Volterra and the old railway line of Saline
The tour difficulty is primarily a subjective factor, determined by different elements and from never equal situations.
The most important of them is the effort: the more the climbs are high, the more effort is made.
But climbs are not all the same: they can be more or less steep and of variable length.
To get an idea of how many climbs are waiting for you on a tour, you should check the "elevation gain uphill". The higher the "elevation gain uphill" is the higher the number of climbs you have to face.
Another element that can make a tour more or less difficult is the climate and in particular - in summer time - the exposure to the sun.
Doing the same path in autumn or spring with 20/25 degrees is completely different if done in summer with 35 degrees.
In addition to the temperature, even the humidity, the presence of shade and the road surface can increase (even in the worst cases) the difficulty of 20%.
For this reason, there is no a unique answer to the question 'how difficult is a course' is; everybody has its own parameters and sensations that also depend on your training level, so the difficulty index is considered an indicative value.
More easy
Less easy
To help you choosing a guided tour, in addition to the degree of difficulty, we ranked the tours according to the following parameters: Landscape, Nature, Art and History.
Landscape
The trail winds through panoramic paths from which you can admire some of the most beautiful landscapes of the Tuscan countryside.
Nature
The tour takes place predominantly in wooded areas or crosses areas of important naturalistic interest such as parks or nature reserves.
Art and history
During the tour you will find places of great historical and artistic interest such as medieval villages, abbeys, churches and castles.
From Saline you see the river Cecina, awesome with its crystalline waters, and then you start the climb to Volterra along the wooded Nature Reserve of Berignone, a challenge for even the fittest riders. Cycling on roads that run through the rolling hills of Volterra countryside, we pass the village of Mazzola that stands on top of a hill, and continue in the direction of Volterra.
Once in Volterra, we will be taking the entrance of what was the ancient route of the old railway Saline - Volterra. Built around 1909 with a bold project, the railway was opened in 1912, and until 1958 it was the main connection between Saline and Volterra. It was about 8.5 km long and had some unique technical features. In particular, the locomotive was always located downhill in respect to the carriages but with the "face" directed "uphill", so that the carriages were pushed uphill, and when going downhill, the engine was pulling to prevent the train going too fast. Furthermore, because of the slope in the vicinity of Volterra , there was a form of gear system to help the train to climb. The railroad remained in operation until 1958 and was finally dismantled in 1962.
Today you can still see the building that housed the Volterra station, and the 4 tollbooths that you meet on the way down. From here, after a short refreshment stop, we will start a fantastic and almost interminable descent to return to the starting point while enjoying the incredible views of the countryside of Volterra.
Important things to know before you book a tour
- Before booking a guided tour, be honest with yourself.
Although our tours take place mainly on relatively easy routes, sometimes you need to tackle more technical sections (steep climbs or descents on dirt roads), so make sure you have the technical skills and know how to drive a mtb in order to be able to finish the tour.
If you are used to cycling only a few times a year and never on a dirt road, perhaps you should not book a guided tour, as you could seriously endanger your safety and that of other participants. - Whether you choose to take a guided tour with a traditional mountain bike or an electric one, a good ability is required in knowing how to ride a bike on a dirt road and how to use the gear.
- Before booking a guided tour please check the characteristics, in particular those relating to the length and difficulty making sure to have the technical skills and physical properties necessary to complete the course, read our read our tips to ride safely and check the levels of difficulty of the tours
- We suggest that you choose the dress suitable for the type and length of the route and weather conditions. It is forbidden to wear slippers or sandals.
- Children under 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult (parent / guardian).
- Given the length of the tour, to participate, we recommend a good level of training, spirit of sacrifice and ability to pedal for long distances uphill.
- During the tour, several stops are made, to take pictures or just to relax and do some chat. This makes the tour enjoyable and less stressful even for those who are less trained.
- iBikeMontaione reserves the right to change with or without notice, before and during the tour the logistical organisation and the type of route depending on the weather conditions, ability and preparation of the participants, or other problems.
- If the weather is questionable, please send us an sms (if possible via Whatsup
it's free!) at the number +39 346 7623211 one day prior to the start time to confirm the tour status. - Read also our tips to ride safely.
