When I think of Tuscany, the vineyards and hills, art-drenched towns and Renaissance towers come to mind. Then I realize that the more I explore the region, the more diversity there is to find. Since I cycle around Tuscany, the diversity is a truly exceptional thing, feeling the varied scenery beneath my wheels and over my handlebars is without a doubt the best way to savor every hill, village and farm at the right speed. This time, I ventured towards a different area, one with alternative views and lots of uphill climbs.
A pass separates the land of Dante from the beginning of the Po plain with an imaginary line. It doesn’t have the height of alpine passes, but it immediately makes me think of biking legends. This is the Futa Pass, at 905 metres above sea level and an average gradient that’s not bad towards the end. This mountain in the Tuscan Apennines overlooks the Mugello, a valley famous for producing milk, an abundance of centuries-old towns and Medici villas. Vineyards aren’t really the thing here, instead it’s vast meadows and breath-taking views. Once you climb up high enough, you can see Bilancino Lake glimmering in the distance.
For me, the best way to reach the starting point of this bike tour is to use the bike plus train service. The train for Borgo San Lorenzo, which leaves for Florence, cuts through the whole of the Mugello and, before I know it, I’m already outside the station and ready to leave. The station’s small and it’s impossible to get lost. I turn on the GPS, it’s a cool, early spring day and it’s time to begin this adventure to the Futa Pass that I decided to go on my own.
From Borgo San Lorenzo to the Futa Pass: tasting the effort
Following the rolling hills just outside Borgo San Lorenzo, after a few kilometres, I reach the dirt tracks away from traffic and I feel reborn. The Mugello is perfect for gravel and MTB. Even if there’s mud, the terrain stays compact and doesn’t block the rear wheel. There’s no real climbs and descends along the first section, so I have fun pressing down on the pedals. The wheels slide amid woodland and green fields as the scenery opens up like postcards.
I decide to stop for a coffee in Galliano. Away from mass tourism, this place still maintains the true essence of Tuscany, filtered through local eyes and the walls of houses. I take a couple of photographs, refill my water bottle and get back on the bike. Now the climb begins.
This route is perfect for those who love to exert themselves and, to quote Brocci, “tasting effort”. For me, climbs are personal meditation, yoga for cyclists. Feeling and managing the exertion, being able to reach that unreachable bend before taking another and so on. The road climbs up and intersects with 280-degree views over a valley that resembles something out of Tolkien, a middle earth by bicycle.
There are still a few kilometres to go before reaching the Pass. In my mind, the climb was harder, but the ground slides under my non-tassellated wheels. I have to pay attention to the motorcyclists as this road is much loved by petrolheads. But with the right precautions, like keeping to the right and keeping the lights on, even during the day, my climb’s not at risk. A roundabout appears around a bend, plus a sign, Passo della Futa, and a concrete walls with cast iron plaques. Gastone Nencini is remembered on this wall, the Tuscan champion who won so often on these roads. There’s also a signpost for the German Military Cemetery of the Futa (Cimitero Militare Germanico della Futa), in Firenzuola, where 30,000 young people lost their lives in vain while trying to keep the Gothic Line. I really recommend getting off your bike and experiencing the silence on these terraces. At the top of the hill, a concrete tooth points into the sky. Regardless of who was right or wrong, I feel deep compassion for those twenty year-olds who lost their youth in these woods. Travelling by bike means this too: taking time to think and not forget.
It’s nearly dark. I can choose between sleeping at a lodge or on the campsite. Given the time of year, I opt for the lodge and its amazing tagliatelle pasta with meat sauce. If it had been warmer, I’d have loved to have slept under the stars here.
From the Futa Pass to Barberino di Mugello: stopping at Bilancino Lake
A savory breakfast, water bottle full and off I set, now downhill along the Via Bolognese. Cycling downhill is just as wonderful as climbing, something that can’t be said about every road. Given that it’s not very steep, I get up a nice speed around the hairpin bends. Instead of taking the same road as yesterday, I carry on to Montecarelli. At the end of the village erected along this old road, I head for an amazing dirt track. If the weather’s good, the views over the lake are glorious.
I’ve almost arrived in Barberino di Mugello, Gastone Nencini’s birthplace, where the Futa uphill time trial began for years. I think of the legends who won it, Saronni and Moser, and smile at their victories as I ride beside the lake.
It’s lunchtime, and there’s nowhere better than this pebbly place. The road that runs next to Bilancino Lake is really picturesque and goes at a good lick. I’ve got some time before my train leaves so I stop here to enjoy the scenery. Bilancino Lake is surrounded by greenery and extends across five sqaure kilometres. There are bike paths and pedestrian walkways on the shores as well as a beach in the summer. On one side, the Gabbianello Natural Oasis is home to migrating birds like white storks, cranes and pink flamingoes. This is why I travel by bike, yes for the sport, but more than anything else for the time I can savor in places like these and the freedom of being able to stop wherever I like.
It’s not far from the lake to Borgo San Lorenzo. I can get back on my regional train and rest while thinking about these 48 hours in the Mugello, energized and already thinking about my next ride.
Other Time-based tours
