Skip to main content

Timmelsjoch pass 2,509m



Studying the maps to find a nice route into Austria meant looking for squiggles because squiggles means hairpins.

Google maps wasn’t interested in the route I found on our detailed OsmAnd maps. We generally use Google maps as a check for traffic delays but it would not route us over the squiggles that I found.

Timmelsjoch pass appeared to fit the bill though. It’s another high pass (2,509m), on the Italy-Austria border and driving from the south it’s very steep.


This is clearly a less used pass. There were a few cars and bikers and one or two cyclists, impressing us as usual.






At the top it was cold and had snowed in the last few hours. Unlike the popular passes, there’s very little at the top. There is a small exhibition about the construction of the road in recent times but the pass has been a route through the Alps for centuries, linking the Passeiertal and Ötztal valleys.



There is one very nice small restaurant on the Austrian side of the top, with enticing apfel küchen and we were happy to have that with our coffees.


Eventually we descended to the toll booth and paid the expected €20 but did get the sticker. Then it was an interesting drive into the Gurgl villages, where Obergurgl particularly, is preparing for a round of the skiing World Cup in November.

Further on but a lot lower, is Sölden which appears to be hosting the same competition in October. Maybe they make a lot of their own snow.

So now we are in western Austria, the Tyrol and it’s just beautiful. The mountains around are up to about 3,000m and the weather is perfect.

We are back at Prutz and it’s time for a lung- stretching walk.


Labels:

Comments

Anonymous said…
Looks and sounds amazing! And the apple pie looks pretty good too.
27 September 2026 at 19:52
Fran said…
We skied in Obergurgl years ago . Stunning . Love the Tyrol . Your hairpin bravery is admirable !
27 September 2026 at 21:27
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The empty map of Macedonia and into Greece

Continuing south towards the Serbia / Macedonia border, the satnav warned of a lack of detail, "do you wish to continue with this route?" However we are not intrepid explorers and Macedonia comes with a few " be careful" warnings, so we decided to stay on the motorway :-) We didn't explore Serbia; it will wait for another trip. So it was on to the border. Here, passport and V5 were required again and also proof of insurance. We didn't have any of course. When we rang the UK insurance company call centres prior to the trip, most had no idea where these countries are. They don't understand non-EU. "Macedonia - can you spell that"? The nice man at the passport office was already expecting me to say that I would buy my insurance at the "Green card office" and he handed back one passport and the V5 and put mine in his pocket until I had the necessary paper for the Landy. Unfortunately in spite of the Land Rover being classed as PL...
9 comments
Read more

"I'm the dog"

El Berro and  Camping Sierra Espuña  are nicely positioned for walking in these 'low' Sierras and of course the obligatory GR XYZ  long distance path crosses the village. The campsite people gave us a couple of short walk suggestions, written on A4 and translated by some English guy, Michael Ball. We waited until the end of the afternoon, so that the temperature was somewhat manageable and then picked one of the ~1 hour walks that start at the campsite. The walk is so simple that there's no description, just a small diagram that's well annotated with the type of path (wide main track / footpath), other markers (gate, incorrect route, fence). You can't go wrong, can you? Well the first part was easy. Follow the path out of the village, up a valley, through woodland, up and up. Then reach the ridge and the marked ring of stones. Don't turn right, carry on straight across. Then wander through a few trees and down to a dry riverbed, at which point you walk the (ve...
6 comments
Read more

Our Landy

Here is our new Landy. It's a 1996 Defender 110 County Station Wagon. The engine is the 300Tdi which is a straightforward diesel that doesn't have an ecu so we won't need access to computer diagnostics in order to fault find. It was bought at the end of 2014 in 'restored' condition, but we soon discovered that the restoration was wallpaper and in fact it required some serious work on the drivetrain, hubs and brakes. The jobs done: Rear half-shafts and drive flanges Front n/s CV joint and drive flange Front ventilated brake discs One old and one new front disc New brake callipers fitted to each corner Rear lower link arm bushes Front radius arm bushes New shockers all round Front turrets replaced with galvanised versions New transmission brake shoes ( after replacing the failed rear transfer box oil seal). Replaced the rear body cappings with galvanised - hence the silver coloured band around the body. Galvanised capping, supports the r...
9 comments
Read more