Climbs in Exmoor - Dartmoor area

fastercyclist

As above, does anyone know where I can find the really big climbs?

I've been looking over the relief maps and I can't really find anything that sticks out. Done Haytor - looking for a much tougher challenge.

Any suggestions?

Can't do the far western side of dartmoor (see location). For reference Haytor has 370 meters which just isn't enough really. I've found the highest point on dartmoor but that's largely irrelevant as its prominence that's needed? Anyone gone over anything eye popping during a sportive??

olddgreg

I've never cycled up 'em, but I'm sure Porlock hill, Countisbury hill and Lynmouth hill in Exmoor would fit the bill!

fastercyclist

Porlock seems to fit the bill.

Now just 40 miles cycling to reach the base of it.

Lopseychops

Another good climb or two which a lot of the local Plymouth clubs particularly savour is Pork Hill (Tavistock to Princetown road) and Merrivale Hill (again found a little further along the same route). You need to approach it from the Tavistock direction (from the SW I think) to appreciate them in full!

bam49

have you tried the hill out of Ashburton ? not sure of exact name but it is almost all under the trees and is very steep - always catches a few people out on the Tour of Dartmoor in September, esp as it occurs with first few miles...

Bobbinogs

As Oldgreg states, any loop with Porlock and Lynmouth in will be a heck of a challenge, the Exmoor Beast towards the end of the year has a good route:

http://www.exmoorbeast.org/

If Porlock tempts you then you have two choices: the toll road which is a lovely route, relatively traffic free and a steady gradient or the main road which has a left hander which has to be seen to be believed (watch out for any stalled coaches or jalopies !). Lynmouth is a lovely area but, my god, what a hill!

Ricey77

olddgreg wrote:

I've never cycled up 'em, but I'm sure Porlock hill, Countisbury hill and Lynmouth hill in Exmoor would fit the bill!

I would agree !!

Red Rider

Lopseychops wrote:

Another good climb or two which a lot of the local Plymouth clubs particularly savour is Pork Hill (Tavistock to Princetown road) and Merrivale Hill (again found a little further along the same route). You need to approach it from the Tavistock direction (from the SW I think) to appreciate them in full!

+1

Wasn't gonna say these cos you can't really get any further west on dartmoor. But as Lopsey did, I thought I'd agree.

I also thought they were pretty hard climbs, but having just seen Porlock on MapMyRide I might have to rethink that!

(Incidentally, has anyone else tried the beta version of MapMyRide? Much better)

nochekmate

Porlock Hill is a nice climb in the car! Often in the lowest gear even with an engine.

Pross

Definately Porlock and the climbs out of Lynmouth (either direction) although they are relatively short. You could take in the coast road around Coombe Martin / Ilfracombe way too. From memory there is also quite a good climb out of Hunters Inn / Parracombe but I may be wrong as it's been a long time since I was down that way (might be this one http://www.climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Edgerley-Stone&qryMountainID=7369

. My experience of Dartmoor is that the hills are longer but probably not quite as steep although I'm sure some of the back roads have their moments as I only have experience of the main routes through the area. Some decent lumps in the Ashdown Hills around your neck of the woods too but I assume you ride those regularly.

It's worth looking on climbbybike.com, there are a few listed on there (plus others in Dorset) including profiles of many of those listed so far in this thread.

Pross

Just to give you an idea of what you are letting yourself in for some Map My Ride data for you!

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/detail/17040570/


http://www.mapmyride.com/route/detail/17040726/

A loop like this will give you a good workout and the benefit of stunning scenery

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/detail/17041340/


For Dartmoor there's always the route of the Tour of Dartmoor - you can always rely on a sportive organiser to seek out the best climbs

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/detail/17041942/

Bobbinogs

Hi Pross, can you check those links? They didn't work for me (came up as "deleted route"). Ta

Pross

I think it is something to do with me creating them in the beta version as the links then try to open in the standard version. Not quite sure how to overcome that :?

Try typing in Tour of Dartmoor, Ilfracombe - Exmoor loop, Porlock Hill and Porlock Hill Alternative Route into the beta version of Map my Ride and it should locate them.

EDIT Beta site available here http://beta.mapmyride.com/

fastercyclist

Thanks a lot Pross.

I'll be heading up to Lynmouth & Porlock tomorrow. 120 miles

Time to engage the smaller chainring. :roll:

I don't understand this ashdown hills. Do you mean blackdown hills? something lost in translation? I've never heard of the ashdowns. :?: Blackdowns are right here. Dunkerswell etc.

