everything else, and they still are. And on
my left, this valley just goes on and on and on. Time for my coffee.
It’s very pretty, Meiringen. And that’s what I’m
looking for, big old Migros. Always a good place to park the bike. They generally have underground
parking. Nice and secure. So I am coffeeied up and leaving Meiringen and
very very nice it was too, cute little town. Got a lovely summer vibe going on. They were
just setting up a market on the right here. Little arts and crafts kind of stuff. All good. Just outside the town is the
Reichenbach Falls and that is iconic for where Sherlock Holmes and Professor
Moriarty duelled it out to the death. Well, bit of a cliffhanger, I seem to remember, but
we presume deaths. It looked pretty fatal. And you may be able to see them cuz
they’re right ahead of me, halfway, well, almost the top of the first ridge of this forested
slope. I believe that is them. They look lovely. So, yet another reason to put this place on
your bucket list if you’re into Sherlock Holmes. Shall we have a quick look at the hospice, shall we? It’s got to be worth a look. Hotel restaurant Grimsol Pass. Phenomenal. I mean, such a good,
good little route. It’s 38k, It’s not much. Out of Obergoms, you run 7K up to Gletsch and that is
7ks through the woods. Nice twisties. Really nice way to warm up. And then from Gletsch, it’s that
little hamlet, you go right to the Furka, you go left to the Grimsol and you’re straight into
the hairpins, switchbacks. And they are clean. They are just such lovely little switchbacks. And
you’re going up up up. It’s from 1,700 m roughly to about 2,200. And you do it in about 4K roughly.
Ah, it’s gorgeous. At the top, you got this amazing view where you look back over the
Grimsol. And on the other side of the valley is the Furka Pass. It is mouthwatering the whole
view. Nice lake at the top, couple of hotels, great spot for a coffee and a photo. And then
you’re into Canton Bern down to Meiringen which is this side here. You hit this lake, another
lake and then the tree line and it opens up into pastures, villages, lots of places to
stop for coffee. There’s a junction right for the Susten Pass which takes you to Canton
Uri. From there you could do Andermatt and then uh Realp for the Furka Pass back to Canton Valais
or you could do the Gotthard into Canton Ticino. Meiringen itself has everything you want. Hotels,
banks, supermarkets, home of the Reichenbach Falls where Moriarty and Sherlock Holmes had their duel
to the death. Really pretty little town. 38ks pure pleasure. 40 minutes. That’s all it is. And you’ll
just smile, smile, smile. I’m back to Gletsch tomorrow morning. I’m going to sleep in the tent
tonight and do the Furka in the morning. I hope you enjoyed this one. I absolutely loved this.
Get in early. Get the road to yourself and you’ll love it. I’ll see you on the Furka.
Cheers.
Chasing alpine whispers on my Triumph 1200!
Ride with me on this Ode to Rode journey across the Grimsel Pass, a 2,164m marvel from Canton Valais to Canton Bern, Switzerland.
Winding through rugged peaks and past Lake Grimsel’s stark beauty and then descending through forested mountain sides, villages and into lush pastures before finishing up in the stunning town of Meiringen.
Another great alpine pass seen from a motorcyclist point of view.
Route: Gletsch – Meiringen
Distance – 38km
Time – 40 min
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Follow my journey:
– YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@UCnfuNiY8kJglDVCBBHVU5sA
– Camping adventures: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQc7_Akpvt0lUD9YUpNFhOC-Mf36DNich
– More Valais rides: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQc7_Akpvt0lyijY9SmXDXJjL_uun7vKr
– Epic passes:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQc7_Akpvt0mYVMYd1vWexj08PGbe8mu2
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Lost in an alpine ride? Comment your favourite Swiss pass!
Chapters:
00:00 Start
00:25 Route map & climb up to Gletsch
01:25 Beginning of Grimsel
06:26 Top of Grimsel
07:30 Descent to Meiringen
17:55 Trip back to Canton Valais
21:08 Review
#grimselpass #valais #bern #triumphspeedtwin #swissalps #motorcycletouring