britains hillliest city

inaperfectworld · May 2007

a couple of weeks ago the independent columnist dicussed britain's hilliest city and the effect on cycling levels. he concluded newcastle as the worst in his experience. i was glad to see he mentioned that leeds "has its moments" as i find all these average speeds depressing; mine is about 12- 12.5 on an audax bike and 11-11.5 on a hybrid. my commute has not a flat bit of road in 5 miles and if i take the long way home through bramhope no flat in 17 miles. the worst in my opinion is that the gradients are not constant so you can get no rhythm going, always having to change gears and re-establish a cadence. occasionally i take the longer way still via otley and the east chevin road: this averages 11% over 1.3 km and a 300metre stretch averages 14%. i think this has been used in the tour of britain in the past. personally i think my average is reasonable as i am not often overtaken and i can't believe someone averages 15+ round here unless they are a competitive cyclist. i've not dared try the east chevin road on my audax, i'm searching for lower gears on the hybrid (23 inches) and the audax has only a 32 inch low gear, so will i make it up? and is newcastle the hilliest city.

Cathryn · May 2007

I was going to mention Leeds as well. Not steep but quite relentless, especially when you're new to cycling like me!! However I used to live in Aberystwyth and that had the MOTHER of all hills!!

vernonlevy · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Cathryn

I was going to mention Leeds as well. Not steep but quite relentless, especially when you're new to cycling like me!! However I used to live in Aberystwyth and that had the MOTHER of all hills!!
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Leeds is quite bad but I think that Bradford is worse. A navigation tip for the place is if you ever get lost head downhill and you'll end up in what remains of the city centre.

Twenty years ago I spent three months commuting from Meanwood to West Bowling - it certainly got me fit.

Bristol seemed to be very hilly on the two occasions that I traversed it doing end to ends.

greglemondsdad · May 2007

Im from bradford and Agree, especially the south side of the city, Wibsey, Clayton, Queensbury. Also coming back from Halifax to Bradford isn't the best. A big vote for Bradford from me!

Fnaar · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by inaperfectworld

a couple of weeks ago the independent columnist dicussed britain's hilliest city and the effect on cycling levels. he concluded newcastle as the worst in his experience.
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He must really have been looking for hills in the Toon, cos most of it's flat as a pancake! Certainly near the Toon centre, anyway! A few hilly streets going down to the river near Tyne Bridge, but very short, and not particularly taxing. Some hilly bits in Gateshead, perhaps, and further away from centre, but not v. hilly in my experience. Mind you, there are plenty of "hills" on display down Bigg Market on a Sattadee neet!
Sheffield, now there's a hilly town...
Hillingdon? Is that hilly?

[edit:] Here's what some pesky students have to say. Apparently, it's Bristol: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=261572

More tea, vicar? [:D]

J2R2 · May 2007

I'd imagine it's got to be Bradford. I've never cycled there but was doing some work there a few months ago and had to drive to various different places in the city. It looked absolutely relentless.

__________________________
lots of miles, even more cakes.

urrrrrrrrrs · May 2007

guys & girls

never mind this country,i was on holiday in
New Zealand at the beginning of the year and was in Dunedin,where we got taken to the worlds steepest street, Baldwin Street

type in WORLDS STEEPEST STREET into google and see for yourself*,what a mother of all hills[:0][B)]

*sorry not very computer literate yet !!!!!

i'd rather have a bottle in front of me,than a frontal lobotomy

DLB · May 2007

Sheffield is built on 7 hills apparently.

*** Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're probably right ***

stevew451 · May 2007

try getting out of durham in any direction always up

Flying_Monkey · May 2007

Newcastle isn't really hilly at all! Sheffield, Bradford definitely much hillier...

just over the water in Norway, Bergen is pretty mountainous...

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety

Tetedelacourse · May 2007

It's always a slog where I live.

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Hey little thing let me light ya candle cos a momma I'm sure hard to hannana, yesaran

acorn_user · May 2007

I studied in Sheffield and Newcastle. Sheffield is definitely worse unless you cycle up from the Tyne to Wingrove all the time. That hill is an absolute beast! Westgate is a long slog too, but not as bad as Crookes in Sheffield. Never been to Leeds though...

zoggz · May 2007

sheffield on all points of compass[8D][:)].east bank road from manor top to queens road is a belter.

DTH · May 2007

chelmsford, two speed bumps and a ramp to the car park!!

what goes up only gets harder

marinyork · May 2007

Agree with zoggz. Crooks is quite tame in Sheffield compared to some other areas, try cycling up East Bank Road or all the way from Darnall up Prince of Wales!

Norvcp · May 2007

Bristol's not flat!