Cheers for the help

yogi

I think the one mentioned earlier out of Ashburton might be what we call The Pear Tree. Quite a long one for Dartmoor.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Pear-Tree-Climb

Widecombe is a bit of a brute if you want a tough climb. Only 1 mile long

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Widecombe-Hill

You might like to try this training route from my friend Ken Middlemiss

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Da ... -not-steep

Han2130

The road from Bampton to Raleghs Cross is a good one. Williton to Raleghs cross is a long drag and Timberscombe ( near Minehead ) up to Heath Poult Cross is another hard one. They all go from near sea level to the top of Exmoor. Nice quiet roads. The A39 from Minehead to Ilfracombe is a good road too, amazing views of the coast.

Pross

fastercyclist wrote:

Thanks a lot Pross.

I'll be heading up to Lynmouth & Porlock tomorrow. 120 miles

Time to engage the smaller chainring. :roll:

I don't understand this ashdown hills. Do you mean blackdown hills? something lost in translation? I've never heard of the ashdowns. :?: Blackdowns are right here. Dunkerswell etc.

Cheers for the help

Blackdowns I meant :oops:

Bobbinogs

How did you get on fastercyclist? Legs recovered from yesterday yet?

fastercyclist

Bobbinogs wrote:

How did you get on fastercyclist? Legs recovered from yesterday yet?

Got lost at dulverton. Let's just say don't take signs at face value! (was pointing the wrong way!) cost me 10 miles. In the end I thought 130 miles was too much so I left out the northern bit with the climbs in =( Still got in 100 though.

Hurt a lot on the day but recovered fine. Someone should of told me about protein shakes for recovery earlier, I always thought of them in terms of getting bigger rather then freshing up my legs.

Feels like I only did 20 yesterday now. :shock:

I'm going to try again next week. Eventually I'll be able to make the whole hog, whether next Saturday or the one after...it's going to happen. :evil:

Pross

Pah, doing the ride and missing out the climbs due to a "dodgy sign" hey? Must remember that one

Well done though, 100 miles in that area is quite a ride in any case.

ajcherry

I`ve just spent 3 days cycling around Exmoor having been inspired by Simion Warren`s book "100 Greatest Cycling Climbs".I camped in Porlock ideally located for Porlock Hill.If you have never ridden this hill i can highly recommend it as it is a real challenge.It`s 3 miles long with a 25% gradient in places and took me 25minutes to ascend and 6 minutes to descend.Although located on the A39 it really isn`t a busy road traffic wise.In fact the whole section from Minehead to Ilfracombe is a bit like a B road in Sussex.

On the descent of Porlock Hill there`s a sign approx a mile from the bottom saying Cyclist Dismount (don`t you just hate that sign).Anyway i didn`t as i was doing 40mph+ at this point and kind of thought surely it would be more dangerous to walk with bike than ride.Admittedly on the sharp bends you need to get your weight on the back of the bike and slow up to 10mph and all is well.Porlock itself has a constant smell of burnt brake linings from vehicles having descended Porlock Hill.

There are numerous other very steep hills up on to Exmoor,plenty of cattle grids to cross sheep and cattle in the road.Other difficult climbs are Countisbury Hill and Lynmouth Hill 12 miles along the coast from Porlock, the latter being at least 25% although only 700metres long.I did this one in the rain and almost didn`t make it because of lack of traction.I might just add i have a triple with a 30/26 lowest gear.Oh and make sure your brake pads are good because i destroyed my front ones with just 230miles of riding.My average speed varied between 12 - 14mph. At home in Sussex it`s 17-19mph,just shows you how hilly the terrain is.

Next year maybe Dartmoor.

bam49

yogi wrote:

I think the one mentioned earlier out of Ashburton might be what we call The Pear Tree. Quite a long one for Dartmoor.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Pear-Tree-Climb

Widecombe is a bit of a brute if you want a tough climb. Only 1 mile long

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Widecombe-Hill

You might like to try this training route from my friend Ken Middlemiss

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Da ... -not-steep

hi there yogi,
just seen that this thread has been resurrected that was me who mentioned the climb out of Ashburton featured in the Tour of Dartmoor.. Funny thing is, when I was last down there in June for the Dartmoor Classic, I could not find Pear Tree climb again, and had to go up the main road from Ashburton upto Dartmoor - this is still v steep at 25% in places...
I feel a good workout would be to go from Dartmeet to Ashburton as that climb after the bridge at Dartmeet is quite tough, get into Ashburton and turn around and go back the same way - should be enough climbing for most folk ..
I must meet up with you yogi guy's when I am next down in Plymouth - I was riding with 3 of you on the Classic, it was good to see about 60 of you lot on that sportive, must be a good club to get so many riders out on an event like that...

toungehands

Try going up Dunkery beacon from the north, from Luccombe (a few miles down the road from Porlock long bastard of a slog about 350m ascent over 3kms but it's up through really old woodland and gorgeous moorland road at the top from which you can go up to the beacon at the top which is the highest point on Exmoor, or coming up from the East Lyn river at Rockford or going up Exton hill from Bridgetown which is on the Exe for really steep masochistic ones, and there's plenty more..