[Summarized above under Fiets Top 10 Hardest]. Windswept and remote this climb begins in Brynamman, Carmarthenshire, and goes for 3.7 miles with a 12% gradient. From the junction with Station Road, exit the village past the first 25% sign then the road bends left at a second 25% warning as if you need reminding, it's going to be hard. Dan tells me he brought none other than Andrew Feather (current national hill climb champion) here a few weeks back. 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. Each country has her crowned Jewel and Bwlch y Groes makes a good argument for taking that award for the Welsh territory. Simon and Dan get to grips with Pythagoras Theorem. Penbarra ( Bwlch Pen barras / Bwlch Penbarras / Old Bwlch) - 258m - 11 to 25% - 2.3km #89. Below, we detail 10 of the toughest climbs in the UK, and provide links to the Strava segments to help you plan your routes. The second bend here is so steep on the inside that it forces you far right, so take care. This climb truly is beauty and the beast. For a while there I thought Id settled it. Or should we be asking, how accurate? Riding alongside Dan with Jess tucked in behind we set off, all three of us understandably apprehensive of what lies ahead. Named after the huge old ironworks that once dominated this hillside above Pontypool, there's little to suggest the majesty of this climb's top section when you turn onto its lower slopes off the A4043 through Abersychan. And yet once you get to the top, you'll realise you enjoyed every second. A short flat section ramps up hard, then almost levels before ramping hard again. Two miles up a main road at between 4% and 6% might sound easy, but that just depends on how fast you're going. It only takes 1 minute and it's completely free. This climb is ranked #3 on PJAMMs FIETS formula-based difficulty index, as well as the UK Top Hardest Climbs list provided to us by. It is in the Aran Mountains near the south east edge of Snowdonia (. Most local riders know its here, we gave it the nickname the Baby Zoncolan but we all avoid it like the plague. Explore the climbing route via Google Street Views. What follows is a brief levelling out but you can't put off what lies ahead for long. Since that . 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. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Simon Warren for his books generally and for his contribution of Top 10 lists for PJAMM Cycling. There's still plenty of climbing to do along the way, but nothing as ugly as the severe slopes that head straight out of Ponty. From there it's a steep and tough push to reach the saddle of the pass. The first 200-yard segment averages 15%, so be sure to warm up. On my first climb up Bwlch y Groes in 2018 I got a flat tire on my vehicle that was parked in front of one of these homesteads and was assisted in fixing the flat by the old-timer that lived nearby. Hit the opening 12% slope too hard and you're finished - because it's followed by a sequence of bends with gradients rising above 30%. The hardest ascent is from the west, beginning at Fell Foot Farm, where straight away you have a 20% right-hander and that's just a taste of what lies ahead. The second set of switchbacks are steeper still, and these now 30% slopes will have you straining every sinew as your front wheel desperately searches for a kinder gradient and weaves all over the road fighting to stay upright. The road levels slightly but the surface is cut up and damaged. The Most Challenging Climbs in South Wales - World Cycle Tours There's something evil lurking in the woods at the top of this climb in rural Monmouthshire. This intimidating wall achieves virtually all of its 150m altitude gain in the space of a fearsome 1.2km, at an average gradient of nearly 13%. By the time that respite comes, you've climbed nearly 800ft. Rhiwr Road (SW #197), and 10. How many have you suffered on your way up? The Most Challenging Climbs in South Wales, West Sicily: A Journey Through Ancient Culture & History, Wales: Cycling From The Border To The Brecon Beacons, Sweden: The Kattegattleden & Halland Coast. She got all aggressive so we turned around and chilled for 20, walked back up the trail and she was still there . I slump over the bars. The surface is rough at first and steep from the outset, but improves as you pass over a cattlegrid and approach the double hairpin. Once past an axle weight sign the climb begins. Eventually you'll bend around to the left and the battered, rugged road levels for good. Simon Warren lists this as the third hardest climb in Wales, and sixth toughest in all the UK. World Cycle Tours, Nutterswood Cottage, Nutters