The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.

Arthur C Clarke

I like this quote and whilst it’s an admirable sentiment, it turns out that certain things do have limits. Particularly things that happen in the world of physics.

In physics there’s maths and laws and formulas which create limits all over the place. For example, and whilst it’s not essential you know them, we’ll find that Newton’s First and Second Law will become important as our tale progresses.

This week we are heading into the Dolomites. We’ve just left our stopover on the Italian side of the Brenner Pass and as we cruise down the gentle descent to Balzano, I don’t think I touch the accelerator at all.

Sadly at Balzano, or Bozen if you prefer, all the campsites are full so we won’t be able to visit this time. Instead we turn left off the motorway, go into a tunnel and the road begins the climb.

And it keeps climbing. 

The Great Dolomites Road

Our plan is to drive down the Grande Strada delle Dolomiti, The Great Dolomites Road.

The 110 km (68 mile) road will take us from our start point at Bolzano in South Tyrol to Cortina d’Ampezzo in Veneto. It traverses some of the most spectacular landscapes in the Dolomites and includes two high mountain passes at Pordio (2239m) and Falzarego (2105m). The ski resorts of the Sella Ronda are midway on our journey and the three peaks of Tre Cime Di Lavaredo will be our end point.

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After miles of tunnel, suddenly we burst out into bright sunshine and it’s clear that we’re back in the mountains. The steep roads with their hairpin bends and impatient drivers are pretty tiring so as we come past the beautiful turquoise lake at Carezza, we see a parking area with a couple of motorhomes and pull over for a break.

After some investigating, it seems that we’re allowed to stay here. All for the princely sum of €5 a night. Bonus.

After getting settled in we stretch our legs with a walk down to Lago di Carezza. It’s absolutely stunning albeit very busy with people.

I should have started this post off explaining that the number of mountain photos I’ve included is, frankly, a bit over the top. Images of the soaring, pale white and rose layered, limestone peaks captured in the fading sunshine will either be your thing or you’ll have to put up with a lot of photos of rocks.

Our first night in the Dolomites is incredible. We get the chairs out, open a bottle from Philippe Hautem and toast our two year vaniversary. Cheers.

Via Ferrata

The next day as Sally is working, I decide to have a wander around the mountain that filled our view last night. Handily, there’s a ski chair lift from the village that does the majority of the hard work, giving me a leg up 1400m.

I decide to walk the high path, following the contours under the shear peaks. My plan is to drop back into the valley but further along my chosen path, I come across a sign pointing upwards that says Via Ferrata.

Whilst wondering about the relevance of safety harnesses and helmets, two hikers head up past me in shorts and t-shirts. As I don’t like there and back walks, I figure I’ve got plenty of time and if they can do it, I reckon I can too.

The Via Ferrata, which literally translates as Iron Road, are climbing routes through the Dolomites and Alps that use steel ropes, ladders and steps to help walkers and climbers move through the terrain. Originally created during the war to help troops move quickly around, nowadays they make it safer for walkers and climbers.

As I get to the first section of steel rope and ladders embedded into the cliff side, I come across a man and woman, festooned in carabiner’s, who’ve stopped to put on their helmets. Bravely, or stupidly, I excuse myself past them and carry on up.

I’ve got my ‘outdoorsy’ looking rucksack on. I’ll be alright.

In the end it’s not too steep and a small group of us come together, encouraging each other to the top of the col.

It’s worth it. The view back is good but the view over the next valley is spectacular.

Getting down is initially a bit trickier. The rocks and scree mean I’m on all fours for a bit but once I reach the main path, it’s a great loop around the rest of the mountains back to where I came up in the morning. There’s plenty of people on the trail now but only a few of us know we’ve done the high route.

Canazei and the Gran Festa da d’Ista

On Friday we head down the valley to Canazei. The road starts off with a lot of twists and turns but after a few close encounters with the ‘take no prisoners’ local buses, it levels off as it continues down the valley to our destination.

There’s a bunch of great looking campsites we could have chosen in the Sella Ronda, but we settled on Camping Marmolada, probably because of the name. Incidentally, it takes it’s name from the local peak, which is the highest in the Dolomites (3343m), rather than anything Paddington related.

