The Tösstal is the quiet valley of the Zürich Oberland, carved by the Töss river as it runs from the hills near the Hörnli toward Winterthur. Bauma sits near the top, at about six hundred and forty metres, where the valley is still narrow and the slopes are close and wooded. It is not a place that features in guidebooks, which is part of the appeal. People here worked in textile mills, and the old factory buildings along the river still show how the water power and cheap labour of the nineteenth century made this a cradle of Swiss industry.
Bauma has one quirk that tempts railway lovers. The local heritage society runs steam trains on a historic line, with old locomotives and carriages chugging through the hills on selected days in the warmer months. If you arrive on the right weekend you may hear a whistle across the valley and smell coal smoke, a fine change from petrol and rubber.
For riders, the Tösstal entry is the start of a gentler kind of fun. The road leads up from Pfäffikon and the Zürich side, with moderate bends and good visibility, then climbs into hills of dairy farms, forest patches and hamlets. It is not wild, but it is varied, and on a weekday you may have long stretches nearly to yourself. The corners tighten as you rise toward the passlets, and the road gets narrower, so keep an eye out for tractors and the occasional walker.
Pfäffikon, about seven kilometres away, is the nearest town of any size and the place to find fuel, shops and cafés. Bauma itself is small, though you will find basics such as a bakery or a small restaurant. The Swiss tendency to close early on Sundays is a real issue in villages like this, so do not assume anything will be open late.
The valley has its own weather. Fog gathers in autumn mornings and clings to the river, and the hills above can be bright while the bottom is grey. In winter, snow can fall a little earlier here than in Zürich, and the shaded corners may stay icy. Spring and early summer, when the meadows are green and the flowers are out, are the best time to ride it.