BACKYARD GRAVEL
Carinthia

September 19 – 21, 2025
Kärnten · Koroška · Carinzia

200 – 325 km | 3500 – 7500 m elevation gain

Backyard Gravel is many things – a community ride, an adventure, a cakeride, a weekender, a fun ride. But not a race…

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We prepare everything for you to have a perfect weekend on the bike

A challenging ride on beautiful, well scouted tracks

Shortcuts along the route to individually adjust your ride
A cozy cake-camp to stay and chill with fellow riders
Fresh, homemade food (and cake!)
Surprises along the route …

FAQ

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The route

Our big loop will show you some of the best highlights of Carinthia (Kärnten). We’ll enjoy the lesser-known mountains of Slovenia and head to Italy for an espresso. The full route is around 325 km long and includes a challenging 7500 meters of elevation gain.

This gravel route is a varied mix of forest roads, steep climbs, relaxed bike paths, idyllic trails, back roads, old railway lines, and remote alpine tracks and repeatedly crosses the borders between Austria, Slovenia, and Italy.

There’s one section where you’ll have to push your bike. But as the name suggests, the climb through the “Val Dolce” is simply breathtaking and finally leads us to Attila’s Grotto at the top. The stories and legends surrounding this place speak of Attila’s raid into Italy in 452 AD, the magical sword of mars, dwarves, and a fountain of youth… and if you truly believe, it all might have happened just like that. Either way, it’s an impressive place.

Shortcuts

Thanks to many shortcuts, you can customize the route to your liking and shorten it to 200 km and 3500 meters of elevation gain.

This way, different paces don’t matter as much, and everyone keeps meeting up along the way. Some might have done an extra mountain or loop — but that doesn’t matter at all when you’re enjoying treats together at the bakery.

Thanks to the shortcuts, there’s something for everyone: for those looking for a challenging adventure, and also for those who are here for the cake, the stories by the campfire, and the relaxed atmosphere at the camp.

Detailed view

We invite you to our cozy cake camp in Kärnten

Our camp is idyllically located in the forest between Velden and Villach.

Open from Thursday, September 18th to Monday, September 22nd, 2025.
Plenty of space for camping (tents and vans) or a comfy bed in our shared rooms.
We’ll be preparing fresh, homemade food, cold drinks, and of course, delicious cake.

(Overnight stays will be charged separately at fair prices – pricing to follow)

Prefer the comfort of a nice hotel? There are plenty of options in and around Velden, close to our camp.

FAQ

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Self-supported adventure

All participants navigate and complete their route self-supported.

The route takes you past restaurants, bakeries, and small villages again and again. So food supply is relatively easy — and finding drinking water from fountains is no problem at all.

Whether you treat yourself to a comfortable bed for optimal recovery or bring your bivvy gear and take a break outdoors is entirely up to you. You're traveling self-supported, but we have a few surprises in store along the way. Plus, we’ll give you some tips and recommendations for overnight stays.

And most importantly: Backyard Gravel is a community event. You’re meant to ride together, chat, and stop at the bakery as a group. We want you to have the best weekend possible — and that usually happens when you're out there together.

Questions?

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FAQ

Which bike do you recommend?

A Gravelbike with 40 to 45 mm tires or a fast rolling Mountainbike. Most important – very light gears for the steep bits.

What to bring?

You will ride and navigate your loop selfsupported. To give you the best chances for a save finish, this equipment is mandatory:

Device for navigation (Bikecomputer or Smartphone)
Tools and spares for your bike (multitool, pump, spare tubes, spare derailleur hanger, …)
First aid kit (bandages and desinfection, emergency blanket)
Clothes for fast changing weather in the mountains (be prepared for rain and cold, no matter the forecast)
Phone for emergency contact
Your favourite snacks! There will be some sweet surprises along the route, but your legs will need more food – preferably local food!