Viamala means bad road, and for centuries that was an understatement. The Hinterrhein river has cut a deep, narrow gorge through the limestone and slate between Thusis and Zillis, with walls rising some hundreds of metres in places and the water roaring far below. Until the road builders arrived in the early nineteenth century, travellers going to the Splügen and San Bernardino passes had to cross it by narrow ledges and rickety bridges, and many mule trains were lost here. The name stuck, a warning that became a brand.
A good modern road runs high above the old line, and the gorge itself is reached through a short visitor centre with a staircase that leads down to the river. It is a brief, damp, impressive descent, and if you can spare twenty minutes you will find the sound and the chill remarkable. The old stone bridges visible from the viewing points show how close to the water people were willing to travel.
The riding through the region is a mix of old and new. The main road is smooth and quick, while the old route winds through villages and hairpins with a modest amount of traffic. Corners are mostly flowing, with some tight tunnels and galleries where the sound of the engine echoes. The mountains close in, and for a few kilometres the world is rock and spruce.
Thusis, at the northern mouth of the gorge, is where you start. It is a solid, practical town with fuel, supermarkets and cafés, and from here the road south runs through the gorge toward the Splügen and San Bernardino passes. The valley once carried busy trade in wine, grain and salt. The village of Zillis has a church famous for a painted ceiling of over a hundred and fifty wooden panels from the twelfth century, a rare survivor and a worthwhile detour for anyone who likes art.
Come in dry weather, since wet limestone makes the surface slick, and aim for midday when the sun reaches into the gorge. Autumn is excellent, the larches golden above the dark rock.