kimbo Posted October 10, 2007 Posted October 10, 2007 I realise that the Stelvio run is dear to Lotus owners hearts however given the Top Gear exposure you may well get stuck behind a 1.1 litre Metro on your visit. Highly recommended (I've not done it) comes the Trollstigen in Norway, thought by many to be the World's greatest mountain road. On one 2 mile stretch there are 11 hairpins leading up (or down as the case may be) to/from the 3,000 ft summit. Located in Norway.
Deleted_User Posted October 10, 2007 Posted October 10, 2007 Tough decision both look absolutely amazing, Following info pulled from Wikipedia, shows a little bit more information. Trollstigen (English: The Troll Ladder) is a road in Rauma, Norway. It is a popular tourist attraction due to its steep incline of nine per cent and eleven hairpin bends up a mountain side. It was opened on the 31st of July in 1936 by King Haakon VII after 8 years of construction time. The road up is very narrow and there are only few posibilities where two cars can pass (improved some in the latest years). On the top there is big parking place where you can walk for about ten minutes to get onto a viewing balcony. There you will enjoy a great view over the road with its bends and the waterfall. Stigfossen is a beautiful waterfall which falls 320 metres down the mountain side. Trollstigen is closed during the fall and winter months. A normal opening season stretches from the mid of May to October, but may sometimes be shorter or longer due to changes in the weather conditions. In the summer of 2005 the road was repaired and about 16 million NOK was spent on protection against rockfall, making the road a lot safer to drive on. The Stelvio Pass (Italian: Passo dello Stelvio; German: Stilfser Joch), located in Italy, is at 2757 m the highest paved mountain pass in the Eastern Alps, and the second highest in the Alps, after the Col de l'Iseran (2770 m). In the list of highest paved roads in the Alps, it ranks 4th. [edit] Location It is located in the Italian Alps near Bormio in the South and Sulden (Solda), some 75 km from Bolzano, near the Swiss border, as the Umbrail Pass joins the Stelvio's southern ramp nearby. The "Three languages peak" (Dreisprachenspitze) above the pass is named that way, as here the areas where the Italian, German and Romansh languages meet. The road connects the Valtellina with the upper Adige valley (Vinschgau) and Merano. The most important mountain next to the Stelvio Pass is the Ortler Alps. Straight beside the pass road there is a large summer skiing area. Important mountains nearby include Monte Livrio, Monte Scorluzzo and Ortler. [edit] History The original road was built in 1820-1825 by the Austrian Empire to connect the former Austrian province of Lombardia with the rest of Austria, covering a climb of 1871 m. Since then, the route has changed very little. The 60 hairpin bends, 48 of them on the northern side numbered with stones, are a challenge to motorists. Even Stirling Moss went off the road here during a vintage car event in the 1990s, with an onboard video of his incident (Cor blimey!) being shown on satellite TV. The BBC show Top Gear used the pass to test three supercars in a programme transmitted on 07 October 2007. Presenter Jeremy Clarkson described the pass as "The Greatest Road In The World". Before the end of World War I, it formed the border between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Italian Kingdom. Even the Swiss had had an outpost and a hotel (which was destroyed) on the Dreisprachenspitze. During the World War I, fierce battles were fought in the ice and snow of the area, with gun fire even crossing Swiss area at times. The three nations made an agreement not to fire over Swiss territory which jutted out in between Austria (to the south) and Italy (to the north). Instead they could fire down the pass, as Swiss territory was up and around the Peak. After 1919, with the expansion of Italy, the pass lost its strategic importance. The Stelvio Pass does retain an importance for sport when it is open from June to September. Countless cyclists and motorcyclists struggle to get to the highest stretch of road in the Eastern Alps. Also, the Giro d'Italia often crosses the Stelvio Pass.
Ladders Posted October 10, 2007 Posted October 10, 2007 Where was that road that they did before Stelvio - where it twisted through that valley?
kimbo Posted October 10, 2007 Author Posted October 10, 2007 For anyone going to Mallorca who wishes to test the brakes/handling of their hire car I can recommend sa Calobra (the snake) ... just over 11 km of continual hairpins - I've done it 4 times now but NEVER after having a drink !!
kimbo Posted October 10, 2007 Author Posted October 10, 2007 Imagine this one in a Lotus...... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBgkNsCobnM You may have to cut and paste this You Tube video as I can't get link to work. kim
Snapper Posted October 10, 2007 Posted October 10, 2007 Close to home ========= The Scottish Highlands......... I will soon be putting a route plan for this summers trip in the Touring section of this forum. The Highland road are great and make perfect driving in a Lotus. Stelvio ==== I would agree it is a great road to drive, having done it (Both Sides). I would suggest staying at one of the hotels at the top of the mountain. But one word of warning, Do it early in the day because it gets very busy and you can't enjoy it other wise. Also forget it on a Saturday & Sunday because everyone with a motorbike for hundreds of miles around is there. Almost every hairpin bend or corner will have someone on a Harley in reverse gear doing a ten point turn trying to get around it. Where would I go? ============ Overnight it in Gletsch (Switzerland). Gletsch in between the Grimsal & Furka passes and they are both much better roads to drive that the Stelvio. So two for the price of one. If that is not good enough you also have the Gadmenta, Sustenstrasse, St Gothard, Oberalp, Dello Novena & Klausen passes within a stones throw as well. So thats 8 great passes for the price of one. You could also stay at Fiesch (Hotel ) and get the Cable car to the top of the Eggishorn.I think that you would find that to do the whole of the grimsal & furka passes, it would be about 20 miles long. Mind you I would ay that Switzerland is rather blessed with good mountain passes. Part of the Grimsal & Furka St Gotthard Pass
Snapper Posted October 10, 2007 Posted October 10, 2007 Map of the Grimsal & Furka Passes which just does not do them justice.
Snapper Posted October 10, 2007 Posted October 10, 2007 Which pass is this Jamie? I believe it is the St Gotthard Pass (From Google images search. I have not driven it, but some of the people in the group I was with had done a longer route.)
gerags Posted October 10, 2007 Posted October 10, 2007 Also the road from Morzine to Avoriaz is a cracker. And the view from the top is just stunning
Snapper Posted October 10, 2007 Posted October 10, 2007 To be honest there are a lot of good roads in Switzerland and a good detailed map wil throw up some very good roads. Michelin 553 & 551 regional (Orange Cover) would be a good starting point.
Ladders Posted October 10, 2007 Posted October 10, 2007 Heard that the Route Napoleon is meant to be worth a drive as well.
S1-Si Posted October 10, 2007 Posted October 10, 2007 I have seen that road in Bolivia before and read about it many times, although I have not had the pleasure as yet to travel on it. Might give it a miss I have had that bloomin Mat Munro tune from the Italian job going round in my head all day!!! Wav
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