Just keep going, then head down the terrifying descent. The surface is rough at first and steep from the outset, but improves as you pass over a cattlegrid and approach the double hairpin. Snowdonia (Welsh: Eryri) is a mountainous region in north west Wales and a national park of 823 square miles (2,130 km2) in area. Leave the A470 at Dinas Mawddwy and head into the Afon Dyfi Valley. Ride only 600 meters but at a stunning 21.3% average grade. At this point, the climb would get significantly worse! I slump over the bars. A headwind, on the other hand, and it can be a real grind. Over the years, I've sought to climb as many hills as possible. The climb up here out of Ferndale is pretty tasty too. The Cowlyd, 2. danevanscycling Ffordd Pen Llech From this page you may navigate to the top 10 most difficult bicycling climbs in Wales. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Bwlch y Groes means Pass of the Cross.. First built in 2nd century by the Romans, the pass is unbelievably tough from both directions. Arguably, though, he is best known as the author of Cycling Climbs series of books. Zig-zag past cascading waterfalls, amidst the brief protection of rocky outcrops to exit this tangle of tarmac and round one final left hand to finish. 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Up and up, and then mercifully dipping, or is it just levelling? Having left the steep streets of Upper Brynamman behind, the road dissects the open mountainside, tussock-covered hillsides on both flanks. Receive a selection of the most beautiful climbs we've added. 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. 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. The superlative Bwlch y Groes is coincidentally ranked #2 most epic hill climb in Wales and 3 in all the UK. From bend two the road swings left, kicks up then eases back to rumble across a cattle grid and so far, so pretty ordinary but then, up ahead the road arcs away to the right and here it begins to look serious. The 10 hardest hill climbs in Wales can be viewed on this page via the map (zoom in to view climbs in particular areas), by Climb Cards (photo and stats) or by a detailed list of the climbs that can be arranged in metric or imperial units by difficulty, distance (longest climbs in the area), altitude gained, highest elevation (highest summit), average grade (sort the grades by varying distances), lowest start point, etc. I had to go and check it out. As I force round this wicked right-hander, bend three, the pale, rugged and debris-strewn surface rises up like a wall through the trees. To climb from the east, begin at the warning sign at Jubilee Bridge. All rights reserved. The route hugs the side of the steeply sided valley, following the contours of the hillside as it heads towards the summit. 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. You start your ascent from the beautiful Corgarff castle and straight away you hit 20% slopes rough, relentlessly steep and twisting a little. VIDEO: Snowboarder Climbs Tree To Evade Angry Moose. Constant variations in gradient make finding a rhythm a tough task and there are significant stretches in excess of 10%. 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. We rank this monster as the #3 most difficult in Britain via the Fiets index - #2 in Wales! My puny cycling arms are shaking like a frightened kitten. The traditional Snowdonia thus includes the ranges of Snowdon and its satellites, the Glyderau, the Carneddau and the Moel Siabod group. United Kingdom: Wales Hardest and Most Epic Hill Climbs. 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. . After a few slight rises the road surface improves dramatically and stretches far into the distance, taking the shortest route over the featureless ridge. (If you're cyclist in North, Mid or West Wales, we'll be. Stwlan Dam. Cyclist and spectators make their way up The Tumble and line the road as the Tour of Britain cyclist near the finish, Abergavenny. I'd waited a long time to ride this road, initially put off by its "private" status. The northern ascent of the Black has a very different character to its southern counterpart. 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. Grid ref: NJ 252 118 (OS37) Length 3.01km Height gain 245m Approx climb time 21 mins, This is it: the Holy Grail, the toughest and wildest climb in Britain. Let us know your thoughts about this page. This climb truly is beauty and the beast. But we dare you to stand at Broad Pool, look up at the ribbon of road snaking up to Gower's highest point and not want to ride it. Gradients of around 30% are generally only found on the inside of tight bends. 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. Cyclist and spectators make their way up The Tumble Abergavenny. Plus detailed bike, kit and accessory reviews from the experts. Height gain 286m When we reached this last hairpin though his jaw hit the floor, he recalls. How many have you ridden? We begin this climb in the midst of lush pastureland. Wales has some gorgeous road bike climbs, and Bwlch y Groes is surely one of them! I was to discover that there is absolutely no objection to cyclists riding it, although few would be mad enough. Where: Heading north-west out of Pontardawe. It starts steep from the village of Clydach and beats you up for a whole mile before easing just a touch. And yet once you get to the top, you'll realise you enjoyed every second. You have to pace yourself because as the road progresses you hit a series of bends, coupled with a 30% gradient. If youve ever been to Manhattan and walked the streets straining your neck upwards to admire the skyscrapers, well, for a moment looking up this road it feels like that. Named Hellfire Pass by the English but better known by its Welsh name, Bwlch-Y-Groes. . (sort by distance, difficulty, elevation and more). Wales is a wonderful country with great people, extraordinary scenery and EPIC bike climbs!! It's all a bit of an optical illusion though. Essentially every turn is a blind curve. When I first tackled Hardknott Pass in the Lake District I assumed nothing could ever beat that, but then a few years after I discovered the road up to Abdon Burf in the Shropshire Hills and my perception of torture was changed. Signup for our. They are good people out here that enjoy a way of life much slower and unfamiliar to most others I think. The sense of achievement? If you survive the absolute wall out of Pontypridd along Graigwen Road, you'll be treated to one of the most beautiful routes in this part of South Wales as the road follows a ridge high above Taff Valley to the historic church of Llanwonno. This page provides an excellent and comprehensive summary of the top, hardest and best bicycling climbs in Wales. 