Park Rash - how gnarly?
andy_from_embsay
Posts: 343
I've ridden most of the climbs in the dales, but next weekend we're off to have a bash up Park Rash, which from memory of having come down it is very steep indeed - but it's been a while and a lot of miles have passed since then. How does it compare with (eg) the cove roads (both sides) at Malham, Coal Rd, Langbar etc for steepness and "length of tough bit"?
We've also ridden over things like Hardknott, so reasonably confident we can get up most stuff, but with Park Rash from Kettlewell then coming back by "Fleet Moss- The Hard Way" I think we're in for an interesting day.
We've also ridden over things like Hardknott, so reasonably confident we can get up most stuff, but with Park Rash from Kettlewell then coming back by "Fleet Moss- The Hard Way" I think we're in for an interesting day.
0
Comments
-
To me I think Park Rash id the toughest climb in the Dales.
I cannot compare it to Hardknott but what I have heard I would say that Hardknott would be tougher. In any event, Park Rash will test anyone and you will certainly know that you have done a very tough climb.
One of the rewards of climbing Park Rash is the great ride through Coverdale.Crediamo in te, bici!
My Bikes.0 -
Park Rash is very difficult...the first section is very steep...you get a break in the middle before another lungbusting section at the top...as far as difficulty...maybe along with Fleetmoss from hawes this is the toughest in the Dales....and Oxnop from Askrigg aint far behind either!...Park Rash is way steeper than Coal Road, Langbar etc...yes, much harder.....but you cannot compare it to Hardknott Pass (the FWC way)...no, not even on the same planet....not much is! As Steve stated its a lovely decent down from there.0
-
May be it's not in the same class as Hardknott or Rosedale or even Church Houses BUT it is one hell of a climb as many of the riders of The Richmond Sportive found out, I past several riders who had failed and were pushing.0
-
John C. wrote:May be it's not in the same class as Hardknott or Rosedale or even Church Houses BUT it is one hell of a climb as many of the riders of The Richmond Sportive found out, I past several riders who had failed and were pushing.
Surely failed is a harsh word John. I saw many guys on this years Fred who 'failed' Hardknott and even though I got up they easily beat my time by an hour so who is the better rider?Brian B.0 -
Never ridden up it but when we descended it on the tandem I told my wife that if I said 'Jump off" to do it immediately as the situation wasn't going to improve
There was no way we could have actually stopped and I was concerned in case a cable broke. Several of our companions walked down!
Must be a killer the other way.
GeoffOld cyclists never die; they just fit smaller chainrings ... and pedal faster0 -
Brian B wrote:John C. wrote:May be it's not in the same class as Hardknott or Rosedale or even Church Houses BUT it is one hell of a climb as many of the riders of The Richmond Sportive found out, I past several riders who had failed and were pushing.
Surely failed is a harsh word John. I saw many guys on this years Fred who 'failed' Hardknott and even though I got up they easily beat my time by an hour so who is the better rider?
OK failed may not be the correct word, but especially on The Fred you HAVE to ride it all, if not then what's the point ? On last years Fred some riders had no intention of trying to ride Hardknott, seams a strange way of going on to me. I've no argument of fitting an ultra low gear for a particular ride but at least give it your best shot.0 -
As with any ride it depends how many miles you have completed before, but be in no doubt park rash is a 'killer'.
As noted earlier, the first section of the climb is the toughest section. As you leave kettlewell you get the chance to see most of the climb. It is worth pausing here to assess how to climb the various sections because once you're on it, there's not enough oxygen in the atmosphere (or my lungs for that matter) to think tactics.
A timely reminder for all the Dales Grimpeurs riding next week!!
Good luck0 -
Cheers - we'll be riding it very early on as we'll start from Grassington, but hen we'll have Fleet Moss from Hawes at the end!
Is there a sportive going up there next weekend then?0 -
Best advice I can give is to call all hills Mr or Sir before you conquer them, only then may you refer to them in familiarity such as Boltby or Rosedale. RESPECT is due to all hills and those who forget this will be punished, especially when they are near the end of a ride.0
-
Having ridden Fleet Moss from Hawes, followed by Park Rash from Kettlewell yesterday on the Richmond Five Dales sportive, I thought that Fleet Moss was quite a bit harder than Park Rash. The first steep bit of Park Rash is very steep but is over with quite quickly. You then have a bit of respite before the final 25% section at the top.
Fleet Moss on the other hand, starts off steadily and gradually steepens until the final 25% pitch at the top. Though not as steep as Park Rash on average, it is longer,and to me at any rate, more difficult. Bear in mind that we hit Park Rash after Fleet Moss as well, and I still found it less demanding.
I haven't ridden the Coal Road from the head of Dentdale for a year or so, but my recollection is that it is probably harder than either of these two.0 -
Climbs & Difficulty are very personal.....guys who have did a certain climb just once and did it with very little in the legs and in good form can come away with an altogether different apprecaition as someone who has hit the climb off form or with lots in the legs?
