Hardknott or chimney Bank or boltby or..................

timmjackson

Hi Tim here,
I know this sounds a bit wierd to some of you but i am interested to know which climbs are percieved to be the toughested? I have climbed both of these beasts a couple of times and i think hardknott just edges it.ID LIKE TO KNOW WHAT OTHER peoplnd to know what make s us "love" tackling them.? :evil: :evil:

Brian B

I have not cycled boltby or the chimney but I will this year and tick them off my list.

I have known guys who have and they reckon Hardknott is tougher. I have got up Hardknott myself more than a few time now and its the hardest climb I have done and more so at 100 miles during the Fred Whitton. Wrynose East is also very hard and come close to Hardknott in terms of difficulty.

I also hope to do the 'Bylwch' the hard this year(having done the other side in this years mega challenge) and have heard that this is the only climb in Britian that can match hardknott pass.

The only other climb(in Brittain) I have done is great dun fell which I rate harder than Wrynose come cloase to Hardknott.

I wonder why I want to climb the hardest hills and do the hilly sportives - Its because its the feeling of euphoria you get when you get up to the top after and all the pain, sweating, nervousness all goes away when you summit a REALLY hard climb and the occasional day when you feel great when climbing and nothing can hurt you.

I have done a lot of big europian climbs over the years and still reckon that Hardnott pass and the likes can match any in terms of difficulty.

dodgy

I've done Wrynose and Hardknot, and curiously, I reckon Wrynose was harder (which surprised me based on reading I'd done prior to riding them).

oldwelshman

All climbs are hard Why are people obsessed with which climbs are supposedly the hardest or not, there are loads of threads on this.
It is so variable anyway depending how you feel, conditions, and how far you have ridden.
Last year my hardest climb was up Pnnderyn in Brecon which is not steep at all, but I was blown to a standstill on a 39 x 27 !!
It was not much better in the Cymru Gran Fondo when the weather took a turn for the worse and started hailstoning and strong winds towards the finish, and that was on the flat

Anonymous

I've did Hardknott/Wrynose both directions a few times now...I've also did Chimney Bank and Boltby Bank a few good times aswell...all VERY hard....and bonkers steep.

Depends which way you do Hardknott or Wrynose......Hardknott West (the FWC direction) is for me much much tougher than the Chimney or Botlby...in fact I think its in a different world....Chimney and Boltby are 1km of utter pain...but Hardknotts 2kms....Hardknott East I think is close in terms to Chimney or Boltby....

Wrynose West (the FWC way) is not so bad, but I hate Wrynose East....for me its the 4th toughest Ive did in the UK...

Like Brian (my brother) has said, Ive only did one other climb in the Uk which rivals Hardknott West...Bwlch Y Groes (from Dinas Mawddwy)....thats hellish aswell....and for those who want to discover more pain then tackle Great Dun Fell.....in terms of suffering thats (for me) just behind Hardknott West or Bwlch Y Groes.