Mountain Bike Circuit: Uinaschlucht

Glurns - Laatsch - Burgeis - Schlinig - Sesvenna Hütte - Uinaschlucht - Sur En - Scuol - S-Charl - Passo Costaines - Lü - Münstertal - Laatsch - Glurns
Length 80 km; Time: 8 hours
Physical exertion: Very difficult

This tour pushes you to the limit - not only physically, but also geographically. So, don't forget your passport at home, because Switzerland is calling!

This circular tour requires a high level of fitness and good technical skills. It is aimed at bikers with motivation, fighting spirit, and perseverance. However, caution should not be neglected. Because canyons can be deep. And in the case of the Uinaschlucht, that is absolutely true.

The adventure begins in Glurns, one of the smallest towns in the Alps and with its arcades, city walls, and turrets, a charming destination.
A cycle path leads from Glurns to Laatsch and Schleis and finally to Burgeis with its artistically painted houses and the 13th century Fürstenburg overlooking the village.

In a hillside hollow above Burgeis, the Benedictine monastery of Marienberg is visible from afar - incidentally the highest Benedictine abbey in Europe, which in its imposing appearance resembles a mighty fortress.

The route continues through the Schlinig Valley, past the Schliniger Alm and a waterfall. The path to the Sesvenna Hut leads over forest roads, a cart track, and sometimes quite steep trails, offering accommodation and bike checks and repair assistance.

From the hut, a trail leads over the Schlinig Pass to the Swiss border. Here, one of the largest high mountain moors in South Tyrol can be seen. And now, with all your courage, the hardened biker faces the infamous Uinaschlucht - the spectacular highlight of our journey. The path is partly carved into the limestone, and warning signs suggest that this is no playground. Absolute caution is required when it goes down countless meters into the depths. So, no wrong moves. This means: dismount and push the bike.

Once you have conquered the fear of heights and crossed the Uinaschlucht, the ride continues swiftly through the Uina Valley to the village of Sur En. Here, a sculpture trail has been created: 100 figures made of wood, iron, and Laas marble - mostly created in a sculptor symposium - have been placed outdoors for general admiration.

From Sur En, the route continues along the Inn River to Scuol on the Engadin cycle path. Scuol is a spa town known not only for mineral water and healing springs, but also for its typical Engadine houses adorned with elaborate sgraffito.

The route then leads through curves on asphalt to the former mining settlement of S-Charl, where the Schmelzra museum brings the old times into the present and informs about mining but also about brown bears that once called this place home.

The journey continues on a signposted forest road through several alpine pastures. From the Astrasalm, it goes once again on steeper trails to the Passo Costainas. The "Pass of Steep Slopes" (the name says it all!) is not open to car traffic and is one of the few passes of the main Alpine ridge that can be completely conquered by bike.

Next stops are Lü and Lüsal, Valchava, and Müstair in the Münstertal. But now it's time to say "auf Wiederseh" to Switzerland and cross the border again. From Taufers in the Münstertal, the journey finally leads back to the starting point in Glurns on the state road.