'Top Gear' Style Challenge to Turin

[SiRoberts]

Hi,

Myself and a mate enjoyed the Top Gear car challenges so much we decided to do something similar ourselves. We're off from the UK to Turin in a couple of old bangers on 7th May. Outline route is as follows;

UK -> Nurburg (and a lap around the Nurburgring) -> Wurzburg (the head of the 'Romantic Road') -> Fussen -> Davos -> Stelvio Pass -> Lake Como -> Turin -> home through France.

I'm trying to plan the route in more detail. We know that we *have* to do the road from Davos through the Stelvio Pass (done in one episode of Top Gear). We'd like to drive through the Mont Blanc Tunnel for some odd reason.

I'm taking a SAAB 900 convertible with a dodgy roof that I bought off ebay a coupe of weeks ago for just over £500! Other cars going are an MGB roadster and a V8 110 Land Rover.

The 'Roads Planning Resource' post is excellent help. If anyone else has any advice for us please chip in. I'm particularly interested in a cheap hotel somewhere within an hour of the Nurburgring, and also a good driving road or scenic route from the Mont Blanc Tunnel to the French motorway system.

We have set up a Facebook page that we will keep updated with progress page if anyone is interested.

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Thanks in advance,

Si.

[G Man]

Keeping to the top gear theme Sabine Schmitt ring taxi driver and part time Top Gear presenter has a hotel at the ring with a great atmosphere
http://www.am-tiergarten.de/en/home/

Most would run down from the ring to Black forest ( Pension Williams good hotel) and do the B500, then on to Andersmatt and do the Davos to Stelvio
Google maps of Alpine passes here http://goo.gl/maps/lGDF
Google maps of good €50 euro hotel or less here http://goo.gl/maps/Echg

You will have great fun

[davidrhyswoods]

This hotel is fantastic and has balconies overlooking the 'ring at the Breidscheid bridge.

Fairly cheap and very clean. Eddy is the owner.

Here's the link...

http://www.hotel-an-der-nordschleife.de/hotel/inde...

[ianash]

Don't bother with the Mont Blanc Tunnel, instead try and route over the Petit St Bernard Pass http://www.rural-roads.co.uk/bernard/bernard1.shtm... The pass shouldn't over tax the old bangers and delivers spectacular views.

I'm driving down to Tuscany in June and will be going down the route Napoleon and returning via the St Bernard.

Good luck, you're in for a treat.

[Longers]

Agree with above:
Dinner at the Tiergarten
Stay at Eddy's (cheaper than Tiergarten)
DONT do the Mont Blanc tunnel unless you are very short of time. It's very long and very boring....

[SiRoberts]

Thanks for the advice so far. We might have to re-think the Stelvio pass as it might not be open until late May. Currently under a few feet of snow

Picture of Stelvio today

Anyone know any passes/routes from Southern Germany to Italy that might be

a) enjoyable to drive through
b) lower altitude than the Stelvio, and therefore clear by the 10th May!

Cheers,

Si.
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[G Man]

SiRoberts said:

Thanks for the advice so far. We might have to re-think the Stelvio pass as it might not be open until late May. Currently under a few feet of snow

Picture of Stelvio today

Anyone know any passes/routes from Southern Germany to Italy that might be

a) enjoyable to drive through
b) lower altitude than the Stelvio, and therefore clear by the 10th May!

Cheers,

Si.
Bottom Gear Challenge Facebook Page

here you go ... head to Andermatt the Oberalp is open and the rail tunnels clear
http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&...

[skodamanpat]

7th of May st bernard, fluela (Davo to Chur) will be shut 99 times out of 100 good luck!!

Edited by skodamanpat on Friday 29th April 10:02

[SiRoberts]

It looks like the Maloja Pass is open now so might go for that as a safe bet (although the old Saab 900 convertible I'm taking might not be such a safe bet!).



Thanks for the links and help. I'll let you know how we get on.

Si.

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