Lake District questions

knedlicky
knedlicky Posts: 3,097
edited July 2008 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
1. I recently road the Kirkstone Pass out of Ambleside. Before the Struggle there were 3-4 stretches which I thought also pretty steep, the first still where the last houses were. A couple of signposts I noticed said the gradients were 13%. I live where there are many slopes 10-14%, so have a good idea of how such gradients feel, and I felt a couple of these slopes must be steeper than 13%.
Anyone have an idea what they might really be?

2. Does the road between the Great and Little Langdale valleys have a pass name?

Comments

  • Brian B
    Brian B Posts: 2,071
    I reckon parts of the whole 'Struggle climb' touches over 20% in places. I do a lot of steep climbs so I reckon I know what a 20% gradient is.

    We call the the road between Langdales Wallend. But I am from Scotland and it may have other local names.
    Brian B.
  • The Mechanic
    The Mechanic Posts: 1,277
    Try this link to the Struggle.

    http://ciclismo.sitiasp.it/altimetria.aspx?id=2243
    I have only two things to say to that; Bo***cks
  • nickwill
    nickwill Posts: 2,735
    We usually call the Great/Little Langdale Road, Blea Tarn. I'm not sure what the proper name is.
    http://lakescyclist.wordpress.com/
  • Brian B
    Brian B Posts: 2,071
    Nickwill wrote:
    We usually call the Great/Little Langdale Road, Blea Tarn. I'm not sure what the proper name is.

    Thats it - I have heard it called that before. Done it both ways and a decent climb if your heading towards Wrynose pass - very steep in parts.
    Brian B.
  • rhnb
    rhnb Posts: 324
    knedlicky wrote:
    2. Does the road between the Great and Little Langdale valleys have a pass name?

    The climb from Great Langdale to Little Langdale is called Wall End, the climb in the opposite direction from Little Langdale over to Great Langdale hasn't got any particular name but is known locally as the 'Blea Tarn' road (the name of the tarn up there).

    There's some pics taken from it here...

    http://www.bikeit.eclipse.co.uk/localri ... /index.htm
    ~~~
    http://www.bikeit.eclipse.co.uk
    Cycle tour reports and the home of \'Cycling Before Lycra\'
  • Brian B
    Brian B Posts: 2,071
    I hate that climb Allan. The first time I clapped eyes on it I hit my bottom gear and stayed there. Unfortunatley i climbed Wrynose after it :cry: and wished i had kept a gear back. The climbs done there are so steep.

    PS
    Hope you, Stu and my Bro have a good ride at WRC 2moro. :lol: Weather looks good - too good. Maybe a repeat of the FWC but without Hardknott :lol: .
    Brian B.
  • knedlicky
    knedlicky Posts: 3,097
    The Mechanic wrote:
    Try this link to the Struggle.

    http://ciclismo.sitiasp.it/altimetria.aspx?id=2243

    Sorry, but the link isn't so valuable because it generalises the climb too much - with its average slopes over 500 m, it's more appropriate for lorry drivers than cyclists; cyclists need to know the slope over 50-100 m. It's also inaccurate in that, e.g. it doesn't show the definite albeit small descent before 'The Struggle'.

    I'd guess the profile in the link was developed from Google Earth, so not really accurate when slopes constantly vary, given the wide spacing between elevations on Google Earth.
    Google Earth may, however, be quite valid for Continental road slopes since historically, Continental road engineers unlike UK road builders, tried to avoid short extreme slopes, rather they aimed at constant slopes the whole climb.

    Since the local authority traffic signs on the Kirkstone match the slopes shown on the link, does this mean the local authorities in the UK use 500m as their basis for what to enter on a sign for a steep hill climb?
    I'm pretty sure on the Contiment the signs reflect what is the steepest slope over 100 m distance, so much more guiding for a cyclist.

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