"Prejudice burns brighter when it's all we have to burn"

lloyd_bower · May 2007

Would agree with a few of above posts, it's got to be either Sheffield or Bradfield, certainly not Newcastle pretty much the only hill is from quayside.

soltydog · May 2007

I spent the vast majority of my growing up years in Bradford, in a village called Queensbury, which is one of the highest in England. It was great going for a bike ride as a kid, because everwhere was downhill [:D] but it was a complete mare coming home with some long steep hills. As i got older & passed my test it was the hills that put me off cycling.
Now i'm in east yorkshire & it's very flat & i have started to enjoy cycling again. I'm thinking of cycling over to Bradford & Queensbury to see some friends in the summer, but not sure if i'll make the hills, esp at the end of an 80 mile ride [V]

fingerfun · May 2007

Sheffield! I cycle around it every day and it is a wee bit lumpy... hangingwater road everyday

hoppergaz · May 2007

I live in sheffield and the street i live on climbs 223ft in less than a mile.

The Bosscp · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by hoppergaz

I live in sheffield and the street i live on climbs 223ft in less than a mile.
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What's the steepest hill in sheffield?

I'm thinking blake street from upperthorpe to walkley has got to be a strong contender. Try it!

Twentywell lane is also a major bitch, steep AND long but with a forgiving flat bit for a rest in the middle.

The Bosscp · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by hoppergaz

I live in sheffield and the street i live on climbs 223ft in less than a mile.
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what street's that?

The Bosscp · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by marinyork

Agree with zoggz. Crooks is quite tame in Sheffield compared to some other areas, try cycling up East Bank Road or all the way from Darnall up Prince of Wales!
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Prince of wales is a PECKER!

marinyork · May 2007

Depends what you define as a Hill. Hagg Hill, Gleadless Road the steep bits seem very steep.

I calculate Blake St to be about 1 in 8 whereas the sign for Gleadless Road says that is 1 in 6 for similarish lengths. Hagg Hill is defintely steeper at about 1 in 5 but it's not really an everyday sort of road as it's out of the way.

hoppergaz · May 2007

cobnar road woodseats to hemsworth about 3 quarters of the way up the road is unmade so you have to take to the path.

The Bosscp · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by marinyork

Depends what you define as a Hill. Hagg Hill, Gleadless Road the steep bits seem very steep.

I calculate Blake St to be about 1 in 8 whereas the sign for Gleadless Road says that is 1 in 6 for similarish lengths. Hagg Hill is defintely steeper at about 1 in 5 but it's not really an everyday sort of road as it's out of the way.
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how do "you calculate" blake street to be 1 in 8?
It is bloody steep.

Not been up hagg hill, so wouldn't know - wouldn't like to underestimate! although I know what walkley bank road looks like, which goes at an angle up that hillside and that's steep, and from the map hagg hill goes perpendicalarly straight up the same hillside...

marinyork · May 2007

I calculate Blake St to be about 1 in 8 because it climbs about 80 ft in 620ft. So a bit steeper than 1 in 8 (Hagg Hill is steeper than 1 in 5 on the same calculation). They are both very steep!

Hagg Hill feels insane, whatever form of transport you are using - walking, bicycle or motorvehicle.

Cobnar is very steep too but I have seen people cycle down the path and onto the road and I rememeber a time when I think the path was different. Definitely a laugh.

Unknown · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by greglemondsdad

Im from bradford and Agree, especially the south side of the city, Wibsey, Clayton, Queensbury. Also coming back from Halifax to Bradford isn't the best. A big vote for Bradford from me!
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Me too, I live in Bradford but work all over the UK, I say Bratfud has got to be the hilliest.[:(] Fortunately I live on the North (posh) side[:D] and can escape along the Aire Valley when I am not feeling super fit..........which is most days.

dave5ncp · May 2007

I would have said Bradford and Sheffield first spring to mind.

I lived in Swansea for some years and that's got some challenges.

I remember seeing professional Milk Race cyclists pushing, - yes, pushing - their bikes up Constitution Hill.

 please pretend there's a horizontal line here. I couldnt work out how to put one in.
You stir my natural emotions

nolf · May 2007

I would say Bristol is possibly the worst, Cardiff has a gradual rise as you head further North, which I guess counts as a hill.

Bristol some parts I wouldn;t try to cycle up, I would fall over backwards!

Pride speaks, but Elephants listen...

vernonlevy · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by soltydog

I spent the vast majority of my growing up years in Bradford, in a village called Queensbury, which is one of the highest in England. It was great going for a bike ride as a kid, because everwhere was downhill [:D] but it was a complete mare coming home with some long steep hills. As i got older & passed my test it was the hills that put me off cycling.
Now i'm in east yorkshire & it's very flat & i have started to enjoy cycling again. I'm thinking of cycling over to Bradford & Queensbury to see some friends in the summer, but not sure if i'll make the hills, esp at the end of an 80 mile ride [V]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

If the letter of the law was applied, lunchtime supervisors in the local schools in Queensbury would need a mountain leadership certificate. Or is that a local myth?

britains hillliest city

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