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. Llangynidr Mountain is very much a climb of two halves. Region: South West Length: 3.1km Average gradient: 10% Elevation: 321m South Wales needs no introduction. This is the highest paved road and hardest bike climb in Wales. One for the power climbers. The landscape is rough, its easy to see how the area gets pounded with rain and freezing temps most of the year. When: March 20-27, 2022. She got all aggressive so we turned around and chilled for 20, walked back up the trail and she was still there . By the time that respite comes, you've climbed nearly 800ft. Watch a gorgeous open up before your eyes as you tackle this country road that rises straight out of Pontardawe. 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 1,055 at 10.3% average grade. 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 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. The route is found in Abersychan, Torfaen, where its lower slopes begin on the A4043 and then after a mile turn left and youll begin to climb through a breathtaking gorge. The base of the climb is on the first right out of the village next to a farm gate. 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. 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. Another climb with a fair bit of ascent to even get to the start. "Backcountry riding and we were on a pump track to get back inbounds. Heading up the Blorenge from the other side, the climb gains slightly less altitude in slightly greater distance. A pretty stone bridge over a stream takes you across the side of the hill, before a further hairpin spins you back towards the exposed top section. We've collected 37 of the hardest, most beautiful, steepest, highest and longest climbs in South Wales. is the highest tarmacked pass in Wales (, Also known as Hellfire Pass, Bwich-Y-Groes is the highest paved road in 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. They will help you plan, document and conquer your next adventure. 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. "Take it easy now or you'll never make it." Join the road up from Thornhill and things get a little easier before the final wall up to the main road. It is in the Aran Mountains near the south east edge of Snowdonia (The Guardian - Britains top 10 toughest cycle climbs). Turn away from the village of Knock and begin opposite a farm gate. 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! Below, we detail 10 of the toughest climbs in the UK, and provide links to the Strava segments to help you plan your routes. With one and a half pedals and dented pride I manage to make it to the top to join Dan and Jess at the finish outside the water treatment works. The maximum gradient is 13%. The climb goes up a ridge to a small parking lot, where we saw two other cyclists. Abercynafon Our first relentless climb is Abercynafon, found between Talybont-on-Usk and Pontsticill. But its trajectory means that the damage is done on the brutally steep lower slopes. 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. Maximum gradient: 16%. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Moel Arthur - 220m - 10 to 20% - 2.2km #88. This climb is breathtaking and we will return and do this one again - its just that unique, inspiring and exceptional. Select a portion of the route to retrieve climb & profile data for that segment. Since that first book, he's added 11 more, as well Ride Britain which showcases 40 inspirational road cycling routes. From there, there's the option of a fast descent into Defynnog, but a much better alternative is to continue in a straight line uphill and onto the ancient Heol Senni. At the end of this long stretch, as we reach bend four of four. It only takes 1 minute and it's completely free. If someone built it we will damn well try and ride it, even if it means falling on our ass because. Not here. Theres always a bigger fish. Thats what the ancient proverb says, and just when I thought Id ridden the steepest road in Britain, and put the matter of determining the country's toughest cycling climb to bed once and for all, up popped another hideous incline to further move the goalposts and redefine suffering. BA1 1UA. Simon Warren has published many books on cycling climbing in the UK (e.g. Climbing for fun requires a particular type of sadism. If you can ride this, you can ride anything. Pass the clock tower, and things step up a notch, with a straight 16% ramp taking you (via a flatter terrace section) onto the climb proper. 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. I did warn him how bad it was but he was like, yeah, its just another hill. 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. 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. In an attempt to move right, my front wheel lifts, there is a bang, my right foot instinctively unclips and that was it, I am gone. The climb is really unique. How steep? Since that . Get info and context about new features. Within a few hundred feet of the start point, a switchback of over 20% warns you of the battle to come. Rounding the corner I spot our photographer Andy ahead and see he isnt in position. The majority of Scotland's roads stick to valleys as there's no need to cross the mountains but here they link the village of Applecross with the rest of the world by taking the route over the top of Bealach-na-Ba. Each country has her crowned Jewel and Bwlch y Groes makes a good argument for taking that award for the Welsh territory. This extraordinary climb is in the northwestern section of Wales in the Snowdonia mountain region. 