A bike ride from Baveno

The two days after Dan and Jackie left were quiet, except for sorting out a problem with Molly. The taps suddenly stopped working and a bit of investigating suggested the water pump had failed. This meant a trip to a dealer near Varese, an hour and a half away. The service there was fantastic and they checked everything and got us back on the road with fully functioning taps in under two hours.

Our next stop was a campsite in Baveno, on Lake Maggiore. It’s a lovely peaceful site and just 21 Euros a night. We did our washing and hung it on the line, then had a swim in the pool before an al fresco dinner. I have to admit to being fed up of the midges that are persecuting me though. My legs have been covered in bites since we arrived in the Italian lakes, which are affecting my ability to sleep well at night… grrrr!

Today we’ve had a sightseeing bike ride, visiting the towns of Baveno, Stresa and Mergozzo. It wasn’t our most successful bike ride. Despite me choosing a route from the webpage of a local bike rental place, it was frequently on busy roads and even when we were on cycle paths, the signposting was poor, so we had to keep stopping. Nevertheless, the towns were all beautiful.

Stresa is a busy resort town with some very grand hotels and gardens. Boats run from the waterfront to the Borromean Islands. We visited Isola Bella in 2013 so, although it is wonderful, we didn’t bother this time.

Baveno is a quieter town than Stresa, but still has some lovely villas and gardens, and a pleasant promenade. There are lots of granite and marble quarries in the region, including one that we passed as we headed to Lake Mergozzo. En route we stopped in the little village of Feriolo for a beer.

Lake Mergozzo was originally connected to Lake Maggiore but is now completely separate. It’s much smaller and quieter because it’s off the beaten track and less populated. We had lunch in the town of Mergozzo, sitting in a bar on the waterfront with a beautiful view.

Unfortunately, swimming without a swim float wasn’t allowed in this area so, rather than travelling back towards the beaches, we headed back to the campsite for a dip in the pool. First, before facing the busy roads again, we visited the charming cobbled streets of the town. Mergozzo is definitely somewhere I’d visit again.