Can you have a Swiss mountain bike holiday without having to sell a relative? We sent Pete Scullion, a renowned cheapskate, to Davos in Switzerland to see if he could do it.

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY PETE SCULLION

Off the top of the steepest funicular I have ever experienced, our wheels hit dirt on a typical Alpine balcony trail. Coundess trails all over the European Alps start this way, or have descents linked by these ribbons of gold.

Were about 2,220 metres above the sea, with the Swiss town of Davos below us. What follows is somewhat of a hidden gem. Sunk into the dirt by innumerable feet and untold numbers of wheels, the trail lures us ever forwards.

The sandy soil, full of plenty of overnight rain, provides ample grip. Banked corners provide all the support needed to really drop a shoulder into the turn, every straightaway is littered with crests and downslopes beyond, crying to be joined together.

Its easy to drop into a rhythm on the arcs it waves through the bright green undergrowth; it seems the gods have smiled on this trail tucked away from prying eyes. The only real danger comes from the electric fences that typify grazing on the open hill in summer — its not long before we meet the hot wires but thankfully it doesn’t interrupt too much of the fun as the trail meets the lower fire road, signalling the end of the joy. Short but sweet, this trail would take some beating. I make it clear to Jay, our guide from local Bike Academy, that I could happily ride nothing else but that for our two days in Davos. His eyes light up and he tells me there’s plenty more that he feels can beat it.

Swiss Monopoly. Like Monopoly, but with bigger numbers.

This is our third day in Switzerland as part of a six-day adventure seeing what the Graubiinden area can provide for the mountain biker. We’d already spent two days in Arosa Lenzerheide, and now Davos is on the cards. Davos, perhaps by accident because its neighbour is St Moritz, has gained a reputation for being the home and playground of the ludicrously wealthy. We’re here to find out if that’s actually the case, and whether or not you can do Davos on the cheap.