The hardest hill climbs in the UK!??

matbarbour

Hi, Matt Barbour, Contributing Editor here...writing a piece for Cycling Plus on the above topic, and need to get a list together...hopefully these will be legendary UK climbs, with all the relevant stats and even some kind of on-going hill champion to chat to who's mastered it. Obviously happy to plug any race etc that incorporates the climb as well as local clubs etc. Any ideas? Or email me direct at matbarbour@gmail.com. Thanks, Matt

holmeboy

Bealach Na Ba, 2000ft in 6 miles (bit near the top almost as steep as Hardknots steep bit). Nuff said

LeighB

Its very hard to quantify the hardest climbs as it is very much dependant on the state your in when you start the ascent. The best example of this is attempting to ride up Hardknott Pass (Cumbria) during the Fred Whitton Challenge, you start the climb with about 90 hard miles in your legs so a hard climb becomes monstrous. I live in Cumbria and have ridden over quite a few of the hills and passes here but have not cycled in Wales, Scotland or (some parts of)Yorkshire where I believe there are some good climbs. Having read a few debates on which is the hardest climb it would seem we all have our own opinions so would it be possible with the aid of computer wizardry to be a bit scientific and measure distance of climb, height gain etc? For what its worth here are my hardest local climbs.

Hardknott Pass from Eskdale side
Wrynose Pass from Little Langdale side
Kirkstone Pass from Ambleside (AKA The Struggle)
Hardknott Pass from Cockley Beck
Kirkstone Pass from Ullswater
Coal Road from Dent Station side (Yorkshire)
Honister Pass from Seatoller
Fell Foot (Gummers How Road) from Newby Bridge

I have not been up Great Dun Fell but its on my to do list.

pugwashcp

Bwlch-y-Groes is a swine of a climb.

Features quite heavily in local sportives and like Hardknott on the Fred is a killer with a few miles in your legs. If I'm honest it kicks the s#it out of me at any stage of a ride. :shock:

coulcher

Cleeve Hill on the Cotswold Ride.

It hits you after 60 miles and dismounts almost the entire field. A narrow 25% that just goes on that little bit too long. It's hard just to keep the front wheel on the ground at that gradient. It's taken me 5 Cotswolds Rides but with a lighter body & lighter bike I finally managed it this year without dismounting. Devil's Staircase in Brecon Beacons is also 25% but seems a lot more manageable, probably a lot shorter.

ugo.santalucia

I think you want to distinguish between the hardest climbs, like Hardknott or the Great Dun Fell and the climbs which have made the history of cycling in Britain, which are the classics of the Milk Race, like the Cat and Fiddle, Snake Pass etc... not necessarily monsters.

The former are rather disused roads, just known among keen cyclists for their harshness and brutal gradients, but as for history and legend... well, they're not exactly the Mont Ventoux, are they?

anagallis_arvensis

I've ridden all the lakeland passes, Bwlch-y-groes and others abroad and still think that some of my local Chilterns climbs are harder, I've climbed Britwell Hill in Oxfordshire in less than 3 mins but it still kills me everytime the short sharp intense climbs are the worst for me.

matbarbour

Fantastic - I think the idea with this piece is that you don't have to go abroad to find some truly lung-busting climbs...as you guys seem to know! More suggestions please! And thanks for all your feedback...Matt (matbarbour@gmail.com)

ugo.santalucia

matbarbour wrote:

Fantastic - I think the idea with this piece is that you don't have to go abroad to find some truly lung-busting climbs...as you guys seem to know! More suggestions please! And thanks for all your feedback...Matt (matbarbour@gmail.com)

Well, that's a different matter... one would expect that if you write an article for Cycling plus, you should be aware of the cycling scene in your country.
You should know very well that there are sportive rides famous for their climbs, I'm talking about the Fred Whitton or the Polka Dot... do your homework!

matbarbour

Ugo, you're right, there are of course loads of sportives etc with great climbs, we're just trying to get the most possible feedback from CP readers on which THEY think deserve a place in our top ten. Thanks again, Matt

nasahapley

Would be nice to have something from the Dales in there seeing as it's such a popular cycling area - I'd nominate either Park Rash (which I think was used for the national hill-climb back in the day), or Fleet Moss from Hawes (which might have featured in the Tour of Britain once). My vote for hardest of all would go to Hardknott though. Tbh I don't really care about the 'heritage' of a climb - I'd rather test myself on some super-steep but relatively unknown back road than cycle up a busy A-road with a fairly gentle gradient just because it's been on the ToB a few times.

ugo.santalucia

nasahapley wrote:

Would be nice to have something from the Dales in there seeing as it's such a popular cycling area - I'd nominate either Park Rash (which I think was used for the national hill-climb back in the day), or Fleet Moss from Hawes (which might have featured in the Tour of Britain once). My vote for hardest of all would go to Hardknott though. Tbh I don't really care about the 'heritage' of a climb - I'd rather test myself on some super-steep but relatively unknown back road than cycle up a busy A-road with a fairly gentle gradient just because it's been on the ToB a few times.