Personally I found Fleetmoss a tad tougher than Park Rash yesterday aswell....but the steepness of Park Rash put many doubts in my head aswell....and the top section really hurt me aswell....I'd say they are maybe equal tough but slightly different efforts....
Me and my mate have ridden Coal Road from Dent...and we never found it so bad?....but maybe another day I'd find it horrific.....its a personal thing....maybe you have to ride a climb a good few times before a true understanding is acheived?
One thing so....your gonna find both those climbs tough no matter what!0 -
RICHYBOYcp wrote:
Me and my mate have ridden Coal Road from Dent...and we never found it so bad?....but maybe another day I'd find it horrific.....its a personal thing....maybe you have to ride a climb a good few times before a true understanding is acheived?
Thinking about it, I didn't have a 29 on the back when I rode it last, so you're probably right.0 -
I think Park Rash is marginally worse, but that's because 2 of the three times I've climbed it were after Fleet Moss. Fleet Moss on Saturday was particularly tough with the wind, but I personally find it easier as it kicks up at the end whereas Park Rash kicks hard and the start then I'm hanging on from then on.
Also think the Coal Road is easier but maybe my memory is fading...0 -
If want to test yourself on park rash with some miles in your legs, there is no finer opportunity than taking on the dales grimpeur audax on saturday 30th may.
http://www.aukweb.net/cal/index.htm
This route is 215km and includes 4600m of climbing. This includes park rash but only after you have ridden from pateley ridge via greenhow, burnsall, malham, cole road and fleet moss (hawes side).
A mammoth ride and there is plenty more after park rash!!
I'm planing to do this as prep for the dave lloyd mega challenge, but I cannot overstate the challenge of park rash. Not quite bwlch-y- groes, but vey very close0 -
Compared the Garmin Data from the Richmond Sportive and Park Rash maxes out at 31% whereas Fleet Moss is around 20-25%... :shock:0
-
I'd agree with those stats based upon how it feels to climb both.
Although shorter in length, Park Rash is another level compared to the longer Fleet Moss.0 -
So much of this game is in the mind isn't it?
I hadn't ridden Park Rash before Saturday, and everyone had told me how hard it was. Perhaps I'd built it up to be something even harder than it is, so that when I got there it seemed ok.
Perhaps it's also down to the way you climb as well. Some people thrive on long steady climbs while others find it easier to grovel up the short steep ones.0 -
It also depends greatly on the experience a rider has of other climbs.
If you havent ridden many tough steep climbs then things like Fleetmoos, Park Rash, Coal Road, Oxnop etc are gonna put a very permanent marker in the head and they will feel the toughest ever.....and beleive me I've got a very healthy respect for them all.
But....If you have ridden things like Hardknott West, Blwch Y Groes (from Dinas), Great Dunfell, Wrynose East, Rosedale Chimney etc then these Dales brutes are placed in a less severe order....
I know on Saturday that I was truly tested....Fleetmoss & Park Rash were well enough for me....but at least the thought of doing them never ruined my enjoyment of the brilliant Richmond 5 dale sportive....whereas on the FWC last year my entire day was partly ruined as I couldnt get out my head what I was coming to at 100miles....and as a result I opted not to do the event again for a good while....that climb is too hard at 100miles!
Climbs don't have to be the toughest to be the most enjoyable....and thats why I love the Dales so much...the climbs are very very tough....and a great day with very quiet roads can be acheived...the Lakes climbs are tougher...but the roads are fairly busy?....
Personally I think the NY Moors are probably all round best....amazingly quiet roads....some of the toughest climbs in the UK....
Me and my brother did a VERY tough 60miler in the Dales once....Keld, Buttertubs, Hawes, Fleetmoss,Kettlewell, Park Rash, West Witton, Askrigg, Oxnop, Muker, Keld.....anyone wanting to test themselves then try that!...I can assure it will hurt.
The new White Rose Classic takes in Park Rash....along with many other brutes...maybe the toughest sportive in the Dales?0 -
Just looking at Park Rash on an OS map - my memory of coming down it is the steepest bit wasright at the bottom, but from this there looks to be a steep section just out of the village, but the steepest bit looks to be maybe half a mile up the road - is that where it starts going up properly? It was lashing down when I came down there so I was on autopilot!0
-
There is a steep little climb out of the village, and when I did Park Rash, I made the mistake of thinking that was it. I got a bit of a shock when I got round the corner and saw the real thing looming up in front of me! :shock:andy_from_embsay wrote:Just looking at Park Rash on an OS map - my memory of coming down it is the steepest bit wasright at the bottom, but from this there looks to be a steep section just out of the village, but the steepest bit looks to be maybe half a mile up the road - is that where it starts going up properly? It was lashing down when I came down there so I was on autopilot!
Yes, Park Rash starts further down the valley. This should make it more obvious...
