Pass Castell Coch on your left, feel the smooth false flat underneath your wheels and the scent of wild garlic in the air, and you'll think you're in for an easy couple of miles. A wide right-hand bend signifies the end of the toughest part, from where it's a lovely, if exactly, ride up to the top, with a hairpin halfway up affording a great view of the town you've just left. What comes next will take your breath away. Horshoe Pass (Bwlch yr Oernant) - 317m - 7 to 20% - 6.1km #91. Through the gate, straight over a cattle grid and into more hard work, the road bending left past a stone shelter, a sure-fire signal although you are nowhere near the top yet that you're heading into truly hostile country. Far from any major towns, the starting point is near some very old homesteads. 1. I cant say for sure but I decide to stick with before to salvage what I can of my fragile ego. Afon Ddu from Trefriw is the toughest ascent with a difficulty score of 621. Windswept and remote this climb begins in Brynamman, Carmarthenshire, and goes for 3.7 miles with a 12% gradient. WOW - enough said! If the Tumble is the famous and successful son, the Tyla is his awkward, challenging older brother. It's also available via Apple Newsstand and Readly. Turn left after around a mile though, and everything changes. Heave yourself round this evil corner and you're through the worst of it. Unceremoniously I hit the floor and proceeded to tumble southwards just missing Jess by millimeters (how she stayed upright Ill never know and sincerely I apologise for ruining her QOM attempt). Newly formed NCL teams to make their debut at Tucson Bicycle Classic, Rapha launches a Film Fund, US filmmakers encouraged to pitch Living life by bike stories, Improve your performance with our expert practical, nutritional and training tips, Every week get exclusive interviews, fitness tips and product reviews. An altitude gain of 620ft in just a mile gives a clue about what kind of climb this is. 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). Approaching 20%, you crawl through harsh, boulder-littered scenery, a massive slog to the briefest of levels where the classification of the road changes public cars are allowed no further. Simon ranked Bwlch y Groes as the fourth hardest climb in Wales (7 UK) and second most epic in Wales (after Stwlan Dam). Top 100 #86. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. A great alternative to the Cray climb (see above) - this starts from the same point, but instead of taking the main road, bears left up a narrow lane into a desolate moment top. From there it's a steep and tough push to reach the saddle of the pass. Dan tells me he brought none other than Andrew Feather (current national hill climb champion) here a few weeks back. The road levels slightly but the surface is cut up and damaged. The British is named after the massive old ironworks that once dominated this area above Pontypool. Heading up the Blorenge from the other side, the climb gains slightly less altitude in slightly greater distance. Want the best food, film, music, arts and culture news sent straight to your inbox? If any more proof was needed, this road takes no prisoners., it is utterly savage but thats what we love, right? Our first relentless climb is Abercynafon, found between Talybont-on-Usk and Pontsticill. This featureoriginally appeared in the September 23 print edition of Cycling Weekly magazine,on sale in newsagents and supermarkets, priced 3.25. Round the end of Loch Kishorn and follow the signs to Applecross, up and over Bealach-na-Ba. The surface, just wide enough for a single car, is smooth at the edges but little more than gravel and moss in the centre. You'll probably wish you were enjoying a sedate stroll along the fairways of the adjacent golf club by the time you reach the lung-crushing gradients at the top of this punchy climb out of Pontypridd. Now round to the right, the ever steepening, increasingly lumpy surface heads into arguably the hardest section of relentlessly steep tarmac in Britain. This leaves us with a wealth of material describing the setting and condition of the road nearly a 100 years ago (, Named Hellfire Pass by the English but better known by its Welsh name, Bwlch-Y-Groes. This spectacular virtual fly-through shows the stunning route of the 2016 Velothon Wales, Huge vintage clothing warehouse where you can get designer brands at a fraction of the price, The Thrift operates over a huge 12,000 sq ft and stocks big brands as well as a value section, Superdrug anti-aging cream called 'botox in a tub' by shoppers, Optimum Collagen Day cream is priced at 14.99. Climbing for fun requires a particular type of sadism. Simon Warren has published many books on cycling climbing in the UK (e.g. Only two miles, but one of those climbs that feels like it goes on forever. The famous hairpin means you've broken the back of it, and by the time you're onto the tree-lined final straight, you'll virtually be able to taste the ice cream from the van in the layby at the summit. Click on "Climb Page" to jump to the detail page for that particular bike climb. Summarized above under Fiets Top 10 Hardest], 100 Greatest Climbs - A Road Cyclists Guide To Britains Hills, Rate climbs, post comments and share your experiences on any of our climb pages, Create bucket lists of climbs & mark the dates you complete them, Weather data for all climbs - Start & Finish, Upload photos to your member page to customize your PJAMM Cycling experience, Utilize all of our interactive tools - Profile & Routes in Area. . Grid ref: NY 710 321 (OS 91)Length 7.45kmHeight gain 638mApprox climb time 40 mins, Few climbs have