And I agree with you, I'm for beauty rather than gradient, but the concept is similar. But most people would travel all the way to Bourg d'Oisans just to climb the Alpe d'Huez, which is neither the hardest nor the prettiest among the alpine climbs. Infact it's a big road leading to a rather ugly resort.

Chris James

nasahapley wrote:

Tbh I don't really care about the 'heritage' of a climb - I'd rather test myself on some super-steep but relatively unknown back road than cycle up a busy A-road with a fairly gentle gradient just because it's been on the ToB a few times.

There are plenty of super steep back roads around this neck of the woods but few of them have the grandeur of the busy A road snaking up Holme Moss.

The road from Melmerby to Alston in Cumbria (Hartside Pass?) is pretty impressive too. Another A road.

I think any climb should be long, unremitting, with spectacular views. I am not too bothered about absolute steepness.

Edit: Corrected Brough to Melmerby, also I didn't read the title propelry, it says 'hardest' whereas I was describing what I view as 'best'

daviesee

holmeboy wrote:

Bealach Na Ba, 2000ft in 6 miles (bit near the top almost as steep as Hardknots steep bit). Nuff said

Wot he said! :P

pneumatic

I am a not terribly fit 40 something.

I've been up the Alpe d'Huez, Galibier and the Ventoux (as well as a scattering of lesser Euro cols). I managed them all with a bit of determination.

I've been up the Bealech na Ba, the Cairn O Mount and the Duke's Pass in my native Scotland. The Cairn from the South is a brute.

With that pedigree, I thought I'd try my luck in the Lake District. I started with Wrynose from Langdale. I completely blew up two thirds of the way up. For me, that is the most savage ribbon of tarmac I have ever encountered (and I'm going back to try again! :evil: )

yr99jparkin

ROSEDALE CHMNEY

TarmacExpert

This is the toughest climb I've ever done:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&sourc ... 2&t=h&z=14

1.172 miles, 676 ft elevation gain, average gradient 11.0%. Much steeper in places, e.g. one bit 344 feet long is an average gradient of 20.4%. My shortest gear is 39/25 and it was seriously tough to keep going up there.

A friend said it was part of the route for a cycling race where he went to watch as they reached the top, and he said they all looked to be in absolute agony at the top.

snaffledog

IMO Winnats Pass commands some respect.
Certainly not the steepest, have been up Honister Pass (Seatoller side) and Kirkstone Pass (Struggle and Ullswater), but when there is a strong gusty headwind blowing all the way down the entire length of the climb , its brutal.

a_n_t

snaffledog wrote:

IMO Winnats Pass commands some respect.

True, but that's where climbs are subjective, Winnats has never caused me a problem, I think mam nik is harder!

Anonymous

1. Hardknott from Eskdale
2. Bwlch Y Groes from Dina Mawddwy
3. Great Dunfell
4. Wrynose from Langdale
5. Bealach Na Ba or the 'Struggle'
6. Caper Hill,Boltby Bank,Blakey Bank,Rosedale Chimney...take your pick from the NY Moors killers....
7. Glen Quaich (from Kenmore)
8. Glendaruel to Otter Ferry.
9. Park Rash or Fleetmoss from Hawes.
10. Honister pass (any direction).

Guy who said Bealach Na Ba at the top is as steep is Hardknott....Aye Right!...

The top 4 on this list are Sphincter twitchers for me...and Ive never any real confidence on approach...no matter how many times I conquer them...they are brutal....and the NY Moor collection always have me fairly alarmed aswell....just so damn steep....in fact all on that last are nightmares!..

Out of all the climbs Ive did abroad Im still more frightened of some of the above.....

pugwashcp

I got up up Hardknott and Wrynose earlier in the year (just!) and I wouldn't even entertain the thought of tackling 'the struggle' out of Ambleside. Been up in the car and anyone who's done it on a bike has my respect.