0 -
I see! Actually I think I remember it now, through a rain and wind lashed haze - I rode all the way up Coverdale on my own straight into a 30mph wind and lost the power of rational thought somewhere on the way...0
-
For further info my Garmin 305 gives Fleet moss at 20% and Park Rash at 21% from Saturdays 5 Dales...and I found Fleet Moss quite a bit harder, a combination of headwind and seeing the whole hill
With Park Rash and a 29 sprocket I just used my weight to lever the gear over (plus of course a bit of leg power!) , at little better than walking pace though!0 -
Cheers for all the advice - just back from riding over the pair of 'em. Must say Park Rash gave us the willies just looking at it, but actually once the first stretch was over it wasn't too bad (although Chapeau to you guys that rode it after 80 miles last weekend). Fleet Moss from Hawes was something else though - when people talk about the steep bit at the top I'd always assumed they mean the bit with the 20% sign just before the summit - but of course it's the very top bit of the long straight section you flog up after the farms. I must say I was struggling a bit up there, especially as it makes you think you've cracked it with a tiny respite before biting you in the arse again.
Out of 4 of us we had 2 fairly clean ascents, one with a lot of weaving about and one walker!
Cracking day out though - 56 miles round trip from Grassington, and only 4 idiot drivers, none of whom were motorcyclists, which makes a change for a sunny sunday!0 -
John C. wrote:May be it's not in the same class as Hardknott or Rosedale or even Church Houses BUT it is one hell of a climb as many of the riders of The Richmond Sportive found out, I past several riders who had failed and were pushing.
I did not think Hardknott was that hard tbh, if only I used my 26 ring on the cassette I'd have got up it faster
, now I have a 27 :twisted: 0 -
freehub wrote:John C. wrote:May be it's not in the same class as Hardknott or Rosedale or even Church Houses BUT it is one hell of a climb as many of the riders of The Richmond Sportive found out, I past several riders who had failed and were pushing.
I did not think Hardknott was that hard tbh, if only I used my 26 ring on the cassette I'd have got up it faster , now I have a 27 :twisted:
Mmmmm.....can't quite beleive this quote...are we talking about the FWC side?...is so then this is just a boast....and complete nonsense...how can Hardknott possibly be 'not that hard'....if so then 99.9% of every other hill in the UK is p*ss easy....0 -
freehub wrote:John C. wrote:May be it's not in the same class as Hardknott or Rosedale or even Church Houses BUT it is one hell of a climb as many of the riders of The Richmond Sportive found out, I past several riders who had failed and were pushing.
I did not think Hardknott was that hard tbh, if only I used my 26 ring on the cassette I'd have got up it faster , now I have a 27 :twisted:
As I've said before I've ridden Boltby, Rosedale and Wrynose East on the middle ring (42) but I was fresh and just nicely warmed up, with a hundred miles and 3000m of climb on the legs I'll use as low a gear as I can find. Must admit Boltby and Rosedale were just to prove a point and it near killed me.0 -
andy_from_embsay wrote:Cheers for all the advice - just back from riding over the pair of 'em. Must say Park Rash gave us the willies just looking at it, but actually once the first stretch was over it wasn't too bad (although Chapeau to you guys that rode it after 80 miles last weekend). Fleet Moss from Hawes was something else though - when people talk about the steep bit at the top I'd always assumed they mean the bit with the 20% sign just before the summit - but of course it's the very top bit of the long straight section you flog up after the farms. I must say I was struggling a bit up there, especially as it makes you think you've cracked it with a tiny respite before biting you in the ars* again.
Out of 4 of us we had 2 fairly clean ascents, one with a lot of weaving about and one walker!
Aye I did these two today and agree largely with what you say - parked at Addingham (should have driven up to Grassington) cycled up to Kettlewell. Found Park Rash a real toughy, down to Leyburn - then a long grind over the moor (alongside an active firing range) before descending to Reeth. Along to Muker .. must say along Swaledale I was dreading the pull up over Buttertubs, but with a tailwind it wasn't too bad. (It looks much harder from Hawes .. or it seemed it descending).
Then over Fleet Moss from Hawes - this is an @rse. That long long grind before the two steep ramps at the end. I was well and truly weaving on it. The sweat/suncream combo is a pain.
That left a pretty torrid hilly 30 or so miles back to the car, including one near miss with a sheep which ran across me as I descending off Fleet Moss - a bit of impromptu skidding on the verge followed, but I stayed up right.0 -
John C. wrote:
OK failed may not be the correct word, but especially on The Fred you HAVE to ride it all, if not then what's the point ? On last years Fred some riders had no intention of trying to ride Hardknott, seams a strange way of going on to me. I've no argument of fitting an ultra low gear for a particular ride but at least give it your best shot.
Each to their own - if I was going for a challenge I'd always try and complete the course as fast as possible - for me walking a stretch of the hill is neither here nor there. Everyone will have their own motivations though.
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0