such a fearsome reputation as Rosedale Chimney, and rightly so. Early motoring magazines often mention that editorial staff hand car manufacturers had been testing on the Bwlch y Groes owing to its status of a continual and sever gradient to one of the highest moorland crossings by a road in the UK. Something went wrong, please try again later. This climb was renowned throughout the 1970s and 80s as the most challenging climb used in the Milk Race round-Britain cycle race (, The History of Motor Sport and the Bwlch-y-Groes is nearly as old as motorsport. TOP 3 MOST EPIC BIKE CLIMBS IN WALES (SIMON WARREN), Cycling the incomparable Stwlan Dam, Wales. Do not attempt to ride here in unfavourable conditions. Still, that's the least of your worries as you pass a 25% sign. Almost imperceptibly, the gradient rises up until you'll suddenly feel like you're pedaling through treacle - probably just before the turn-off for Fforest Fawr. In Wales cyclists can find 74 interesting climbs between 5 and 550 meters above sea level. Let us know your thoughts about this page. As Dan waltzes off ahead I am beginning to falter. Ride two miles gaining 1,329 at 12.5% average grade. Leaving Rosedale Abbey, a sign warns you of the one-in-three yes, one-in-three gradient to come. The 5 hardest cycling climbs in the UK (Please link to Pedalsure.com if using elsewhere) Bealach na B 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. Mauna Kea, 2. This climb is simply a monster with several stretches in the red zone - above 16%, including one massive stretch at 20% for 200 yards. You start your ascent from the beautiful Corgarff castle and straight away you hit 20% slopes rough, relentlessly steep and twisting a little. It was the first to be designated of the three national parks in Wales, in 1951. Even though its very short you have to go so slowly at first. BA1 1UA. It might be less than a mile, but make no mistake - this is the one of the toughest climbs in South Wales, with the gradient hovering around 15% virtually all the way until it finally shows some mercy in the last couple of hundred metres. On the west coast of Scotland, Bealach na B has the most elevation gain of any road climb in the UK, rising from sea level to 626m over a stretch of 9.2km. Where Head north into the mountains from Ballater on the A939. "Take it easy now or you'll never make it." My bike is creaking. Bwlch y Groes (SW #91), 3. 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. The Great Orme from Llandudno via Marine Drive, The Great Orme from Llandudno via Ty Gwyn Road. The steep, consistent gradient hovers around 15% all the way, making it one of the most challenging climbs in South Wales. The steepest parts of the climb are before you've even left the edge of the town, but it's long enough to be a real struggle if you've burnt too many matches too soon. This is largely due to its length of 9.32km. 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. Llano de las Animas, 7. The sheer length of this steep section is what sets this climb apart, there's just nowhere to recover. Stunning and rugged, the Black Mountain (and you) are open to the elements. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, The hardest part is swinging onto the six or seven kilometre climbs and seeing riders crawling up the hill ahead of you looking like ants . 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. 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. Ride over Irton Pike and pass through Eskdale Green and Beckfoot to reach the base of the climb next to the warning sign at Jubilee Bridge. 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. Therefore, after Bealach na Ba (UK #1 Most Epic and #4 hardest), Bwlch y Groes might be the second best bike climb in all the land. View PJAMM Cycling's collection of the highest ranked climbs in Wales. I can now hear Jess approaching from behind, her 34 x 32 slightly more suited to the venue than my 34 x 28, judging by her colourful language I assume I am in her way. We completed this jewel in August 2018 and because it is so epic, came back for a second go in June 2022. Turn away from the village of Knock and begin opposite a farm gate. Scotland Bealach Na Ba Bealach na B is arguably the toughest climb in Britain. Over the years, I've sought to climb as many hills as possible. Having featured as a summit finish for the Welsh Nationals and the Tour of Britain, as well as being the signature climb for Velothon Wales, the Tumble is easily one of the most famous climbs in Wales. Through Gayle, the road flat, hugging the river, soon rises sharply for a short 17% lung-opener. 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. Weve been crawling skyward for about two minutes, covering just 250m of tarmac as we round bend three. In Wales cyclists can find 74 interesting climbs between 5 and 550 meters above sea level. Leave the A470 at Dinas Mawddwy and head into the Afon Dyfi Valley. . Please check your inbox to complete the sign-up process and ensure you receive emails and offers from us in the future. Two miles up a main road at between 4% and 6% might sound easy, but that just depends on how fast you're going. After an age on the opening steep gradient the road banks right to plateau before a brief downhill. This is one of the toughest bits of road anywhere in the UK and, through the next left-hand bend, it touches 30% at the apex. 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. Don't let the urban nature of this climb fool you - it's not easy. You'll be counting each and every pedal rev as you slowly push your way up the scree-littered road to the summit. 