Wood, Cleeve Hill, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 3PZ, United Kingdom. . Pozza San Glisente (Dos dell'Asino), 8. and climbs through roadside fields. It's all fairly steady going as the climb starts just off the A449. The landscape is rough, its easy to see how the area gets pounded with rain and freezing temps most of the year. I'd waited a long time to ride this road, initially put off by its "private" status. What comes next will take your breath away. The beautiful landscape of the Brecon Beacons. We participate in the Amazon Associates Program. But the end of the steep ramp is within touching distance. And yet it's easy to forget that it's also one of the toughest. Wales treated us quite well on our visit in August 2018. Grid Ref: NY 277 027 (OS90) Length 2.52km Height gain 278m Approx climb time 15 mins, This is the greatest climb in England, this is our Mont Ventoux, it has no peers, there is no comparison: Great Dun Fell is simply unique. This gorgeous country road is testing for even the best cyclists, but it provides great views north towards the western Brecon Beacons. Enter the first of two sets of brutal switchbacks and wrench body and bike through the 25% corners. I say a big thank you to Dan and Jess for joining me for the morning its then that they point out to me, if you thought it was hard on the way up, just wait until you go back down. TOP 3 HARDEST BIKE CLIMBS IN WALES (FIETS INDEX), This extraordinary climb is in the northwestern section of Wales in the Snowdonia mountain region. Where: Between Talybont-on-Usk and Pontsticill. The Netherlands: A trip through the lowlands. Scanuppia The English name for the area derives from Snowdon, which is the highest mountain in Wales at 3560 ft (1,085 m). Ride two miles gaining 1,329 at 12.5% average grade. Climbs have an average length of 4.2km and 248 meters of total ascent. The hardest ascent is from the west, beginning at Fell Foot Farm, where straight away you have a 20% right-hander and that's just a taste of what lies ahead. 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 A headwind, on the other hand, and it can be a real grind. Cycling apparel brand, Rapha today launched the Rapha Film Fund, a program designed to help support creatives bring their life lived by bike stories to life on Raphas YouTube. Abercynafon Our first relentless climb is Abercynafon, found between Talybont-on-Usk and Pontsticill. Continue on to Fell Foot Farm and start to climb as you turn past the buildings. The top few miles of the Swansea Valley take you up the steady slopes of a wide and straight main road up to the beautiful Crai Reservoir. When we reached this last hairpin though his jaw hit the floor, he recalls. is the highest tarmacked pass in Wales (, Also known as Hellfire Pass, Bwich-Y-Groes is the highest paved road in Wales. As of 2022, Simon Warren has published 12 cycling climbing books - 10 focusing on the UK, one on TdF and the other on the Giro. Simon Warren (100 Greatest Cycling Climbs, UK) ranks this as the hardest climb in Wales and he will get no argument from us on that front! Cyclist and spectators make their way up The Tumble and line the road as the Tour of Britain cyclist near the finish, Abergavenny. Simon Warren has published many books on cycling climbing in the UK (e.g. The climb is tough right away, then gets tougher still as you bend right into what is a small taste of things to come. Saw signs of a moose, unstrapped and started walking down the trail and saw her about 100ft up the trail. Canton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. Cross the cattle grid onto a long straight 7% drag that takes you into the trees. Grid Ref: SE 720 945 (OS94) Length 1430m Height gain 179m Approx climb time 9 mins, Fleet Moss, the highest road in Yorkshire, is a beast from either direction but the greater challenge lies in the route south from Hawes. The Floor is Lava is nothing compared to this road. It's short, steep and fairly hostile all the way to the final left corner that brings you out Caerphilly Mountain's famous snack bar. (sort by distance, difficulty, elevation and more). On the opposite side of the Blorenge to the more famous Tumble, Rhiwr Road makes that famous climb look like child's play. Id evaluated the merits of all contenders from Yorkshire's Rosedale Chimney to Ffordd Penllech via Bushcombe Lane and Vale Street but then came that bigger fish, then came a new vision of hell: Afon Ddu, AKA the Baby Zoncolan. Photograph: Paul White/Alamy, Scotch mist hanging over Bealach na Ba. Below is a list of Simons choices for Wales Top 10 Hardest and Top 10 Most Epic. is the highest tarmacked pass in Wales (100 Greatest Cycling Climbs - Britain). Pass through the large orange gates used to close the road in winter proof, if you hadn't twigged already, that you're heading into serious country. Top 7 cycling climbs in North Wales and Snowdonia A straight line of unflinching steepness of such monotony that it regularly feels like you're going nowhere. