The hardest hill climbs in the UK!??

Anonymous

OK....lets be totally honest here...who on this forum has cycled all the legendary UK climbs?....I feel from the climbs given not much.....

I mean...Lowther Hill?....Coal Road...Holme Moss....Strines....yes they are all fairly tough going but we are talking toughest UK climbs so lets all stop the nonsense?

Scotland - my home territory...Bealach Na Ba...Glen Quiach....Glendaruel.....Cairn O Mount...Mam Ratagan...all tough but miles behind our more southern counterparts.

Dales....Park Rash.....Fleetmoss from Hawes...2 toughest.....then Oxnop from Askrigg...then Coal Road from Dent!

NY Moors....Steepest killers anywhere....not going even bother naming....

Lakes....the bible of true killer UK climbs....Hardknott being the ultimate Daddy......Wrynose from Langdale not far behind...the Struggle...Honister...and many many more....jeez its crazy!

Wales...again so many....but personally the Bwlch Y Groes is insane....so much respect for this baby...

Ive did Winnats and many more contenders but theres killer climbs and theres KILLER climbs.....

Also in the contention is Asterton Bank and Church Stretton from Long Mind fame...never did those yet but these are trues brutes aswell....

But if its honestly your looking...and for a fair appraisal then I have personally seeked out most of our brutes....and Ive did much data gathering and personal experience of these traumas..and IMO...Hardknott from Eskdale is the Daddy!...then the Bwlch Y Groes...a total Killer....then Great DunFell...climbs 30 meters more than Bealach Na Ba in 2 Kms less distance....having done both GDF sh*ts all over the Bealach....then Wrynose East...I am terrified of this beast aswell....I remember doing Bealach Na Ba the week before I first encountered this with my brother and we both near died on Wrynose whereas only the week previous we sauntered up Bealach?...


I know its all about personal experience....and theres probably no definitive answer but speaking with many other guys who have cycled up many of the UK beatsts I reckon the ones Ive mentioned above will be the hot favs...

ugo.santalucia

ded wrote:

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...

YOu are indeed right, there is a formula to calculate the difficulty of a climb, which takes into account length and average gradients. However, it works well for climbs of average length and average gradients but it provides unrealistic scores either for very short but maybe incredibly steep climbs or for very long but not necessarily supersteep climbs.
Both short bursts like Hardknott or climbs of 35 Km at 3-4% are infact much harder than the formula says they are.

Also, gradients are calculated on at least 1Km, but some climbs have short but very steep sections (20% or more) which get averaged with a following section, which might happen to be flat.

There are other factors: The Cat and Fiddle is a very simple climb, but it's often very windy, which sometimes makes it nearly impossible to pass.

I have found climbs in the Alps rated 100 or less much harder than other rated at 150-160...

TheHatter

Matt
Can I suggest splitting the climbs into regions ? Most of the generally accepted hardest climbs tend to be in the north and to be honest living close to Luton I can be in the Alps quicker than the North West but it would be interesting to see the toughest climb within my cycling range. For the record the toughest I've found is Whiteleaf hill.

DaveyL

Bealach na Ba from Tornapress on salite.ch. I must have taken a detour and missed that km of 2% average gradient near the top....

snaffledog

salite.ch tends to break down climbs by gradient over each 0.5 or 1km , thats not focused enough for the super-steep British climbs, really needs to be by at least every 100m.
their profile for Honister(seatoller) gives 7.9% average gradient over 3km, no hint that there are short 25% sections.

roger_merriman

pneumatic wrote:

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!

my Italian doesn't exist, so no go there, I'm sure it's fine for the longer alp climbs but for the shorter uk climbs the ones i know and can talk about it simply tends to make no sense.

Yorkman

Even on fresh legs, Rosedale Chimney is murderously hard.

I've not been up anything like it, even the descent has you almost going over your bars at one point, it's so steep.

And it's the only descent I've ever seen with a sign at the top telling you it's unsafe for cyclists

John C.

I was starting to to think I lived on the flat, as no one was mentioning anything on the North York Moors. These hills are totally different to the hills of the dales. The dales hills go on and on for miles where as the ones on the moors are short and sweet . Rosedale , Boltby and Blackey being the most well known . Having said that Hardknott West is a cross between the two, it's horrendously steep AND it goes on for miles.

freehub

Went down park rash yesterday, it was scary especially that s bend, I'd say that part is as hard as rosedeale chimney if you are climbing it.

antfly

How come there are supposed to be climbs of over 20% {it sometimes says that on my garminn edge} but when you work it out on an OS map it hardly ever goes over 10%?
What`s going on?

chuckcork

antfly wrote:

How come there are supposed to be climbs of over 20% {it sometimes says that on my garminn edge} but when you work it out on an OS map it hardly ever goes over 10%?
What`s going on?

