The hardest hill climbs in the UK!??

Chubby on a compact

Just done the Wild Wales and there was a hill on that called Church Hill. Grovelled up it from the bottom to the top. My arms ached more than my legs from pulling on the handle bars. This was a beast.

pneumatic

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I question the utility of a road with 25-30% gradients... what was the point of building it in frist place? Nowadays with a 4X4 you can go up in pretty much all weather conditions, but when it was built, was it of any use to anyone?

It's just bad engineering, really. A few more bends would have been better. The message is: you can build a road as steep as you like, but there is a limit to what makes sense to cycle and what doesn't. If you climb up at 3 mph, you might as well walk...

I imagine that these notorious slopes pre-date the invention of either bicycles or cars and have simply been adopted as roads.

A mule or a horse or a person can make their way up a 33% slope relatively comfortably; for example, I have walked up Wrynose in the past, whilst chatting to the people with me and taking in the view. However, when I tried to cycle up it, I very quickly disappeared up my own saddle sores and wobbled to a stop.

I agree with you, Ugo, that, after a certain percentage, walking is the most effective technique, but that isn't going to stop us trying to go up on a bike!

attica

Taking a slight tangent I have a question:-
I went out for a ride in Wiltshire recently with a friend, now whilst the climbs were nowheres near as harsh as many in other parts of the country, the ride did throw into sharp relief the difference between two riding styles.
On short sharp climbs of less than a mile my friend absolutely dropped me like a stone.
On longer climbs (we did one 3 and one 4 mile climb) I dropped him.

So the question now is:- who is the better climber?

Also I think that this points to the fact that different people are going to find different climbs harder

ugo.santalucia

Attica wrote:

Taking a slight tangent I have a question:-
I went out for a ride in Wiltshire recently with a friend, now whilst the climbs were nowheres near as harsh as many in other parts of the country, the ride did throw into sharp relief the difference between two riding styles.
On short sharp climbs of less than a mile my friend absolutely dropped me like a stone.
On longer climbs (we did one 3 and one 4 mile climb) I dropped him.

So the question now is:- who is the better climber?

Also I think that this points to the fact that different people are going to find different climbs harder

It is very common: when I go out with my clubmates, I would normally drop them significantly on a 7-10% slope... I wouldn't be able to drop them at less than 6-7% gradient and I just edge them at 10-20%.
I assume on a very long climb I would drop them, just because I'm more used to very long climbs, coming from the alps

Mr Loverman

Well the hardest one I've done is the Horseshoe pass in North Wales not far from Wrexam. You start of in Llangollen and its a fair few miles, what was the killer though was that it was the last hill before we headed home after riding abour 90 miles to Corwen from Liverpool.

pneumatic

Mr Loverman wrote:

Well the hardest one I've done is the Horseshoe pass in North Wales not far from Wrexam. You start of in Llangollen and its a fair few miles, what was the killer though was that it was the last hill before we headed home after riding abour 90 miles to Corwen from Liverpool.

I did the Horseshoe when I was 14 on a 3 speed Sturmey Archer Raleigh town bike with a ridge tent bungied onto the back. I don't remember it being especially hard, but then, at that age, nothing hurts except your pride.

I went back recently, in the car, to have a look. I wouldn't take it so lightly now!

onthefells

re dropping your mate and length of climb and steepness...on the shorter steeper ones you can just attack it and give everything as you know it will be over relatively quickly. on the longer ones you just have to grind it out. Boardman used to do well in the hill climbing championships but did that make him a good climber? I think not it just reflected his power and the fact that he could go all out over 5-10 mins with the best of em on any gradient. put him on Ventoux and he'd be dropped very quickly!!

so my answer is that the better climber is the one who can do it over the longer hills

bilbo.baggins

Subjectivity vs Objectivity. This thread has plenty of the former.

If anyone has the time surely the way to answer the original topic is:
- get a detailed elevation profile of each climb ideally by cycling, or driving over it (not climbbybike, or even mapmyride, etc - not detailed enough, or prone to errors)
- assume a given total bike + rider weight eg. 80 kg (it only needs to be a fixed value to allow comparisons of climbs)
- assume a given gearing eg. 39x27 (again it only needs fixed for comparison - actual gears that would be used are not necessary)
- assume a given constant speed eg. 14.5 kmh (ie. 80 rpm) (ditto above comments on fixed value)
- ignore wind or rolling resistance. Probably they can be assumed to be a constant factor in all calculations

- calculate average power required for each climb using values above (don't know specific equations but I think all the values above would suffice)
- calculate peak power required for each climb using values above

A list can then be created ordered by average or peak power (or some combination of both).

attica

All very well Bilbo, but then there's length of time on the climb as well.

Your formula would make a short sharp hill far harder than a long long drag

bilbo.baggins

Attica wrote:

All very well Bilbo, but then there's length of time on the climb as well.
Your formula would make a short sharp hill far harder than a long long drag

Very true. So maybe the required values would be along the lines of 'peak power', and something akin to 'energy expended' the latter being a combination of ave power and time. ??

Anonymous

I reckon my own memory tells me how tough a climb is...without any fancy formula.

The more fear = the tougher the climb.

Approaching Hardknott from Eskdale my stomachs in knots and I feel helpless....absolutely terrified..

Approaching Wrynose from Langdale...gut wrenching.

Near trembling as I approached Bwlch Y Groes from Dinas...

Very shaky when heading for the 'Struggle' or Honister.

Rosedale Chimney and Botby im very apprehensive.

And although I've only did them once...in future I'll be on nettles going for Great Dunfell or that brute I experienced in the NY Moors this year....Caper Hill.