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Picturesque mountains, hills, valleys and coastland define the landscape, and make the area a dream cycling location. This is the highest paved road and hardest bike climb in Wales. The scenery gets more barren as you climb, dispensing with the trees and dry stone walls of the lower stretches and opening out into a classic Brecon Beacons landscape at the summit. We participate in the Amazon Associates Program. Something went wrong, please try again later. Thanks to the help of Strava, we've selected the top five hardest climbs in the UK: Fford Penllech - Wales Hardknott Pass - England Bealach-na-Ba - Scotland Rosedale Chimney - England Trooper. Staring with 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs in 2010, Simon has set out to chronicle and, of course, ride the toughest cycling climbs across the UK and Europe. Views and scenery during the middle of the climb. The gradient towards the top is, in the most part, forgiving, with the most taxing stretches found around the villages lower down. I have purchased and relied heavily on several of these books in deciding what climbs to include on the PJAMM Website for the UK. El Torneado, and 10. There's a choice towards the top between turning right down towards Llangynidr or carrying on along the road to Rassau to complete the full climb. Its from here that this road separates itself from its peers, and its from here that everyone will be pushed to their limits. Sign up with your email address to receive offers, news and updates. Visit our corporate site. 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. 5 Hardest Climbs In The UK - pedalsure.com It's all a bit of an optical illusion though. This challenging route is found between between Ystrad Mynach and Merthyr Tydfil and is a distance of 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometres). Things start off fairly easily, but get harder and harder and harder again by the time you near the summit of Cefn Eglwysllan, with a lovely 20% ramp greeting you to the very top. The climb is really unique. Named after the river beside it, the Afon Ddu (Welsh for black river) which flows down from Llyn Cowlyd I ask Dan how he first came across it. A little bit about Simon Warren - We contacted Simon Warren with our request for his Top 10 lists because we consider him the Gold Standard and cyclist with the most thorough and comprehensive knowledge of hill climbing by bike in the UK. . Grid ref: SO 403 918 (OS 137)Length 0.96kmHeight gain 163mApprox climb time 7 mins, You're spoilt for choice when it comes to climbing Cleeve Hill. Gospel Pass climb via Hay on Wye | 8 km | 548 m | 5% - Climbbybike Receive a selection of the most beautiful climbs we've added. Hardest cycle climbs: 6 of the world's toughest hills - Red Bull A few weeks later I arrive with our photographer Andy, Dan and his wife Jess - a hill climb champion in her own right - to share the experience with them and get the local low down on this insane 700 metres of vertical concrete. The top 10 hardest cycling climbs around the globe, all of which we have personally documented, are: 1. 2. Learn More ALL TRIPS See more details and tools regarding this climb's grade via the Profile Tool button. Moel Arthur - 220m - 10 to 20% - 2.2km #88. Region: South West Length: 3.1km Average gradient: 10% Elevation: 321m Follow the road alongside the river to Llanymawddwy, pass through and begin the climb across the Pont y Pennant. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. It was the first to be designated of the three national parks in Wales, in 1951. danevanscycling Ffordd Pen Llech It's a long drag, but not particularly taxing in the most part, rising through the trees with the rumbling of vehicles on the adjacent main road in the distance. Gradients of around 30% are generally only found on the inside of tight bends. The northern ascent of the Black has a very different character to its southern counterpart. They will help you plan, document and conquer your next adventure. . Leave the head of Loch Kishorn, turn left and you're on your way, soon passing the large sign warning of the various dangers that lie ahead. It's that steep much of the way. The makeup of land ownership at Snowdonia is as