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. 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. Llano de las Animas, 7. Once the gradient kicks in it just gets steeper and steeper, 20% past the last of the houses, then the fun really starts. It's neither steep or particularly tough, but the constant sequence of false summits can make it a heartbreaking experience for an already fatigued rider. Since that . Please check your inbox to complete the sign-up process and ensure you receive emails and offers from us in the future. Bwlch y Groes is rich in history and strong on inspiring, if not breathtaking, scenery. But one thing's for sure - Wales has some great places to do it. Bwlch y Groes means Pass of the Cross.. 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. Once past an axle weight sign the climb begins. Continue on to Fell Foot Farm and start to climb as you turn past the buildings. The road levels slightly but the surface is cut up and damaged. 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. This leaves us with a wealth of material describing the setting and condition of the road nearly a 100 years ago (SpeedTrackTails). How many have you suffered on your way up? This is a list of all 200 climbs feature in 100 Greatest cycling climbs and also the sequel Now on Station Road, take the third left after crossing the rail line on to Bushcombe Lane between the two 25% signs. 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. 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. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Get info and context about new features. One of the hardest climbs in the South West (Credit: Mark Percy) Dunkery Beacon is one of the toughest climbs in the south west of England with 321m of climbing over 3.1km. 1. 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%. The British is named after the massive old ironworks that once dominated this area above Pontypool. Click the CONTRIBUTE button to share your thoughts with us. 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. 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 Simon Warrenbefore our second trip to document the UKs top climbs in 2022 -- thus, its The Real Deal! My bike is creaking. Thankfully it eases off as it reaches the higher levels, giving you the chance to recover before the summit while taking in stunning views of Hay Bluff and the English borders. 1. 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. When: March 20-27, 2022. My veins are ready to explode as I push and pull through each agonising revolution of the pedals. The gradient on the inside of the bend is estimated to be somewhere in excess of 30%, and while you'd be daft to try riding over that bit, the outside isn't exactly a piece of cake either. See more details and tools regarding this climb's grade via the Profile Tool button. This climb has a maximum gradient of 24% and an average gradient of 6.5%. For more epic hill climbing data, visit our Top 10 Most Epic UK and also our Top 10 Most Epic Welsh hill . Riding alongside Dan with Jess tucked in behind we set off, all three of us understandably apprehensive of what lies ahead. TOP 3 MOST EPIC BIKE CLIMBS IN WALES (SIMON WARREN), Cycling the incomparable Stwlan Dam, Wales. Scotland Bealach Na Ba Bealach na B is arguably the toughest climb in Britain. Signup for our. 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 sense of achievement? Climbs have an average length of 4.2km and 248 meters of total ascent. You start your ascent from the beautiful Corgarff castle and straight away you hit 20% slopes rough, relentlessly steep and twisting a little. Horshoe Pass (Bwlch yr Oernant) - 317m - 7 to 20% - 6.1km #91. Youll enjoy unobstructed views of the canyon as you pass Wales mascot - Sheep! Still, that's the least of your worries as you pass a 25% sign. 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. With the wind on your back, it's one that can be tackled in the big ring on a good day. The second bend here is so steep on the inside that it forces you far right, so take care. 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. 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. 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 And it's so steep, close to 25% at the point where the tall valley walls disappear and the radar slowly rises over the horizon to sit above you, tracking the remainder of your progress. In Wales cyclists can find 74 interesting climbs between 5 and 550 meters above sea level. You can also subscribe to the magazine, save on the cover price and get it delivered every Thursday. Who knows. Bwlch Penbarra (SW #88), 9. South Africa's Cape Epic is the only MTB stage race classed as 'hors categorie' (beyond category) by the UCI, and upon looking at the eight days of riding . (If you're cyclist in North, Mid or West Wales, we'll be. Heave yourself round this evil corner and you're through the worst of it. and climbs through roadside fields. Ride two miles gaining 1,329 at 12.5% average grade. This brutal, bucket list climb invites you to tackle an incredible 48 hairpin bends between Prato and the mountain's summit. Afon Ddu from Trefriw is the toughest ascent with a difficulty score of 621. It's a very tough mile though, averaging somewhere around 9% as it cuts its way up the side of Maerdy Mountain. 