Average gradient may well be barely over 10%, but at particular points a road will go straight up a hillside and be over 20%. Where you see the double arrows on an OS map that means over 20%.

antfly

I`ve got the whole of the country on memorymap and I never noticed those arrows before, thanks for enlightening me that will help me plan my rides. Clearly I haven`t yet been up any with the double arrows that mean over 20%.
edit. yes I have in the Trough of Bowland.

Jellylegs1968

On the TwoMoors100 last weekend i passed a side ride on the descent to South Molton with a gradient sign of 33% :shock:

andy162

Hi

I did the White Rose Classic last Sunday & found Park Rash abit of a pig. I was chatting with a guy in the early miles & he reckoned that you hit it at about 50 miles or so & that it was a hardest climb on the route...any how at 48 or so miles me & my mate are making our way up something of a climb with not too much trouble. I think " is that it...nowt to it!"...about another 4 miles or so...BANG! 25% gradients, more in the hairpins. That'll be Park Rash then. The last part draaaaggggsss for a bit but the early section is the most brutal.

Rosedale Chimney also kicks abit. I do a training ride from Kirbymoorside via Rosedale to near Stoksley then back to Helmsley. I go down the Chimney turn 180 in the village then go back up. It really is stupidly steep. How Randle & some of his cronies get up it on the big ring is beyond comprehension.

The NY climbs are more severe than the Dales lumps IMO.

Cheers

Andy.

paulcuthbert

I posted this recently on the CTC forum:

Just had a look at Slieve Croob climb from Finnis, near the Mourne Mountain range in Northern Ireland. From the town of Finnis at the foot of the climb to the summit is 5.3 kilometres, and the summit is at 534 metres, or 1745 feet.

The gradient jumps around wildly, from a shallow 4% at the beginning of the climb, before a tough 17% section takes you onto sections that measure between 6% and 12%- badly affecting the rhythm, before the final few kilometres level out at between 7% and 10%.

The profile is:
0 - 1.25km @ avg. 4%
1.25 - 2.25km @ avg. 8% (with a killer 17% section!)
2.25 - 3.3km @ avg. 6%
3.3 - 4.5km @ avg. 12%
4.5 - 5.3km @ avg. 7%

It looks like a Category 2, but I could be wrong about that.

If you want some photos, I can attach these...

I believe Slieve Croob, or at least Dree Hill Road which is the pass over the climb, was used in the Tour of the North, and the Tour of Ireland roads races in previous years- as well as some other passes in the nearby Mournes, but these aren't as steep or as tough as Slieve Croob.

roger_merriman

antfly wrote:

I`ve got the whole of the country on memorymap and I never noticed those arrows before, thanks for enlightening me that will help me plan my rides. Clearly I haven`t yet been up any with the double arrows that mean over 20%.
edit. yes I have in the Trough of Bowland.

well they will tend to be peak, than average, even very steep hills tend not to be 20% average though Rosedale is getting there with 16% give or take looking on the OS maps.

pneumatic

OK, so the formula for UK climbs needs to be a bit more refined than one based on average gradient over 1km at a time.

That makes sense, since most of our roads seem to consist of ribbons of tarmac poured onto the existing landscape without much attempt to actually engineer the gradient, as is the case on the continental mountain routes (most of which were made comparatively recently with a view to getting a truck's gear box to haul the mail over a mountain range).

The prize for the most horrible climb in these islands should be called the "Hobbes" prize, after Thomas Hobbes, who, in 1651, came up with the phrase "Nasty, brutish and short."

He wasted this neat little phrase by using it to describe the natural state of mankind, but that was only because he had never tried to cycle up Wrynose from Langdale.

bobh

I'm organiser of a sportive that includes the Rosedale Chimney Bank, Boltby Bank and Blakey Bank all mentioned in this subject. It's been interesting reading the vaious attempts to categorise climbs but perhaps all of this misses a few vital points. Climbs are very much the individual against the elements and the contour is just one of those elements. On the North York Moors the weather changes at the drop of a hat and so does the characteristic of any climb you hit. Another significant element is the rider's condition and mindset, even a railway bridge can be a monster if there's nothing left in the tank and as we all know there are just some climbs that get under your skin. I raced for 25 years and in my earlier days could climb with the best but there were just some climbs I never seemed to get to grips with, and never knew why. The haul up Rishworth Moor under the M62 being one, not overly steep but usually into the teeth of a biting cross head wind.
I can't ever remember reaching Lancashire on races up there, there seemed to be a point on the climb where the tempation to do the U-turn always kicked in.

