Best road climbs - South Wales

Penhydd

Nato - i live in Cardiff. I'd probably start from Talbot Green if I was going to do the Bwlch / Rhigos. Unfortunately this weekend is out for me, but following weekend should be fine if anyone wants to do a route of about 50 - 60 around that area.

gwillis

lemon63 wrote:

I always find that side of wentwood the hardest especially the last bit round the corner :shock: .
I ride the area quite often, usually as part of my commute from Magor to Newport.

I had a another bash at the hill yesterday and climbed it no probs , I went onto cycle round the res before dropping down off the hill. The other climb (chepstow side) looks steady and I might try that one on Sunday. Only problem was my campag was slipping on the rear cog so made the ascent shall we say interesting

oldwelshman

Ok hardest climb within reach of cardiff, up to Rhydfelyn, turn right to go up past crematorium, thats a nice start, then turn left and head past golf club over to eglwysilan and abertridwr.
Very very steep and just after you struggle over the steepest part you will hit a cattle grid on 17% then another bit of 25%.
There is a pic of me doing it in link in signature.

cheaperholidays

Penhydd wrote:

Nato - i live in Cardiff. I'd probably start from Talbot Green if I was going to do the Bwlch / Rhigos. Unfortunately this weekend is out for me, but following weekend should be fine if anyone wants to do a route of about 50 - 60 around that area.

I may be up for that, we could go via Pencoed and do the bwlch the reverse route then drop down and do the Rhigos.

drewfromrisca

Old thread resurrected but I'm heading home for xmas and planning on taking bike. I'm taking my mate along to do the bwlch as hes just gotten into cycling but we dont have that much time to ride ie all day so we were going to drive near to the climb from Risca/Crosskeys area and do a loop there. Any suggestions on where to start so I can start planning the route on the Garmin. I've never ridden road rides around there, I was into the dark side of mtbing before I moved.

RHT

First time posting, so hopefully I’ve got it right.

I'm with OLDWELSHMAN on this one. Done most of the climbs mentioned, (with varying degrees of success (and near failure), it must be said! But the hardest without a doubt is the Glyntaff crematorium climb, Up passed the church on the left, turn left, pass the roundhouses, onto Pontypridd Common, straight across at the junction and up passed Pontypridd Golf Club, after the cattle grid, follow the road down to a T Junction and take a right. Pass through n Eglwysilan take the left (upper),spur, then follow the road down to Nantgarw. Turn right onto the dual carriageway, down under the A470 and stop off at Mcd's for a coffee and an apple tart. If your still feeling fine, you can always spin around and reverse the route home.

Mark Alexander

All good hills. Caerphilly Mtn's great for hill repeats.

markyone

Hi lads,i live in north bristol and like doing the hills over wales makes good riding.
Will be going back over when the better weather comes.
Have done the dragon ride,and on other days have done the route a few times from pencoed,and also started at neath then up to breacon and the devils elbow.
Want to try new routes next time maybe from usk or pontypool as i know the area well as my dads parents were from that area.
Maybe meet up with you guys one day.

peejay78

just to chip in, there's a fantastic mountain time trial run in July on the Black Mountain, riding up out Llangadog for around 8 miles, finishing after the hairpin at the car park.

winning time last year was around 27 minutes.

starlet_gt

peejay78 wrote:

just to chip in, there's a fantastic mountain time trial run in July on the Black Mountain, riding up out Llangadog for around 8 miles, finishing after the hairpin at the car park.

winning time last year was around 27 minutes.

Ridden that way over the mountain a few times, its a bloody drag from llangadog until the cattle grid where the nice part of the climb starts lol.

GeorgeShaw

Done that climb a couple of times from the other side through Brynaman. Lovely ride and great training - I like the way it's called "Mountain Road".

drewfromrisca

I'm in desperation!?!??! Are the roads rideable up the Bwlch way and if so does anyone have any garmin connect routes I can use please?

Pross

I haven't been that way but really wouldn't chance it. They were closed to traffic a few days this week as they have had over a foot of snow but even though they are probably now clear there is likely to be ice around and you still have to make it into a ride somehow so either on main roads (which have been kept clear) or back roads which are still dire!

Mark Alexander

A friend's planning the Bwlch tomorrow so if I get a report and if I remember, I'll let you know.