Despite being told “don’t worry about booking, just turn up, there’s loads of space” by the reception when we called in advance, we arrive to a busy campsite at noon that’s full by four. The reason it seems for the late season rush is that Canazei is the host for the traditional end of summer party for the all the local villages, known as the Gran Festa da d’Ista.

In their own words, this is described as a three day celebration with typical foods and folk music, culminating in a parade on Sunday afternoon with a thousand Ladin’s (local people of the area) in their traditional costumes.

A huge marquee had been set up right outside the campsite and for three afternoons and nights, live Oompah bands and a DJ give it their all.

Inside the tent it was a full on Oktoberfest.

On Saturday we also took the chance to jump on the gondola and cable car to the top of the Col di Rosc, opposite the aforementioned Marmolada. With an early, for us, start we were able to walk across to a Refuge for a drink and lunch before it got too warm.

After a noisy Friday night, we thought if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. So that was Saturday night sorted.

Like the rest of the village, we got a slow start to Sunday morning.

The forecast was predicting 30c with bright sunshine and blue skies so we left Merlin tucked up with air conditioning on and ventured out to see the parade. Conveniently, it started right outside the campsite.

It was certainly impressive as hopefully the video will show. Probably the most amazing thing was that the men and women, some of whom were in three layers of felt / tweed, physically managed to parade around the town for 2 hours.

Cortina

The near constant Oompah music had become a weirdly familiar theme tune to our time here and so the silent morning and half empty campsite came as somewhat of a surprise on Monday. It was time for us to move on too.

The next milestones on the Great Dolomites Road were the Passo Pordoi and the Passo Falzarego on the way to Cortina d’Ampezzo.

We’d done some checking and the Passo Pordio consists of 27 hairpin bends on the way up and 31 on the way down. Some of these resemble the corkscrew at the Laguna Seca race track. Although it’s tricky, the incline is only 7% and thankfully there’s a good spot at the top to rest and take on some Apfel Strudel.

There was, however, a problem with the Passo Falzarego.

Watching the Gap Decaders recent trip to the Dolomites, it was clear that the two rock cut tunnels at the very top of the pass are only 3.2m high.

Beatrix is 3.5m.

Caution being preferred to rash bravery, we go around and re-join the road from the north at the top of Falzarego.

The road to Cortina is epic. Constantly snaking up and down through exclusive ski resorts and forests, it’s just begging to be driven in one of the sports cars or motorbikes that stream past us. It ends with a rock cut tunnel, open on one side, that gives us views out across the town.

Cortina is the largest town we’ve seen since Innsbruck. It’s a massively popular ski resort, hosting the Winter Olympics in 1956 and due to share events in 2026. More importantly, to me at least, Roger Moore came here as James Bond with his red Lotus Esprit in ‘For Your Eyes Only ‘ (1981). After rewatching the film, I was keen to check out the town.

The ski jump’s still there but I think it’ll need more than a lick of paint for 2026.

The town has the feel it’s pausing to take a breath. The Summer season of hiking and mountain biking is largely finished now and preparations are needed to be ready for Winter. The high street is lined with boutique clothes and branded stores half of which are open with the other half knowing it’s better to wait.

The laisse faire attitude extends to our campsite and whilst the view is great and we enjoy another pizza out, a couple of days is enough here.

Tre Cime di Lavaredo

The three distinctive peaks of Tre Cime will mark the end of our time in the Dolomites. It’s one of those places I dreamt about staying at since we got Beatrix.

We’ve been weather watching as the blue skies we’ve enjoyed throughout our time in the Dolomites are slowly being replaced by clouds. Given the Refuge, where we can stay overnight, is at 2330m the thick clouds might somewhat limit what we get to see.

We leave Cortina and climb out to the pretty lake resort of Misurina, at the base of peaks. By now the steep winding roads have become second nature to us so getting there is no big deal.

There’s a limit on the number of cars and motorhomes that are allowed up to the Refuge, which is controlled by a toll booth a few kilometers into the climb, and predictably the parking is full when we arrive about lunchtime. That’s no problem as there’s a Sosta at the base of the drive and we get chance for a walk around the lake.