There's a mystique about climbs that shouldn't really be analysed to minute detail, don't we have enough detail in our lives these days. Every climb has it's own personaility and mood and sets its challenges accordingly. It's one of the reasons why we don't make claims about the severity of the Ryedale Rumble in comparison to other events. Last year on perhaps the hottest day of the year it was a brute, who knows how it will be this time as each time I've risk assessed the course I've come away with a different view of which is the hardest of the climbs and that's from within the comfort of a car. Those who've entered will no doubt carry their own experiences and those who haven't entered well they close on Friday the 31st!

Jason Currie

The top 5 hardest climbs I've done are:

Honister (E)
Bealach na Ba (S)
Kenmore to Glen Quaich
Newlands (W)
Cairn a Mount (S)

However I had to stop on Honister at the wee stone bridge just before the first brutal ramp eases off so I don't count it as completed yet (very glad bridge was there or I'd have had to fall off, its too steep to unclip successfully). Was v hacked off but had done Whinlatter E and Newlands W to get there. The Kenmore climb was at the start of a season so probably should be below Newlands.

Totally off topic but the best climb I've ever done was the Port de Pailheres from Usson. Superb variety of scenery on a quiet and exquisite road.

Q for those who have done Great Dun Fell.
How many gates are there on the climb and are they always closed?

Jase

slunker

To be honest it depends what speed you go up them!!!!!

Nick o the balloch is a hard hill which is in the Girvan 3 day race. I ride it regularly and find it easyish compared to others in my club. I did it in the Davie Bell race with elite 1st and 2nd cat riders and almost cried it was that hard.

So depending on gearing, speed and how many miles are in the legs etc defines how hard a hill is.

ugo.santalucia

pneumatic wrote:

OK, so the formula for UK climbs needs to be a bit more refined than one based on average gradient over 1km at a time.

That makes sense, since most of our roads seem to consist of ribbons of tarmac poured onto the existing landscape without much attempt to actually engineer the gradient, as is the case on the continental mountain routes (most of which were made comparatively recently with a view to getting a truck's gear box to haul the mail over a mountain range).

The prize for the most horrible climb in these islands should be called the "Hobbes" prize, after Thomas Hobbes, who, in 1651, came up with the phrase "Nasty, brutish and short."

He wasted this neat little phrase by using it to describe the natural state of mankind, but that was only because he had never tried to cycle up Wrynose from Langdale.

This is what I call a good post!

chuckcork

pneumatic wrote:

The prize for the most horrible climb in these islands should be called the "Hobbes" prize, after Thomas Hobbes, who, in 1651, came up with the phrase "Nasty, brutish and short."

He wasted this neat little phrase by using it to describe the natural state of mankind, but that was only because he had never tried to cycle up Wrynose from Langdale.

The Bicycle hadn't been invented in his time....

DaveMoss

This is all a bit of nonsense really. The "hardness" off any climb depends as much on what gearing you have and when in a ride you do it as it does on gradient/length. Pick any long drag of a climb and do in 52*12, it will be hard!. some of the hardest climbs I've done are on the Mabie forrest red route, but thats off road.

one of the most soul destroying is Dalveen pass from the North East. only a very few percent gradient, but long and always into a headwind and the terrain makes it look like your not even going uphill at all, thats what makes it hard.

But anyhow, I would throw in up to the Wanlockhead radar stations starting down at Mennock (makes it a longer continuous climb than as done in the Radar ride.) about the same height gain as the Bealach Na Ba, but steeper. This is partly on private road, but Scottish law allows you to ride it (responsibly) on a bike. here it is www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=13597

John C.

bobh wrote:

I'm organiser of a sportive that includes the Rosedale Chimney Bank, Boltby Bank and Blakey Bank all mentioned in this subject. It's been interesting reading the vaious attempts to categorise climbs but perhaps all of this misses a few vital points. Climbs are very much the individual against the elements and the contour is just one of those elements. On the North York Moors the weather changes at the drop of a hat and so does the characteristic of any climb you hit. Another significant element is the rider's condition and mindset, even a railway bridge can be a monster if there's nothing left in the tank and as we all know there are just some climbs that get under your skin. I raced for 25 years and in my earlier days could climb with the best but there were just some climbs I never seemed to get to grips with, and never knew why. The haul up Rishworth Moor under the M62 being one, not overly steep but usually into the teeth of a biting cross head wind.
I can't ever remember reaching Lancashire on races up there, there seemed to be a point on the climb where the tempation to do the U-turn always kicked in.

There's a mystique about climbs that shouldn't really be analysed to minute detail, don't we have enough detail in our lives these days. Every climb has it's own personaility and mood and sets its challenges accordingly. It's one of the reasons why we don't make claims about the severity of the Ryedale Rumble in comparison to other events. Last year on perhaps the hottest day of the year it was a brute, who knows how it will be this time as each time I've risk assessed the course I've come away with a different view of which is the hardest of the climbs and that's from within the comfort of a car. Those who've entered will no doubt carry their own experiences and those who haven't entered well they close on Friday the 31st!