Mark Alexander

A friend's planning the Bwlch tomorrow so if I get a report and if I remember, I'll let you know.

peejay78

starlet_gt wrote:

peejay78 wrote:

just to chip in, there's a fantastic mountain time trial run in July on the Black Mountain, riding up out Llangadog for around 8 miles, finishing after the hairpin at the car park.

winning time last year was around 27 minutes.

Ridden that way over the mountain a few times, its a bloody drag from llangadog until the cattle grid where the nice part of the climb starts lol.

it's hard in the Mountain TT - the temptation is to go all out on the first 4 miles where it averages around 3%, but you have to save yourself for the last 4 miles, a much more serious proposition.

it's a great race though, hope they run it next year.

CTank

Has anyone ridden the Maerdy road out of Aberdare? Seems a fairly challenging climb out of the town, and is less than a minutes ride from my Mum's front door. Unfortunately I never have the bike with me when visiting.

Grifteruk

Yup I've ridden the Maerdy road, Did it on a club run last summer. It's a tough start with a drag of approx 10% to 14% for a while before a few switchbacks. There is a great view on the way up and a good descent down the other side. Ended up in treorchy and over the Rhigos back to glynneath.

It's a climb that's towards the top of my early season list; you can link it up with a lot of other challenging climbs. If my mum lived that close, I'd be visiting her a lot more often !!

CTank

Absolutely a visit without kids, and plus bike beckons!

bendertherobot

Grifteruk wrote:

Yup I've ridden the Maerdy road, Did it on a club run last summer. It's a tough start with a drag of approx 10% to 14% for a while before a few switchbacks. There is a great view on the way up and a good descent down the other side. Ended up in treorchy and over the Rhigos back to glynneath.

It's a climb that's towards the top of my early season list; you can link it up with a lot of other challenging climbs. If my mum lived that close, I'd be visiting her a lot more often !!

Agreed. In many ways this is one of the more challenging climbs as the initial drag, Aberdare to the first "bend," takes a whole lot out of you.

Mossrider

Go to Aberdare and over the Greig to Ferndale (aka "the Maerdy road - as you say,very steep at the bottom slightly easier at the top), south and over Penrhys (ouch again) to Treorchy, back north and over Rhigos, back to Aberdare. The central section is pretty built up, although traffic seems relatively considerate.

Alternatively try over the Grieg again and up over Blaenllechau to Llanwonno dropping back to Aberdare on the B4275 (which is surprisingly quiet). The climb through Blaenllechau is VERYsteep and Llanwonno is a rural backwater that you would not realise is "in" the valleys - it's a realatively short but very sharp ride (and you can always catch the train to Aberdare and ride back to Cardiff - its all downhill!)

Try the Sarn Helen road between Heol Senni, Ystradfellte and Penderyn - it's a shocker of a climb with fantastic views and no traffic (go from Penderyn to the Storey Arms and turn left for Heol Senni, left again - very quiet roads here.

I mostly ride in rural West Yorkshire / the Peak District, but my wife is from Aberdare and there is a lot to do on the doorstep...(it keeps me out of the house...).

seanoc

Penheol Ely road up past Pontypridd golf course is a toughie, so is ochrwyth road linking Risca to Lower Machen.

The Ochrwth one is the toughest climb I've found in the area. Got a nice route that takes in both as well as bwlch, penryhs, ferndale, Caerphilly mountain and Gwealod.

Pross

Decided to resurrect this thread after yesterday's club run. Having ridden up Wentwood from both the Llantrisant side (hard) and Llanfair Discoed (pretty steady) a few times yesterday's ride took us over it from Parc Seymour which I had never done before. What a superb climb that is! Decent road surface, quite but not too narrow road and a mixture of really steep sections (up to about 25% although Ride With GPS shows a 28% maximum!) and sections of 8% or so to "recover" with a total length of around 2 miles. I can't believe I haven't been that way previously. We then dropped down the really steep section to the top of the Llantrisant side climb and then back up into the wood by the main car park. Other than the steepest sections I even managed to hold my own and wasn't last to the top for the first time on a club run in 15 years

craker

Pross wrote:

... first time on a club run in 15 years

Which club do you ride with? I live in Shirenewton and I often see groups of riders come past my door of a Saturday or Sunday morning. Most of the club rides seem to start at the bottom of the hill though which means driving (or cycling) to the start point then cycling home. Then cycling back to the start point.

A particularly tough local climb is from Raglan up through Llansoy and up to the Trellech road, near Llanishen (Star Hill its called on my OS map). Bloody good descent as well.

