hardest cycling climbs in wales
Where Leaving the A593 just south of Skelwith Bridge head west to Little Langdale. Stwlan Dam. A straight line of unflinching steepness of such monotony that it regularly feels like you're going nowhere. . Have you tackled the toughest climb in your region? - they are the Gold Standard for cycling climbing in the UK. Length 2.25km Height gain 298m Approx climb time 15 mins, If Hardknott is the king of climbs, then Wrynose is its queen; slightly softer at the edges but no less ruthless. Once the gradient kicks in it just gets steeper and steeper, 20% past the last of the houses, then the fun really starts. Now climbing steeply, this slither of rough road clinging precariously to the mountainside bends hard right to deliver you into a true wilderness. Where: Heading north out of Cymmer in the Afan Valley. (If you're cyclist in North, Mid or West Wales, we'll be. Our first relentless climb is Abercynafon, found between Talybont-on-Usk and Pontsticill. Named Hellfire Pass by the English but better known by its Welsh name, Bwlch-Y-Groes. Its from here that this road separates itself from its peers, and its from here that everyone will be pushed to their limits. F. J. Friends Dominic Millar, Graham Salisbury and James Findlater have returned home triumphant having completed 3,300 miles and climbed around 50 vertical miles in month-long endurance cycling . Ffordd Penllech in Harlech is the UK's steepest road (Pic: Stephen Elwyn Roddick, via Wiki Commons) Jenkin Road was the final climb of stage two of this year's Tour de France (Pic: Marc, via. Scroll down the page to access the full Top 10 Welsh Bike Climbs on the Map below (or switch to "Table" for a detailed list). Wales has some gorgeous road bike climbs, and Bwlch y Groes is surely one of them! Snowdonia (Welsh: Eryri) is a mountainous region in north west Wales and a national park of 823 square miles (2,130 km2) in area. Straining to reach each successive crest burns more matches then to further compound the difficulty the act of zig zagging, (the practice where the cyclist tries to marginally reduce the severity of the slope by riding left to right) is rendered impossible by the unbroken line of slippery debris that runs along the roads centre. Region: South West Length: 3.1km Average gradient: 10% Elevation: 321m In fact the Welsh flag has an imposing Dragon on it. Passing farm buildings and trees, the road veers left, then a very sharp 25% right a taste of what's to come before easing as the last of the trees disappear beneath you. You're now face to face with the vicious 25% corner which delivers you on to the cruel slopes that cling to the side of the sheer bank. Where Leave the A684 that runs through Hawes and head south on Gayle Lane to Gayle. The British is named after the massive old ironworks that once dominated this area above Pontypool. The climb begins as we pass a set of old farm buildings on the left. Once past an axle weight sign the climb begins. Grid ref: SO 983 279 (OS 163)Length 1.54kmHeight gain 167mApprox climb time 9 mins, Named Hellfire Pass by the English but better known by its Welsh name, Bwlch-y-Groes is the highest tarmacked pass in Wales. The first 10km climbs 800m to a small Visitor Centre, via ever steepening slopes and long 12 - 15% ramps. The maximum gradient is 13%. Penbarra ( Bwlch Pen barras / Bwlch Penbarras / Old Bwlch) - 258m - 11 to 25% - 2.3km #89. This route is an area of desolate but beautiful countryside. Whether it's the pine trees, the hairpin close to the top, or the meadows at the summit, but there always seems something slightly alpine about this little climb at the top of the Rhondda - even though it's less than a mile long. Enter the first of two sets of brutal switchbacks and wrench body and bike through the 25% corners. The sense of achievement? With this in mind, I put my eyes to work scanning the gradients ahead looking for any stretch of reprieve, no matter how short, where I can take a break from the infernal torment. We've collected 37 of the hardest, most beautiful, steepest, highest and longest climbs in South Wales. The dial might touch 10% at times here, but in reality this is a fairly gentle climb that winds gracefully up for Mitchel Troy, just outside Monmouth, to its summit close to the village of Trelleck through a pleasant mix of open fields and deciduous woodland. Cairn O'Mount from the south side is 3.35km with an elevation gain of 319 meters. Signup for our. United Kingdom: Wales Hardest and Most Epic Hill Climbs. This is apparent in books published prior to 1951, such as the classic travelogue Wild Wales by George Borrow (1862) and The Mountains of Snowdonia by H. Carr & G. Lister (1925). At this point, the climb would get significantly worse! for this page: ). My knees are ready to snap. The photos in the collage at the top of this page are of PJAMMs Top 10 Hardest per the Fiets Index. The 5 hardest cycling climbs in the UK (Please link to Pedalsure.com if using elsewhere) Bealach na B Bealach-na-Ba 9.2km at 6.8% (Grid: 1 km) -25% -10% 0% 10% 25% View full details on The closest to an Alpine mountain climb that the UK has to offer is Bealach na B ("Pass of the Cattle" in Scottish Gaelic) on the west coast of Scotland. The makeup of land ownership at Snowdonia is as follows (Wikipedia - Snowdonia National Park). Bwlch y Groes (SW #91), 3. You'll find the top, most difficult, epic, scenic, hardest, challenging, extreme, inspiring, bucket list bike climbs located in Wales. Now on Station Road, take the third left after crossing the rail line on to Bushcombe Lane between the two 25% signs. (If you're cyclist in North, Mid or West Wales, we'll be preparing similar articles for your area - and there's a form at the bottom to send your suggestions). Best time to cycle J F M A M J J A S O N D Ranking list Wales Difficulty points Gradient Length Total ascent This climb comes with the steepest 500 meters in all of the UK at 25%, and it comes at the beginning of the climb so be prepared to strain at the outset. The surface is rough at first and steep from the outset, but improves as you pass over a cattlegrid and approach the double hairpin. Simon Warren has published many books on cycling climbing in the UK (e.g. As Dan waltzes off ahead I am beginning to falter. How many have you ridden? Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access, Enjoy your first month for just 1 / $1 / 1, *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription. Where To find Hardknott Pass leave the A595 and head east towards Eskdale. We asked Simon Warren to provide us with lists of both the Top 10 Hardest, and Top 10 Most Epic bike climbs in England, Wales, Scotland, and the UK. The wooded opening sequence and the first phases on the open hillside are where you'll really suffer. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This challenging route is found between between Ystrad Mynach and Merthyr Tydfil and is a distance of 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometres). What comes next will take your breath away. It then all but levels off as you pass various farm buildings, where the surface is broken and covered with the mud and debris from passing tractor tyres. This climb comes with the steepest 500 meters in all of the UK at 25%, and it comes at the beginning of the climb so be prepared to strain at the outset. Now straightening up, the next stretch is ridiculously hard, the main problem here being just staying upright while either side of the road, sheep wait to see if yet another rider falls victim to the Chimney. Its gradient maxes out at 37 percent, with an . Receive a selection of the most beautiful climbs we've added. Venture into Scotland or the North of England, and you'll also find some climbs to rival many an Alpine climb too, with England's Mont Ventoux - Great Dun Fell being a particular highlight. The English name for the area derives from Snowdon, which is the highest mountain in Wales at 3560 ft (1,085 m). This featureoriginally appeared in the September 23 print edition of Cycling Weekly magazine,on sale in newsagents and supermarkets, priced 3.25. But had this happened before I hit the deck or after? By the time you reach the clock tower in Pricetown, you'll have been climbing fairly constantly since Bryncethin. I snapped my chain not once but twice in my attempt to conquer this vicious stretch of tarmac. See more details and tools regarding this climb's grade via the Profile Tool button. Climbing for fun requires a particular type of sadism. A commonly held belief is that the name is derived from eryr ("eagle"), and thus means 'the abode/land of eagles',but recent evidence is that it means quite simply Highlands, and is related to the Latin oriri (to rise) as leading Welsh scholar Sir Ifor Williams proved. Its so incredibly steep that even 10 seconds of going too hard early on and youll blow it, you really have to measure it just right., Dan Jones's climbing prowess and local knowledge showing on the steeper sections of Abdon Ddu. The Cowlyd, 2. We participate in the Amazon Associates Program. Where From the bottom left corner of Rosedale Abbey leave the main road and turn south east on to Gill Lane, pass the giant warning sign, and head up. In 2021 we contacted Simon Warren requesting his picks for the Top 10 Most Epic and Top 10 Hardest bike climbs in (1) Wales, (2) England, (3) Scotland, and (4) the UK. But the gentle appearance of the hedge-lined opening can be misleading - it's here that the damage can be done if not enough is left in the tank for the slightly more forgiving upper reaches. When we reached this last hairpin though his jaw hit the floor, he recalls. I had to go and check it out. Below, we detail 10 of the toughest climbs in the UK, and provide links to the Strava segments to help you plan your routes. South Wales needs no introduction. Having left the steep streets of Upper Brynamman behind, the road dissects the open mountainside, tussock-covered hillsides on both flanks. The best advice for anyone heading uphill out of Aberdare - don't put yourself in the red too early. Not here. By the end of this section, you'll have ridden c.84km from the coast and will have climbed 2,800m from sea level. We rank this monster as #2 most difficult in UK via the Fiets index. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. It was the first to be designated of the three national parks in Wales, in 1951. Dan is his normal chatty self as we hit the first ramp, our wheels getting their first taste of the ribbed and abrasive concrete surface that would do its best to hinder our progress the entire way up. Published 2 March 23. Maximum gradient: 16%. With the wind on your back, it's one that can be tackled in the big ring on a good day. Windswept and remote this climb begins in Brynamman, Carmarthenshire, and goes for 3.7 miles with a 12% gradient. Ride only 600 meters but at a stunning 21.3% average grade. Check out PJAMM Adventure's prepackaged (self-guided) cycling trips.