One of the hardest climbs in last years Rumble was Nunnington. Where I hear you ask. Nunnington it's less than a blip on the 110 mile mark and I was in bottom gear unable to talk, a real beast of a hill.

roger_merriman

slunker wrote:

To be honest it depends what speed you go up them!!!!!

Nick o the balloch is a hard hill which is in the Girvan 3 day race. I ride it regularly and find it easyish compared to others in my club. I did it in the Davie Bell race with elite 1st and 2nd cat riders and almost cried it was that hard.

So depending on gearing, speed and how many miles are in the legs etc defines how hard a hill is.

well indeed take a mountain bike out place a bottom of a killer hill, click into granny gear, you'll probably tire of the slow pace but unlikely to be tired as MTB gearing is intended to get one up steep hills covered in rocks/mud etc.

hill nr my folks place that is very close to 20% average while hard work with roadie gearing can be sat and spun up really with the MTB as the gearing has dropped by at least half if not more.

aberdeen_lune

I had my first taste of the Lake District climbs yesterday. Broke myself in with Kirkstone pass from Ullswater then after a scenic cycle along Windermere went back up Kirkstone from Ambleside via the Struggle. Wow that is one aptly named road. Managed up in my easiest gear 39 X 27 (thank god for the 27).

My top eight hardest climbs (I havent ventured to Hardknott, Newlands, Wynrose, Glen Quoich or the Lecht yet).

1. Bealach Na Ba (from Tornapress).
2. Kirkstone Pass via the struggle.
3. Kirkstone pass via Ullswater.
4. Cairn O Mount South.
5. Glendaurel to Otter Ferry.
6. Cairn O Mount North.
7. Loch Striven hill over to Glendaurel.
8. Road to the Sky from South Deeside Road up to Denside of Durris.

Hope to try some more crackers over the summer. I agree that its all subjective and depends how tired you are when you hit the climb.

timmjackson

Hi
1 Hardknott
2Blakey Ridge
3 Boltby
4 Rosedale Chimney
5 Kirkstone (struggle
6 Honister
7 All the rest over 20
these are all pretty steep
Hardknott edges it for me cos it ramps up and stays there til top and u can see how steep and long it is from the very bottom

pneumatic

ugo.santalucia wrote:

pneumatic wrote:

OK, so the formula for UK climbs needs to be a bit more refined than one based on average gradient over 1km at a time.

That makes sense, since most of our roads seem to consist of ribbons of tarmac poured onto the existing landscape without much attempt to actually engineer the gradient, as is the case on the continental mountain routes (most of which were made comparatively recently with a view to getting a truck's gear box to haul the mail over a mountain range).

The prize for the most horrible climb in these islands should be called the "Hobbes" prize, after Thomas Hobbes, who, in 1651, came up with the phrase "Nasty, brutish and short."

He wasted this neat little phrase by using it to describe the natural state of mankind, but that was only because he had never tried to cycle up Wrynose from Langdale.

This is what I call a good post!

You are so kind!

Chuck, good point! Imagine how the world would have been if Kirkpatrick Fleming had been born 200 years earlier.

Maybe the definitive "Hobbes" should be simply the UK climbs we respect the most.

Anonymous

I know what you mean about 'how hard you hit a climb' but I really do not buy that...I'm a fella who is fairly crap at cycling uphill...however...I do them all at a very sustained effort...and although I can understand something like the 'Nick O balloch' being very tough in racing terms and speeds....then just imagine what Hardknott etc would feel like at racing speed?....I can get up 'Nick O balloch' easily with my 42 front ring...albeit at a conservative pace...but on something like Hardknott I need the 30 x 27...and I'm dying even on that!....it's no coincidence that the Pro's hate the Mortirolo or the Angliru/Zoncolan or Ventoux?...these are the steepest hardest racing climbs...and it's because they are the hardest and steepest that they are the most feared in racing terms?

So lets not get confused with different climbing efforts...I take it easy on most of my climbing and the list I provided earlier shows what I reckon's the toughest....and even if your racing up these I still reckon they still will prove the toughest!...

Climbs can be categorised somewhat...and it's no surpise that the meanest and steepest brutes end up the most feared?...I'm certainly terrified of them :shock:

johnsenior

The biggest surprise I've had was the BIG G Sportive in the Yorkshire Wolds which has killer climbs that rival many of those in the lakes and dales. From my day of suffering I would nominate 'Hanging Grimstone' over a mile of 1 in 6. See route details for others at Big G sportive.

PS Your Feature woulkd be more interesting if it featured 'unknown' killer climbs than the iconic ones we're all familiar with from sportives TOB etc.