Pross

craker wrote:

Pross wrote:

... first time on a club run in 15 years

Which club do you ride with? I live in Shirenewton and I often see groups of riders come past my door of a Saturday or Sunday morning. Most of the club rides seem to start at the bottom of the hill though which means driving (or cycling) to the start point then cycling home. Then cycling back to the start point.

A particularly tough local climb is from Raglan up through Llansoy and up to the Trellech road, near Llanishen (Star Hill its called on my OS map). Bloody good descent as well.

I ride with Abergavenny RC. I've probably been past your doorstep the last two weeks, went through Shirenewton on my own (from Caerwent) last week and with the club yesterday (turned off the A48 just before Pwllmeyric hill, another road I hadn't ridden before). I don't go with the club very often for the reason you mentioned, I live 20 miles away from the start point, but I'm hoping we can get organised so that if they head Usk or Raglan way I can join them en route. I can't think of any clubs much more local for you.

I know the Star Hill climb well although I usually end up going down it! There's plenty of good climbs up to that ridge from all directions. Monmouth to Trellech is a good steady climb, then there's options up from Tintern or Llandogo, the three options from near the racecourse in Chepstow, a few off the A48 and the road up from Llangwm (either the main road or the lane over Cobbler's Plain). I'll be trying to fit one of them in on most of my rides now that my fitness is finally coming back.

giarc

Where is the star hill guys? I live in Magor and regularly ride Wentwood (the usk side is steepest without a doubt, but the parc Seymour climb is a really nice side).

I rode from Chepstow up to Itton common and keep going until you can turn off to Tintern. From there you can climb a gradual but ridiculously peaceful and fantastic climb up to Devauden ( a few miles long around 4%) past all the trout ponds and small ponds.

The usk to shirenewton climb (llangwm?) isn't overly steep but does go on for 3 or 4 miles which is the longest around SE Wales I think. They are all on Strava now if you want to see people's times etc.

nferrar

Black Rock's a bit boring to go up (fun to come down on a TT bike though...), Llanelly Hill is the only time I've fallen on a road climb I think, haven't done it for years but remember it being crazy steep in one section and I just came to a stop on a 42x25. Might have to go back and see if it's as mental as I remember...

roger_merriman

nferrar wrote:

Black Rock's a bit boring to go up (fun to come down on a TT bike though...), Llanelly Hill is the only time I've fallen on a road climb I think, haven't done it for years but remember it being crazy steep in one section and I just came to a stop on a 42x25. Might have to go back and see if it's as mental as I remember...

The Cuckoo is really very steep indeed, 1in5 warning signs as you climb to it rather give the game away.

only really gets going at the juction by the phone box, at this point your half a mile from the top and 525 foot below. (measured using OS maps as the online ones often show it going downhill....)

They have resurfaced a few years back so it's easer than it used to be. does get impressivly steep as you near the top and are on the flanks of the Dinas.

just to the west is the beachwoods road which is less steep and far prittier.

and there is a almost as steep climb out of Llangattock to the hafod and then almost flat to Brynmawr.

to be honest that area is full of good climbs short/long/steep/etc.

Pross

@giarc - Star Hill is near Llansoy. It is the road that runs from Raglan that comes to the top of the ridge on the Trellech side of Devauden. There are two steep sections with a couple of miles of undulating road between Star Hill is the second one, the first section starts where you would turn right towards the gliding club when heading out of Raglan. I don't know if you know it but if you go up the Llangwm climb you can turn left in Llangwm by the pub. This takes you over Cobbler's Plain which is a beautiful climb with superb views towards the Beacons and Black Mountains.The top of that climb comes out very close to the top of Star Hill.

@Roger - yes, the climb from Llangattock to the Hafod is a killer!!

RoadMeridaBen

peejay78 wrote:

starlet_gt wrote:

peejay78 wrote:

just to chip in, there's a fantastic mountain time trial run in July on the Black Mountain, riding up out Llangadog for around 8 miles, finishing after the hairpin at the car park.

winning time last year was around 27 minutes.

Ridden that way over the mountain a few times, its a bloody drag from llangadog until the cattle grid where the nice part of the climb starts lol.

it's hard in the Mountain TT - the temptation is to go all out on the first 4 miles where it averages around 3%, but you have to save yourself for the last 4 miles, a much more serious proposition.

it's a great race though, hope they run it next year.

+1 for the mountain TT, looking forward to it again this year its a great event.