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 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. Its from here that this road separates itself from its peers, and its from here that everyone will be pushed to their limits. I have purchased and relied heavily on several of these books in deciding what climbs to include on the PJAMM Website for the UK. First off, a classic. 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.The term Eryri first appeared in a manuscript in the 9th-century Historia Brittonum, in an account of the downfall of the semi-legendary 5th-century king Gwrtheyrn (Vortigern).In the Middle Ages the title Prince of Wales and Lord of Snowdonia (Tywysog Cymru ac Arglwydd Eryri) was used by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd; his grandfather Llywelyn Fawr used the title Prince of north Wales and Lord of Snowdonia.Before the boundaries of the national park were designated, "Snowdonia" was generally used to refer to a smaller area, namely the upland area of northern Gwynedd centred on the Snowdon massif, whereas the national park covers an area more than twice that size extending far to the south into Meirionnydd. The English name for the area derives from Snowdon, which is the highest mountain in Wales at 3560 ft (1,085 m). We parked at the Church in the town of Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd (try saying that TWO times fast . The English name for the area derives from Snowdon, which is the highest mountain in Wales at 3560 ft (1,085 m). The 1.9 mile route is memorable for its scary hairpin climb. The average gradient of the climb is 2.9% and the maximum gradient is 13%. A long, long stretch of wickedly steep tarmac lies ahead, hugging the side of the mountain, with a slight levelling halfway but steeper still after that. . The first 200-yard segment averages 15%, so be sure to warm up. Browse all of our prepackaged trips and find your next adventure! The best advice for anyone heading uphill out of Aberdare - don't put yourself in the red too early. But its trajectory means that the damage is done on the brutally steep lower slopes. Wrong. The faint summit can be seen straight in front for a large part of the climb, making it easy to set an impatient tempo that'll come back to bite you later on. is the highest tarmacked pass in Wales (, Also known as Hellfire Pass, Bwich-Y-Groes is the highest paved road in Wales. The three vicious ascents leaving Woodmancote all offer a fantastic challenge, and of the three it's Bushcombe Lane that stands apart. Up ahead, eventually the final bends come into view, just as the gradient gets brutal on the long weather-beaten 20% slope that tests your legs to the limit. Climb summary by PJAMMs Brad Butterfield who documented this climb in 2018 and again in 2022 (Wales is one of 27 countries Brad has cycled and documented for PJAMM in addition to 16 US states). This is the highest paved road and hardest bike climb in Wales. Now on Station Road, take the third left after crossing the rail line on to Bushcombe Lane between the two 25% signs. You have to take each and every opportunity to recover when it is presented, no matter how slight he says. At this point, the climb would get significantly worse! The Netherlands: A trip through the lowlands. Stwlan Dam. Snowdonia National Park (Welsh: Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri) was established in 1951 as the third national park in Britain, following the Peak District and the Lake District. Riding from Llangadog, you'll be climbing before you realise, but the real business starts after the woodland stops and the open mountainside starts. 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. By the time you reach the clock tower in Pricetown, you'll have been climbing fairly constantly since Bryncethin. La Muerte, 9. The Gospel Pass is 548 high. Is it the suffering? This climb isn't for the faint-hearted. 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. Read next: This spectacular virtual fly-through shows the stunning route of the 2016 Velothon Wales. 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. The scene of a brilliant double ascent during the 2013 Tour of Britain, this iconic route out of Caerphilly also features as the final climb in the Velothon Wales loop of South Wales. The gradient towards the top is, in the most part, forgiving, with the most taxing stretches found around the villages lower down. Once through, you can pick up some speed before the final steep turns and your new-found momentum will help carry you through these and over the top. Explore the climbing route via Google Street Views. Where: Heading north out of Cymmer in the Afan Valley. And Lots of them. Unlike national parks in other countries, Snowdonia (and other such parks in Britain) are made up of both public and private lands under central planning authority. Ahead lies 30 metres that has every single ounce of muscle straining like a weight lifter attempting to raise four times their body weight above their heads. 1. Having left the steep streets of Upper Brynamman behind, the road dissects the open mountainside, tussock-covered hillsides on both flanks. for this page: 100 Greatest Climbs - A Road Cyclists Guide To Britains Hills; Cycling Climbs of Wales; see also https://www.100climbs.co.uk/books). Afon Ddu starts abruptly from the main road and youll need just one gear, the lowest you can fit on your bike. These bike climbs can be viewed via google maps or by a detailed list of the climbs that can be arranged by difficulty, distance (longest climbs in Wales), altitude gained, highest elevation .

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