follows (Wikipedia - Snowdonia National Park). Ranking list A while later the utterly horrendous Cowlyd in north Wales found its way onto my radar and again the slate was wiped clean and a new standard was set. After an age on the opening steep gradient the road banks right to plateau before a brief downhill. See where the steepest portions of the climb are located by gradient group. The hardest, most difficult and challenging cycling climbs in Wales are, in order of difficulty, 1. We completed this jewel in August 2018 and because it is so epic, came back for a second go in June 2022. The average gradient of the climb is 2.9% and the maximum gradient is 13%. Where Leave the A470 at Dinas Mawddwy and head north east towards Aber-Cywarch. We believe we have located and thoroughly documented the Top 10 Hardest (by Fiets and by Simon Warren) and 10 Most Epic (Simon Warren) and these are accessed via the Map or List above on the Wales Home page just above this Climb Area Summary. Watch a gorgeous open up before your eyes as you tackle this country road that rises straight out of Pontardawe. The best advice for anyone heading uphill out of Aberdare - don't put yourself in the red too early. Wrong. In a way. 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). The distinctive remnants of an ancient quarry indicate the summit. Increasing in steepness as it passes old industrial relics, the road winds its way up the side of a breathtaking gorge, with just a few boulders between separating you and the 10% gradient from the edge. Afon Ddu from Trefriw is the toughest ascent with a difficulty score of 621. There is also now a Welsh Climbs book 100 greatest cycling climbs is a list of some of the hardest climbs in the UK from Constitution Hill to Kirkstone Pass and Ditchling Beacon. "Take it easy now or you'll never make it." - Subscribe to our monthly newsletter. This climb is simply a monster with several stretches in the red zone - above 16%, including one massive stretch at 20% for 200 yards. Between bend three and four the pitch increases to a brutal 30 per cent then backs off slightly so we can recover for an instant before it kicks up again. Soon into the ride we are climbing through a canyon area with dramatic plateaus and hillside formations, particularly on the right side as we climb. Apart from the few cars that travel this route, you're more likely to have wary, onlooking deer for company, as they track your slow progress up the mountain. The Brecon landscape is barren but beautiful as you climb 3.5 miles in Pen-y-Cae. Britain's top 10 toughest cycle climbs - the Guardian After a few slight rises the road surface improves dramatically and stretches far into the distance, taking the shortest route over the featureless ridge. Grid Ref: SH 913 232 (OS125)Length 3.56km Height gain 385m Approx climb time 23 mins, A true monster of a climb through the heart of the Cairngorms, the road up to the Lecht Ski Centre is a simply stunning ride. Bwlch Penbarra (SW #88), 9. When: March 20-27, 2022. The Tyla rounds The Blorenge Mountain from Gilwern, and its an incredibly challenging climb, mainly because of its steep lower slopes. With the wind on your back, it's one that can be tackled in the big ring on a good day. Click on "Climb Page" to jump to the detail page for that particular bike climb. Join the road up from Thornhill and things get a little easier before the final wall up to the main road. Please check your inbox to complete the sign-up process and ensure you receive emails and offers from us in the future. With summer temperatures routinely. One for the power climbers. There, in front of you, painted on to the side of the mountain and looking like a giant flight of stairs, lies the rest of the climb. Average gradient: 6.5% Another 100 Greatest Cycling hills 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs at Amazon.co.uk Another 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs at Waterstones Another 100 climbs include: Longest Hill Climb Cragg Vale - The longest continuous ascent in England - 9.1 km. One of the longest climbs in South Wales, the road through the Afan Valley is generally in an upward direction from the time it leaves Port Talbot, but it's after going through Cymmer that the climb begins in earnest. Length: 64.8km Maximum gradient: 13% Vertical: 1,785m Hazards: Heat exhaustion and death America's Death Valley is not generally known as a great place to ride. Where: Heading north out of Nantymoel in the Ogmore Valley. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Round the end of Loch Kishorn and follow the signs to Applecross, up and over Bealach-na-Ba.
