what would be a reasonable time up kirkstone pass?

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  • Steve I
    Steve I Posts: 428
    I've not ridden in the Lakes. How would Kirkstone compare to Bwlch y Groes in Wales?
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,912
    Steve I wrote:
    I've not ridden in the Lakes. How would Kirkstone compare to Bwlch y Groes in Wales?

    the short way up Bwlch is tougher than any of the ways up kirkstone.. from lung bursting brainsplattering gradient POV

    the long ways up kirkstone are harder than the long ways up Bwlch

    kirkstone is very ridable yet challenging

    Bwlch the easy ways is just a moderate climb IMO
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • Steve I
    Steve I Posts: 428
    Thanks for that. I'd forgotten there are 3 ways up the Bwlch and did mean the hard route i.e. from Dinas Mawddwy.

    There is a virtually unheard of lane that runs from Trefriw in the Conwy valley to Llyn Cowlyd. I've never heard anyone mention it. It climbs about 410 meters in a bit less than 2 miles with an average gradient of 14%, all on smooth tarmac. The trouble is it's a dead end unless you fancy riding around Llyn Cowlyd on the bridleway (most definitely mtb territory). I did the climb on my mountain bike. Not sure if I'd have made it on my road bike even with a triple, and that's when I'm fresh. By comparison I road the whole Bwlch without stopping on a 30-25, it was tough but manageable even after 70 hilly miles.

    The Llyn Cowlyd climb is awesome by comparison. It's like you're climbing up to the sky. At some stages I felt like I was sliding off the back of the bike.
  • Brian B
    Brian B Posts: 2,071
    Only Hardknott (the way the Fred does it)pass in the Lakes can compare with the Bwlch from Dinas - or so I've heard. I have got up Hardknott a few times without walking and almost everybody in any forum thinks these two climbs are the hardest in the UK.

    Kirkstone(even the struggle) is easy in comparison to Hardnott.

    I have not cycled the Bwlch from Dinas - I came up from Bala in the Dave Llyod this year and looked down before cutting off and it looked bad - real bad.
    Brian B.
  • shortcoursemaestro
    shortcoursemaestro Posts: 3
    how much harder is hardknott compared to the struggle? ive done the struggle loads and it still kills me. ive got hardknott pencilled in next month. :?:
  • LeighB
    LeighB Posts: 326
    I find its bad to tell as it depends on how many miles you have done before the climb. The main difference with Hardknott is the real steep bits; its a battle just to keep on turning the pedals.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/21286698@N06/
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,912
    shortcoursemaestro wrote:
    how much harder is hardknott compared to the struggle? ive done the struggle loads and it still kills me. ive got hardknott pencilled in next month. :?:

    considerably
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    How does Hardknott compare to Winnats Pass in the Peaks?
  • Brian B
    Brian B Posts: 2,071
    FJS wrote:
    How does Hardknott compare to Winnats Pass in the Peaks?

    Winnats is hard, very steep. Not in the same ballpark as Hardknott, not even close. :(
    Brian B.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,912
    FJS wrote:
    How does Hardknott compare to Winnats Pass in the Peaks?

    winnats pass is a steep long ramp

    Hardnott is hard
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Cheers Midi and Brian... looking forward to a trip to the Lakes then ;)
  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    One of the most punishing rides I have ever done is a loop starting and ending in Grasmere. Straight out and up Wrynose and then Hardnott, it's a double whammy that almost finished me. I'm no stranger to long / hard rides, but Lake District climbs always do me in because I don't get to ride in that kind of territory enough. Most of my rides are into North Wales from where I live, and even the hardest climbs there come nowhere near close to Wrynose or Hardnott.

    By the way, I consider Kirkstone to be a rather pleasant climb, comparitively.

    Dave.

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