Driving Over Three World-Famous Alpine Passes

As a longstanding Formula 1 correspondent, the sport is obviously a personal passion of mine and occupies much of my time, but sometimes it’s good to step away briefly and recharge your batteries. So, this summer my wife and I headed off on a road trip adventure, which avoided busy airports, packed planes, crowded beaches, as well as racing circuits, and instead took a sporty car up and over three world-famous, high-altitude mountain passes in the Swiss Alps.

Driving is a daily necessity for many of us, with some considering it a chore but others finding it a real pleasure. With my lifelong love of cars and F1, I’ve certainly always belonged to the latter group, ever since passing my driving test soon after my 17th birthday and then later the advanced one. The UK boasts a multitude of excellent driving routes, some of which have been meticulously chosen and widely publicised. This is all well and good, provided they don't succumb to their own popularity, as Scotland's North Coast 500 route has to some extent. Back in 2016, I enjoyed driving around its 500-mile length, starting and finishing in Inverness while testing a Mazda CX-5, and subsequently wrote about the experience.

Many parts of mainland Europe also have their fair share of interesting roads to be traversed, and the best can be something of a magnet for keen drivers, be it as members of car and motorbike clubs or individually. Quiet tarmac with dramatic views and amazing scenery can still be found with relative ease after a bit of careful online research, hence our summer road trip.

Our trusty steed was a Mk3 version of Audi’s iconic TT, a car that so helped to raise the profile of this German premium manufacturer when it was first introduced back in 1998. Sadly though, production of the TT ceased late last year as part of the overall move towards electric cars. Audi has retained the rights to the model name, and we can't wait to see if a new, but different TT arrives in due course. What it definitely won't be, though, is simply an electrified version of the last TT.

With a 0-62mph time of just over five seconds, the petrol TT for our road trip felt suitably responsive, and although I never approached its 155mph maximum speed even on many stretches of totally unrestricted German Autobahn, it was such fun to drive and felt very stable even when travelling at velocities well into three figures. Despite the Autobahn's dashes and climbs up and down mountain passes, it still achieved over 45 mpg. Despite being a relatively small three-door coupé, it was surprising how much luggage it could fit, especially if you used both the rear seat and the boot.

We paused our journey down to our initial destination in Austria at a rural hotel in mid-Germany, just outside Frankfurt, and spent a day exploring nearby Aschaffenburg on the river Main. Then it was time to head to the attractive Tirolean village of Ellmau, beautifully located below the towering Wilder Kaiser mountains and about ten miles away from the far busier town of Kitzbühel, which is renowned for its annual skiing competitions down the famous Hahnenkamm. This triggered memories from years ago of Ski Sunday programmes from there, fronted by David Vine.

The vibe in the far smaller Ellmau was much more relaxing though, but soon our itinerary was set to take us to the west, past Innsbruck and onwards to the beautiful Bodensee, which is also known as Lake Constance and is bordered by Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The original intention had been to drive over Austria’s 1,793m/5,883ft Arlberg pass, but last minute flooding and landslides there made this impossible, and so, with the Arlberg tunnel far below also closed for major renovation works, we opted instead for a route via Austria’s Fern pass and the Lech valley. This wonderfully scenic alternative reached an altitude well above the summit of Ben Nevis, the highest point in the UK, with so much more to come.

The deviation actually proved to be just an early amuse-bouche, as Switzerland’s Klausen pass (1,948m/6,391ft) followed as a starter on our way to enjoy the main course there, which comprised of the even higher Grimsel, Susten, and Furka passes, all of which are truly world-renowned. Fortunately, these three passes are also located in the same part of Switzerland, so we chose to base ourselves in the village of Gadmen, surrounded by glorious Alpine views, even if the sole road through the small conurbation was in the process of being completely resurfaced. We stayed at the Gadmer Lodge, where Anna Schmutz and her team gave us a warm welcome and provided excellent service. This proved to be a perfect location from which to head out on a circular route over the Grimsel, Furka, and Susten passes, best driven in an anti-clockwise direction, before returning to the village.

Despite it being mid-summer, the high-altitude mountain pass roads remained relatively uncrowded, thanks to the avoidance of the weekend when the region attracts masses of eager (and sometimes over-eager) motorbike riders. We still encountered a reasonable number of bikers, most of whom were well behaved, and even a few hardy cyclists, plus, of course, a variety of cars, including some rather expensive Porsches, Ferraris, Aston Martins, and McLarens. However, the key to enjoying driving over these mountain passes is to relax as you climb and descend the inclines and around the endless hairpin bends. It's also essential to remember to pause regularly in the parking areas provided to admire the amazing views, take a few photos, and breathe in the crisp, fresh air.

The Grimsel pass connects the Swiss cantons of Bern to the north and Valais to the south, and at its 2,164m/7,100ft summit there are several hotels and a large parking area, as well as the Totosee, a natural lake that subsequently became a reservoir. Due to the altitude, snow tends to fall here from late September to the end of June, with the pass normally closed from October to May. After leaving Totosee, the road descends steeply amidst multiple hairpins to the small village of Gletsch, where you can join the western approach to the Furka pass.

The Furka route, which rises to a mighty 2,429m/7,969ft, featured in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger, with a memorable car chase sequence involving 007’s Aston Martin DB5 and a Ford Mustang convertible. To this day, there’s still a lower part of the pass named the James Bond Straße! Near the summit, you also pass the famous Hotel Belvédère, sadly closed since 2015. Despite the altitude, the road surface is kept in good condition, although the downhill descent towards the east is narrower and more challenging, demanding extra attention. It was best not to think about the near-vertical long drops to your right, with almost no roadside barriers.

After arriving at the winter skiing resort of Andermatt, a short drive north leads to the small municipality of Wassen, where a left turn marks the beginning of the road up and over the Susten pass. Constructed between 1938 and 1946, the pass boasts a summit of 2,260m/7,415ft. With a length of 30 miles, it is generally regarded as Europe’s most scenic mountain pass to drive over, with multiple stopping places to take in the breathtaking views other than from behind the wheel. After its western descent, you soon return to Gadmen village and have an opportunity to reflect on the amazing experience these passes represent.

A return north via Germany's extensive Schwarzwald region was followed by the winding Mosel valley. As a Formula 1 correspondent, the twists and turns plus the latest intrigues and news developments within the sport are never far from your mind, but they were temporarily put on a mental back burner until we drove right past the Hockenheim circuit. A venue I’d previously been to when it used to be the home of the German Grand Prix and, of course, sadly, where British double F1 champion Jim Clark was killed during a Formula 2 race back in April 1968, aged just 32. Back in the day, F1 drivers weren't contractually restricted from competing in other motorsports.

Our experience of driving over the various, highly dramatic Alpine passes was a case of pure driving bliss amidst nature at its dramatic best, but soon it was time to return to the adrenaline-filled world of Formula 1 reporting after a simply brilliant European road trip.