Winnatts Pass

Tonymufc

Has anyone been over this? Considering including this in a ride I've got planned. Just interested in what gears were used for the gradient and the length of the climb (distance not time it took). Cheers Tony.

onthefells

yep I used to live in Edale so done it a few times including a couple of weeks ago on a trip back up. From the roundabout out of Castleton its roughly 1 mile to the top. The first 1/4 mile is fairly gentle then it kicks up after the cattle grid. Its then very steep all the way to the top with no respite. I was in the 34/25 all the way up from the cattle grid to try and conserve my legs and really needed it the second half.

have a look at the thread entitled Hardknott Pass on here. One of the guys has a website that shows the profile for all the hard climbs in the country and Winnats is on it.

if you have a cjhoice the climb out of Edale up Mam Nick is in my opinion a better climb. Its not so steep but its longer and there is far less traffic on it and the views are spectacular....alternatively come down it after going up Winnats

Tonymufc

Just seen it on said link. Hmmm... 25% gradient in one part of it. I'll be having some of that then. Cheers.

Pokerface

It's a mile-long from cattle grid to cattle grid.

I've done it on a compact and last time on a 36-25 also. Took me about 7 minutes. Tough climb, but doable.

andy162

It's a toughie but one of my favourites. It's fairly relentless so I tend to attack it & give it some welly! I usually have just shaken my cafe legs off by the time I get to it ( stop @ Edale). There is usually a gaggle of people queing for the Blue John mine that stare at you like the crazy eejit you are as you honk past.

I first went over this climb 20 years ago as a 16 year old. Back then it was a Raleigh 531 with a 42/23 on it....was a biopace c/set though so that's how I must've got up it..!?!

a_n_t

34:23

It's ok if its not busy/blowing a gale!

onthefells

ant thats why its usually not ok!!

the one thing I hate about the climb is you always end up holding up traffic and normally end up with 3 or 4 cars behind revving in first gear waiting to get past!!

sheffsimon

I always avoid it by either going Edale and Mam Nick way or going up the old Mam Tor road. Old road is closed to cars but you can ride it most of the way on a road bike. There are some rough bits and you have to get off for a few yards at the top for a very rough bit before the top gate. Both options are a much nicer than Winnatts though, very little or no traffic.

I remember riding out to watch Milk Race up Winnats, probably 1987-ish. Hillsides were packed, especially up at the top.

ugo.santalucia

I've done it many times, when I used to live up north.
It's a beautiful and dramatic scenery, a narrow gorge with this steep climb in the middle.

It's just over a mile, at a rather constant and painful 20% gradient. If you look at the profile on mapping softwares, it looks like it eases in some sections, but I've always found that from cattle grid to cattle grid it's pretty much relentless.

I've done it with 34 x 23, but I suggest a 25 or 27 for more comfort.

The other side, what is known at the Barber Booth, from Edale is also a very nice climb, a touch less steep (15-18%) but a bit longer.

As described on my website http://ridewithugo.xtreemhost.com/mamtor.html

le_patron

It's a toughie. There is no cruising up, it gets the heart rate going, it's pretty steep and long enough to ask questions, especially if you have lots of climbing in your legs already.

I filmed riding up it once, here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqpKA6jI8u0

amaferanga

Nice climb, but I also always avoid it at weekends by going up the Edale valley and over Mam Nick due to the traffic and the number of idiots that are incapable of driving up a steep hill.

Tonymufc

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I've done it many times, when I used to live up north.
It's a beautiful and dramatic scenery, a narrow gorge with this steep climb in the middle.

It's just over a mile, at a rather constant and painful 20% gradient. If you look at the profile on mapping softwares, it looks like it eases in some sections, but I've always found that from cattle grid to cattle grid it's pretty much relentless.

I've done it with 34 x 23, but I suggest a 25 or 27 for more comfort.

The other side, what is known at the Barber Booth, from Edale is also a very nice climb, a touch less steep (15-18%) but a bit longer.

As described on my website http://ridewithugo.xtreemhost.com/mamtor.html

Ugo that looks like a cracking ride. So good in fact, that I've saved the link to my favorites. Definitely looks like a leg stinger. Cheers for the feedback guys.

bobh

It's a surreal climb with the crags on either side, it makes you wonder how nature created it. I've sat for many an hour on the bolders in my youth waiting for the Milk Race to appear. The hard bit I always found was the cattle grid at the top it blows any rhythm you might have left just as you are trying to recover.

It's not Rosedale Chimney Bank though!

ynyswen24

Also known as Wingnuts, because yours will come undone...

I can't remember what the bottom gear I used was but I used it all the way up and then had a lie down at the top. I also remember the Tour of Britain coming down it one year in the rain, chaos coming over the cattle grid at the bottom.

Tom Butcher

I find it's one of those climbs that you can do on whatever gears you normally ride - so I'll get up it on a 39*23 if i have to though I'd rather a few teeth more on the back - but it's a killer and on a bad day you might think about putting a foot down - easier if you know it as the finish is just beyond a bend so if you do stop you may find you didn't have far to go.

The Phil and Friends ride goes from there over to Monsal which is a nice little ride and you can stop at the rather expensive cafe at the top of Monsal Head - on a sunny day sitting outside there is really nice.

velocitizen

Tom
Spot on. It's a tough climb but doable.