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. Dan is still chatting away but Ive fallen silent - there is no space to fit words in-between breaths. Don't let the urban nature of this climb fool you - it's not easy. 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 climb lasts for almost a mile and has an elevation gain of 180 metres. Where Head north into the mountains from Ballater on the A939. I snapped my chain not once but twice in my attempt to conquer this vicious stretch of tarmac. You have to take each and every opportunity to recover when it is presented, no matter how slight he says. Bealach na B is the one most talked about, as one of few category 1 road climbs in the United Kingdom. We participate in the Amazon Associates Program. The English name for the area derives from Snowdon, which is the highest mountain in Wales at 3560 ft (1,085 m). Start opposite the old red telephone box, past the numerous warning signs, across the cattle grid then bend slightly left. By the time the open mountain top is reached, things are much more benign. He was in north Wales pinching some of my best KOMs so I thought he deserved some punishment. Thank you for signing up! Ride two miles gaining 1,329 at 12.5% average grade. 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). Climbs have an average length of 4.2km and 248 meters of total ascent. We rank this monster as #2 most difficult in UK via the Fiets index. Baniamr Aquabah Pass, 6. 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. The full climb might be 2.4km, but that doesn't even nearly tell the full story. Believe the hype. 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. Simon ranked Bwlch y Groes as the fourth hardest climb in Wales (7 UK) and second most epic in Wales (after Stwlan Dam). We relied heavily on Simon Warrens Top UK Climbs Series in ranking and documenting UK bike climbs (. ) 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 alongside Dan with Jess tucked in behind we set off, all three of us understandably apprehensive of what lies ahead. "Cycling in south Wales is a completely different story. 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. Afon Ddu from Trefriw is the toughest ascent with a difficulty score of 621. But as the road heads into the trees, it rears up sharply, and doesn't drop below 12% until the very top. Cape Epic. Llano de las Animas, 7. After around 50 metres the second bend arrives where on the corner there is a slight leveling, Dan immediately heads to the shallower part of the corner here to catch a few seconds respite. 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. But had this happened before I hit the deck or after? Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, 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. 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. It's a testing drag, with the incline quickly kicking up to 9% and staying there or thereabouts much of the way to the top. That said, Bwlch Penbarra is certainly a top three for US. Im now trapped on a two foot wide strip of rippled 30 per cent concrete fighting for survival. We have had the great fortune of documenting the most epic and hardest climbs in Wales in both 2018 and 2022. The steepest paved street in Pittsburghand one of the toughest climbs in the USmakes the top spot on our list. We parked at the Church in the town of Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd (try saying that TWO times fast . Where Leave the A470 at Dinas Mawddwy and head north east towards Aber-Cywarch. 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 . The Harlech Hell Climb event was held on the excruciating climb on Sunday (August 11), with riders tackling the 330 metre climb, which averages 17 per cent and reaches a maximum gradient of 37.45 . A flat lakeside hairpin two thirds of the way up should give you the slingshot needed for the last push, with the road cutting through rock on its final approach to the summit. The road levels slightly but the. In Wales cyclists can find 74 interesting climbs between 5 and 550 meters above sea level. With a maximum gradient of 22% and an average gradient of 8.1% youre afforded great views of Aberdare the higher you climb. No part of it is easy, but it's the first of two hairpins that makes it notorious. By the end of this section, you'll have ridden c.84km from the coast and will have climbed 2,800m from sea level. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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). Browse all of our prepackaged trips and find your next adventure! United Kingdom: England's Hardest and Most Epic Hill Climbs, United Kingdom: Hardest and Epic Bike Climbs, United Kingdom: Scotland's Hardest and Most Epic Hill Climbs. 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. Weve been crawling skyward for about two minutes, covering just 250m of tarmac as we round bend three. If you want the privilege of having ridden the highest paved road in Wales, you'll need to earn it. . Rhiwr Road (SW #197), and 10. F. J. Afon Ddu, 7. . First off, a classic. 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. Follow the road alongside the river to Llanymawddwy, pass through and begin the climb across the Pont y Pennant. 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. Its found as you head north-west out of Pontardawe. The king of climbs and arguably the hardest road in the land, the legendary Hardknott Pass is an amazing sliver of tarmac. of course, ride the toughest cycling climbs across the UK and Europe.

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