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. The Tyla rounds the Blorenge from Gilwern, Heading into the trees on the Wentwood Ridge climb just where it starts to get really steep. When is the first day of spring and when do clocks go forward in 2023? Grid Ref: NY 231 014 (OS96). It's mentally taxing rather than a top-level physical challenge - the four miles of climbing are largely gentle in gradient terms, but difficult because of the scale of the landscape. Our preloaded PJAMM Adventure App trip pages Wales and the UK are accessed by clicking the purple PJAMM Trips button above. The superlative Bwlch y Groes is coincidentally ranked #2 most epic hill climb in Wales and 3 in all the UK. The Brecon landscape is barren but beautiful as you climb 3.5 miles in Pen-y-Cae. If any more proof was needed, this road takes no prisoners., it is utterly savage but thats what we love, right? The Netherlands: A trip through the lowlands. Most local riders know its here, we gave it the nickname the Baby Zoncolan but we all avoid it like the plague. This mini monster was brought to my attention by hill climb master and double National Champion Dan Evans after I noticed a string of expletives in his Strava feed. If you want to share something you need to create an account. While our Fiets list overlaps Simons for some climbs, the 2 lists do give you a nice sense of the objective and subjective Top 10 hardest Welsh climbs. 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. First built in 2nd century by the Romans, the pass is unbelievably tough from both directions. WOW - enough said! It's not quite the Alps, but it's a close as it gets in South Wales. Simon Warren lists this as the third hardest climb in Wales, and sixth toughest in all the UK. The Cowlyd, 2. But amongst the legendary Welsh valleys, beaches and mountains found in the south of the country, where can you find the most challenging climbs on two wheels? 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. Im now trapped on a two foot wide strip of rippled 30 per cent concrete fighting for survival. The gradient kicks up to 14% as you head through the Cimla area of Neath, before a descent the other side takes you down into the Afan Valley. The climb is really unique. The landscape is rough, its easy to see how the area gets pounded with rain and freezing temps most of the year. We relied heavily on Simon Warrens Top UK Climbs Series in ranking and documenting UK bike climbs (https://www.100climbs.co.uk/books) - they are the Gold Standard for cycling climbing in the UK. If you can ride this, you can ride anything. Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our. The first 200-yard segment averages 15%, so be sure to warm up. Apagua, 5. Region: South West Length: 3.1km Average gradient: 10% Elevation: 321m Up and up, and then mercifully dipping, or is it just levelling? The makeup of land ownership at Snowdonia is as follows (Wikipedia - Snowdonia National Park). Let us know your thoughts about this page. . 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. Simon Warren has published many books on cycling climbing in the UK (e.g. Cairn O'Mount from the south side is 3.35km with an elevation gain of 319 meters. - they are the Gold Standard for cycling climbing in the UK. Since that first book, he's added 11 more, as well Ride Britain which showcases 40 inspirational road cycling routes. If someone built it we will damn well try and ride it, even if it means falling on our ass because. 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. 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 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. 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. 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. 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. There's something evil lurking in the woods at the top of this climb in rural Monmouthshire. Grid Ref: NG 775 423 (OS24) Length 8980m Height gain 623m Approx climb time 37 mins, Extracts taken from 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs and Another 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs by Simon Warren, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Cyclist climbing Hardknott Pass, The Lake District National Park, Cumbria Photograph: Peter Oliver/Alamy, Cyclists on Wrynose Pass in the Lake District. But I have to keep fighting. First off, a classic. Where: South of Llangadog, Carmarthenshire. Where Leave the A470 at Dinas Mawddwy and head north east towards Aber-Cywarch. But the end of the steep ramp is within touching distance. Where: Heading north-west out of Pontardawe. We've collected 37 of the hardest, most beautiful, steepest, highest and longest climbs in South Wales. 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. 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. One for the power climbers. We completed this jewel in August 2018 and because it is so epic, came back for a second go in June 2022.