Park Rash and Fleetmoss etc are other of my fears...

So I guess the level of fear I have on approach is how tough I rate the climb?

JamesB

It`s all a mind game isn`t it?? sometimes if I know a climb I will fear it more and yet other times because I know it it can seem easier, I will know where the hard bits are and can welcome overcoming them knowing easier bits lie ahead. Ignorance can also be bliss....on Richmond 5 dales Park Rash was OK as I couldn`t recall doing it before, Fleet Moss I could recall and was harder for me (+ headwind effect)

holmeboy

RICHYBOYcp wrote:

I reckon my own memory tells me how tough a climb is...without any fancy formula.

The more fear = the tougher the climb.

Approaching Hardknott from Eskdale my stomachs in knots and I feel helpless....absolutely terrified..

Approaching Wrynose from Langdale...gut wrenching.

Near trembling as I approached Bwlch Y Groes from Dinas...

Very shaky when heading for the 'Struggle' or Honister.

Rosedale Chimney and Botby im very apprehensive.

And although I've only did them once...in future I'll be on nettles going for Great Dunfell or that brute I experienced in the NY Moors this year....Caper Hill.

Park Rash and Fleetmoss etc are other of my fears...

So I guess the level of fear I have on approach is how tough I rate the climb?

Going to the Dentist is one of the hardest hills I've ever climbed.

Philip Whiteman

It would not register as the hardest but would rate quite highly...

Asterton Bank on the Long Mynd

It is in a Shropshire backwater so not many riders have come across this climb,

sampras38

malcolmfrost wrote:

To balance things out a bit, some from the South Downs,
Hill Lane from E Harting to the B2141
B2146 from S harting to Uppark
Harvesting Lane from S of East Meon.
Singleton to Goodwood Racecourse
Bury Hill near Arundel.
Not particularly long but pretty steep.

I did Bury Hill a couple of months ago, after being told it was a bit of a stinker and I found it fine. And I did it from both sides at the end of a 60 miler.

DaveMoss

holmeboy wrote:

RICHYBOYcp wrote:

I reckon my own memory tells me how tough a climb is...without any fancy formula.

The more fear = the tougher the climb.

Approaching Hardknott from Eskdale my stomachs in knots and I feel helpless....absolutely terrified..

Approaching Wrynose from Langdale...gut wrenching.

Near trembling as I approached Bwlch Y Groes from Dinas...

Very shaky when heading for the 'Struggle' or Honister.

Rosedale Chimney and Botby im very apprehensive.

And although I've only did them once...in future I'll be on nettles going for Great Dunfell or that brute I experienced in the NY Moors this year....Caper Hill.

Park Rash and Fleetmoss etc are other of my fears...

So I guess the level of fear I have on approach is how tough I rate the climb?

Going to the Dentist is one of the hardest hills I've ever climbed.

My hardest hill is the driveway to the house when I've been out on the bike over an hour longer than I said I would

But at the end of the day, a hill is as "hard" as you make it. Perhaps a better measure would be the "best hill" . i.e. the one that gives you the most pleasure/sense of achievement. For me I think it would be Kirkstone pass because 1) it's a pretty stiff challenge, but doable with normal gearing; 2) there's a pub at the top 3) the descent, especially down to Ullswater, is just fantastic. 4) the scenery is awesome

malcolmfrost

sampras38
Bury Hill is about as close to the Alpe d'Huez gradient as I've found, trouble is the traffic is dire. The descent is great, I've overtaken cars and I'm a real wuss these days.
BTW Haslemere Hill from Weyhill to the Hindhead traffic lights is pretty good, they're resurfacing at the moment so it'll be an awesome descent.

gazza_d1

to echo a fair few people here, and adding a few personal "favorites"

Hardknott and Wynose (mind you I did them with luggage!)
Park Rash - just plain nasty
Fleet Moss - nice grade until the last mile which is 1:4 and a killer
Rosedale Chimney - once did it twice on the trot, turning around at the top and going back down for another go. Also once saw most of the Kellogs tour walk it!
Blue bank - Sleights (Yorks Moors) - busy, steep, and goes on and on.
The sod going east out of Garrigill on the C2C! especially after the pub
The road going to Teesdale from Stanhope after the ford.
There are loads of really evil shortish climbs in the Yorks moors, especially the Esk valley around Glaisdale, which will have you grovelling for your life in no time.

the hardest climbs are always...
a) the ones which force you to a dead stop at the bottom due to a bend and or bridge etc
b) the ones where you have spectators!
c) the first one after the Cafe when you're still full of tea and cake!
d) the last one before the end of the ride!

sampras38

malcolmfrost wrote:

sampras38
Bury Hill is about as close to the Alpe d'Huez gradient as I've found, trouble is the traffic is dire. The descent is great, I've overtaken cars and I'm a real wuss these days.
BTW Haslemere Hill from Weyhill to the Hindhead traffic lights is pretty good, they're resurfacing at the moment so it'll be an awesome descent.

Never done the Alpe d'Huez but it's on my list to do next year. A couple of months ago I was in France for the Tour and did the Joux Plane twice and Colombiere once.

DaveMoss

gazza_d1 wrote:

to echo a fair few people here, and adding a few personal "favorites"

Hardknott and Wynose (mind you I did them with luggage!)
!

Bah!! that's nowt. When I was a lad and there was petrol rationing I had t deliver 't coal from Whitehaven to Ambleside, 4 cwt sacks over Hardknott and Wrynose on 46 X 14 fixed !!! ( but I did have shoe plates screwed to me clogs)