Mountain biking in Alpine Paradise

When news went out around the Powder Byrne office that we were launching a summer alpine pop-up in Lenzerheide the whole office was abuzz with excitement and there was no shortage of volunteers to head out to the Alps and test some of the sports and activities on offer. Luckily for me, I was one of the chosen few to head out to Lenzerheide in mid-May to stay for a few days at Priva Alpine Lodge and experience guided mountain biking, hiking and the hugely popular high ropes course and toboggan run.

Priva Alpine Lodge is a firm favorite of our winter clients and I was excited to see what it would look like in the summer months. The setting was completely transformed and utterly stunning. Rolling lazy meadows of wildflowers and lush green grass now played host to the 10 alpine-chic style buildings that make up the Priva complex, with a large teepee sitting playfully in the surrounding meadow. Content with my luxurious and relaxing base for the next few days, I was keen to meet our mountain bike guide and find out what was in store for day one.

Lenzerheide offers five freeride mountain bike trails with varying levels of difficulty to suit everyone from beginners to experts. Such is the reputation of the Lenzerheide bike park it will be playing host to the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships between 4th-9th September this year. I would get my chance to sample the simple FLOWline course, but before that, we had a full day of guided mountain biking to enjoy.

There are over 500km of signposted bike trails and a further 900km of GPS trails in the Lenzerheide region, so if you are new to the area then a good local guide is a must. Our mountain bike guide was assured, knowledgeable and an excellent rider. To start with our guide took us on a gentle trail around the foothills of the mountain to gauge our ability and confidence levels. Once he had established that we were all reasonably proficient we ventured up the mountain for some more adventurous riding.

Cycling the higher alpine trails we were treated to some beautiful scenic views with plenty of opportunities to work up a sweat on the wide open ascents and enjoy the thrill of speed on the daring descents. After a truly exhilarating morning in the saddle, we stopped at the fabulous Motta Hütte for a traditional Swiss alpine lunch, served in the modern style and relaxed stylish surroundings that Motta has become renowned for. A big morning and a bigger lunch behind us we convinced our guide to go easy on us in the afternoon and we enjoyed some of the more gentle trails aimed at beginners and families. Easier gradients and less extreme downhill descents made for a relaxed and fun afternoon of riding.

We returned to Priva Alpine Lodge in the late afternoon, truly happy and exhausted after a great mountain bike adventure. I could barely summon the energy to head down to the pool for a quick swim and sauna session before I was ready for bed. With two more days of summer alpine adventures ahead I was keen to ensure a good night's sleep.

Summer in the Alps is a really special time to visit and Lenzerheide is the perfect location, offering a vast range of different sports and activities for all the family to enjoy. I thoroughly enjoyed my short research trip and I’m really excited for all of the families and couples that will be experiencing our summer alpine pop-up programme in August - you’re in for a treat!

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