I was sure Switzerland had ruined the rest of my trip, since my experience in Slovenia and Croatia, by comparison, had been so underwhelming. I thought it was all downhill from there. But today put those fears to rest. I made my way west through apocalyptic Slovenia to sun-drenched northern Italy, specifically the South Tyrol region.

Firstly, I should mention that while the Italian toll roads are expensive compared to the rest of Europe, they are worth every penny. I travelled about 100 miles across the country on them today and shared tarmac with about a half dozen other vehicles the whole way; it was bliss.

Once on Italian soil, I followed a number of winding mountain passes, beginning with Passo Staulanza, which took me from the 23°c valley below to the almost-freezing 3°c crest of Marmolada, a peak whistling with blustery winds and still encrusted in snow. I then headed back down the other side, following Passo Fedaia into the valley, where I camped for the night.

These photographs were taken with my Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and the extraordinary Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 II.

Equipment used

Camera

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Lens

Canon 35 mm f/1.4 L II USM

Motorcycle

Triumph Bonneville Scrambler 865

About the photographer

I'm Alex Nichol. I'm an amateur photographer from the North of England. For me, photography is a way to share what I love most about the world. That includes everything, from family and friends, to wild animals and breathtaking places... or maybe just how the sun twinkles on a weed in my back garden. It's all fair game.

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