Just before three o’clock, we’re issued our ticket and we’re allowed to start our way up. We cruise off confidently in 3rd gear and it’s looking easy enough.

As the mountain proper gets started, we have to drop to 2nd gear. No problem, we normally climb Montgenevre in 2nd too. It’s a bit slow but who’s rushing.

Then after one particularly tight hairpin bend, Beatrix misses a beat and we can’t hold 2nd gear anymore. We’re down in 1st and making about 5km/h. We can’t get enough speed up to change up gear without stalling.

This is new. But we’re still moving.

It takes us some time but as we make the final turn we can see our salvation. The Refuge and parking area is just a few hundred meters ahead.

Our miscalculation, other than the impending disagreement with Newton’s First Law, is that it’s still really busy. The entry road and carpark are jam packed with day tourists and we reach the summit as everyone is starting to go home.

Thoughtlessly, a car pulls out from the side and blocks the road. We brake and stop.

And that’s it.

We can’t start again.

It turns out that Beatrix’s automatic gearbox just will not give us enough power to start moving once we’ve stopped on a 10% incline. That’s our limit.

Now this on it’s own could be mission difficult but when the bus pulls up behind us with three more motorhomes behind him, it becomes mission impossible. The bus can’t, or won’t, pass us and we’re all stuck.

It’s time to deploy Sally, who leaps out to seek help.

After much arm waving and shouting, honking of horns and stalling of engines, another bus driver and the mountain staff come down to help us. They clear back log cars trying to leave, then squeeze the bus and motorhomes past us and then block traffic coming up and hold the cars trying to leave.

We have a clear road down. But we can’t turn around. I’m going to have to reverse Beatrix down the hill, going backwards round two hairpins to the nearest layby.

This I do slowly.

Finally we reach the layby and, despite grounding out the rear towbar as we turn in, we’re safe, level and off the road.

Everyone that had been trying to leave, takes the opportunity to compliment me on my slow and methodical reversing skills as they come past. The first coach that comes up is lined with accusatory faces as the driver doubtless points out we’re the cause of their delay.

We don’t care.

After the scariest hour of our time in the motorhome, we did the only thing we could to recover. We got the chairs out and opened a bottle of wine.

The next morning I’m up before dawn. The morning is almost clear and I’m going to hike up those remaining meters to see the sun rise.

Sally and Merlin are less enthused about the idea and opt to make sure the van is safe.

Dressed in my standard uniform of t-shirt and shorts, I hop out of the van. Then I hop back in again to put on jeans and a puffer jacket. At this altitude, pre-dawn it feels cold.

At the summit, I’m greeted by small groups of silent revellers all come to witness the dawn.

And we all stand there.

For half an hour the sky brightens from dark blue to a bright golden colour behind the peaks. The valleys below are blanketed in cloud. And then, just as the sun is starting to break over the mountains, the cloud builds and bright colours are muted. It’s daytime and the moment has past. I feel lucky to have been here and I’m ready for a cup of tea.

Thanks for reading this epic length blog,

Sally, Toby and Merlin xxx

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So how steep was this hill really then?

I’ve been looking for a way to describe what it was like getting up this last section of road. You can see a picture of Beatrix and understand how big she is but how to show you what the mountain is really like?

Sure the pictures we’ve taken are hopefully impressive but as true amateur bloggers, we didn’t think to take any photos during the event so we’ll have to leave that to your imagination.

In the end I’ve attached the best representation I could find to show how the 7.5km road progresses. To give a comparison, the first graphic is the 11km climb from Briancon to Montgenevre, in the French Alps, that we used to think was a big deal.

The usual hairpin bends are there ofcourse but the incline is significantly higher than we’ve driven before averaging over 10% after we’d bought our ticket and reaching 19% at one point.

To be honest it’s probably a miracle we made it so far up. Still it’s good to know our limits!

Useful Links

Canazei Festival Granfesta CanazeiGranfesta Canazei

Tre Cime di Lavaredo National Park Three Peaks – South Tyrol – Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage (drei-zinnen.info)

The Great Dolomites Road Great Dolomites Road, from Bolzano to Cortina d’Ampezzo. (guidedolomiti.com)

Hill cycling website Climb Finder Discover beautiful climbs & cols in Europe with climbfinder