25% hills or other big hills within 50 miles Frome, Somerset

TheBullet

Hi all,

I'm looking for big steep hills (25%) or just good old long hills within 50 miles of Frome in Somerset.
Any ideas would be appreciated - and links to a map if poss

Thanks

GeorgeShaw

Mendips. Old Bristol Road out of Wells, from Wookey to Priddy, from Westbury to Priddy, from Draycott to Priddy, Cheddar Gorge, and that's just the south side.

alfablue

There are plenty of steep hills on the roads out of Bath, not sure which reach 25% though. One of the very steepest hills I have found outside of Cumbria is Margarets Hill leading intoGays (!) Hill near the city centre. It is very short, and probably not worth going to specially, but you will have trouble keeping your front wheel on the ground, and any motorists struggling up there will be well impressed with you (or think you are mad!).

I regularly ride a loop from Bath City Centre to Castle Combe and it includes a challenging climb to Ashwicke from North End up Oakford Lane, and a fantastic descent (which you could climb) down Bannerdown Road. Not sure how steep this is, but I reach 45mph without trying (maxed out at 50mph once, but that is a bit crazy!).

The route is here, look at the altitude profile in the first third (Oakford) and the last quarter (Bannerdown) - two great hills there! (Don't look at the embarrassing average speed, my excuse is that I was with my newbie cyclist girlfriend!

I am sure there are plenty of other decent hills out of Bath, there are 7 hills surrounding the city.

TheBullet

The route is here, look at the altitude profile in the first third (Oakford) and the last quarter (Bannerdown) - two great hills there

Thanks alfa, I will check out Bannerdown at some point. What equipment are you using for the route and altitue profile?

Mendips. Old Bristol Road out of

I've done Cheddar Gorge and Wells a few times from that area - Burrington Combe is also a great climb.

alfablue

I'm using my Nokia N82 phone, with the (free) Sportstracker software, its pretty neat!

You must be drawn to hills, I am, my gf thinks it is an illness!!!

a_n_t

just look for << double chevrons on an OS map.

RufyBear999

How about these:

1. Brassknocker Hill near Bath

2. From Vobster or Coleford to Leigh-on-Mendip (near Frome), then via the Bull's Green link road back to Nunney

3. Abbotsbury Hill, Dorset, then to Burton Bradstock and via the NCN up to Hardy's monument and then downhill!! to Abbotsbury.

Jeff Jones

Another near Bath. If you turn right off Bathford hill about halfway up, you hit Prospect Place / Fairleigh Rise. That's 20% for around 400m and nasty.

If you want steadier, longer climbs, then any of the roads going up to the Mendips are good. New Road up from Draycott is also quite steep, I think it averages 12% for a couple of km. It's either that one or one of the ones up from Westbury.

Cheddar Gorge is only 4% (with a short steep stretch near the bottom), but a really good training climb because you're on it for a bit longer than the others.

TheBullet

From Vobster or Coleford to Leigh-on-Mendip (near Frome), then via the Bull's Green link road back to Nunney

I have done Brassknocker Hill - that's a stinger but fairly short. I will defo check out the Vobster/Coleford to Leigh-on-Mendip though. Thanks.

turn right off Bathford hill about halfway up, you hit Prospect Place / Fairleigh Rise. That's 20% for around 400m and nasty.

This sounds good - i will give it a go soon! Cheers.

lowe

Last spring one of club members organised a Flanders tribute ride around Bath that took in more than its fair share of steep hills. The one at Southstoke is particualy unplesant! A desciption and report of the ride can be seen below.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Ronde-Van-Walcot
http://www.vc-walcot.com/index.php?page=spring-classics

pots

i am sure i read on this or another forum,that there is a '5 hills of bath' training route.someone on here may know about it

stfc1

Lansdown Lane, which takes you from Weston village on the edge of Bath up to the race course, can be 'fun'.

alfablue

stfc1 wrote:

Lansdown Lane, which takes you from Weston village on the edge of Bath up to the race course, can be 'fun'.

Oh yes, that's a good 'un :twisted:

map