Solis

pugwashcp wrote:

I got up up Hardknott and Wrynose earlier in the year (just!) and I wouldn't even entertain the thought of tackling 'the struggle' out of Ambleside. Been up in the car and anyone who's done it on a bike has my respect.

I would give it a go pugwashop, I find the struggle hard but acheivable, but attempted Wrynose from Langdale a few weeks ago and failed

That said my real problem on the brutal climbs is keeping the front wheel in contact with the tarmac, think I need a few pointers in the weight distribution department?

slunker

Lowther hill in the radar ride.

After 100 miles in the legs it's a touch hard.

pneumatic

According to Salite D'Europa,

http://www.salite.ch/struttura/default.asp?Ultime=10

the hardest UK climbs over 5km long are:

Scotland
Bealech na Ba 120
Glen Quaich 68
Ratagan (Glenshiel) 65

Wales
Bwlch 106
Tumble 71
Horseshoe Pass 70

England
Great Dunn Fell 101
Kirkstone 87
Lucott Moor 81
(Hardnott 105 is less than 5km long)

Northern Ireland is not differentiated but in the island of ireland:
Leinster Mount 113

The scores are based on the criteria used by Salite Europa (very complicated)

WARNING: before exploring salite.ch, clear your diary - you'll be there for some time; it is compulsive browsing for the hill bunny.

roger_merriman

pneumatic wrote:

According to Salite D'Europa,

http://www.salite.ch/struttura/default.asp?Ultime=10

the hardest UK climbs over 5km long are:

Scotland
Bealech na Ba 120
Glen Quaich 68
Ratagan (Glenshiel) 65

Wales
Bwlch 106
Tumble 71
Horseshoe Pass 70

England
Great Dunn Fell 101
Kirkstone 87
Lucott Moor 81
(Hardnott 105 is less than 5km long)

Northern Ireland is not differentiated but in the island of ireland:
Leinster Mount 113

The scores are based on the criteria used by Salite Europa (very complicated)

WARNING: before exploring salite.ch, clear your diary - you'll be there for some time; it is compulsive browsing for the hill bunny.

any idea where they get there data from? as with regards to the tumble the data isn't wildly correct, even the name for starters.

Tom Butcher

Kirkstone from which side? Only done it on the Fred Whitton but didn't find it that hard - possibly less so than Holme Moss from the Phil and Friends direction - think that would also be over 5k?

pneumatic

roger merriman wrote:

any idea where they get there data from? as with regards to the tumble the data isn't wildly correct, even the name for starters.

I think it is a collaborative project, so if your Italian is up to it, you could always submit corrections and improvements. Agreed about the naming, too. Some of it is not quite the commonly used terminology for these climbs.

That said, I have found the site to be invaluable in my preparations for Alpine raids and I have also used it to produce comparative charts of the climbs I have done. FWIW, the Ventoux from Bedoin is evidently the most challenging I have done. Can't wait to see it in action again tomorrow in the TDF!

Mossrider

Winnats. Holme Moss is a toughie but in my view not a killer. Ewden Beck on Strines is a complete ....... especially after a long ride (The Strines road generally can be a bit nasty, particularly if you end it by going straight over and climbing to Penistone).

That nasty hill climb the Matlock CC use up to Riber.

Coal road in the Yorkshire Dales is a swine, but my views are possibly clouded by the fact that I only ever hit it with lots of miles under my belt already.

That road where the tram runs in Llandudno up to Great Ormes Head looks nasty: any one done it?

ded

According to Salite D'Europa, ... the hardest UK climbs over 5km long are:

Scotland ... Glen Quaich 68 ...

Wales ... Horseshoe Pass 70

Which proves 2 things:

a) the difficulty of a climb is very subjective!
b) that site over-simplifies roads/gradients in the UK

because there is no way on earth the Horseshoe Pass is harder than that road out of Kenmore over to Glen Quaich! Horseshoe Pass is a nice steady climb, the Kenmore-Glen Quaich road is vicious, with tight hairpins and very steep ramps. I'm also not convinced there is an entire km of 12.8% on the Horseshoe Pass...

Having said all that, I think (from my limited knowledge) its European assessments are more realistic...

Chubby on a compact

Bwlch y groes and hardnott Pass, the others don't even come close.

symo

OK, not particularly long but three in succession in Devon are

Dartmeet-Ponsworthy-Widdecombe.
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/gb/abbot ... 7709179262

Just plain steep. I do them once a month when I am angry at myself.