A Fat lad from the flat lands in the mountains

danowat

We were off to Wales for a week, so I decided to find out what "proper" climbs were like, since I am from the flat lands!, plus I am on the large(r) side, so a climber I am not, so bear that in mind when looking at the times!.

My wife brought me the book "100 greatest cycling climbs", so I picked a couple to have a crack at, the plan was to do 3 reasonably long and reasonably steep climbs in 1 day, I was riding a Kuota Kharma with 34/25 as my lowest gear.

First up was Bwlch-Y-Groes http://connect.garmin.com/activity/383095883
Jeepers creepers man that's steep, probably not the best choice for the first climb, still, I managed to get up it, just, was grinding away slowly just to keep moving, unclipped by accident and struggle to get going again, but I managed to get to the top!.

Next up, Horseshoe Pass http://connect.garmin.com/activity/383096053
Now this was more like it, really enjoyed this one, didn't struggle so much, and the view was awesome loved seeing the road far above me on the opposite side of the pass.

Last one of the day, The Road To Hell http://connect.garmin.com/activity/383096272
And they weren't wrong, what a nasty climb!, it was loooonng with some brutal sections on quite a bleak landscape!

As I had enjoyed them so much, I decided to chuck a couple more in during the week....

Llanberis Pass http://connect.garmin.com/activity/384633317
The "wrong way" I believe, but we'd visited Snowdon so I raced the wife back to Betws-Y-Coed.
Quite a nice climb, not majorly steep, but the conditions were trying with a headwind and some squally showers, but quite enjoyable.

Hirnant Pass http://connect.garmin.com/activity/385057976
Reminded me of Bwlch-Y-Groes, almost as tough, but I think I'd gotten used to climbing as I managed it better than I thought I would, conditions were nasty, so the descent was scary!

In a sick sort of way, I quite enjoyed it, and it was a real eye opener for someone who lives where its flat, and something that I intend to do again, and would implore anyone who hasn't ridden big climbs to do so, big respect to those who can fly up mountains like these!

izza

Chapeau.

Hope you were correctly attired - http://bit.ly/16sLTHR

danowat

izza wrote:

Hope you were correctly attired - http://bit.ly/16sLTHR

Hehehe, wasn't aware of those!

BobScarle

Well done that man. Some great climbs there in one of my favourite places. The climb up the Hirnant pass is fantastic; the Bwlch stupidly steep. Why worry about times? Surely the whole point of the exercise is to climb some really tough roads through some amazing and wild scenery.

elderone

Well done,all those climbs are within cycling range for me.Hirnant pass is stunning.For another hard climb try the old horse shoe pass,it,s makes the horse shoe climb almost flat.

Mikey23

Chapeau plus 1

kettrinboy

As most of the speeds up the Bwylch from the South side are less than 3mph its likely most people walked at least some of it so you did well to keep going.

danowat

elderone wrote:

Well done,all those climbs are within cycling range for me.Hirnant pass is stunning.For another hard climb try the old horse shoe pass,it,s makes the horse shoe climb almost flat.

Yes, its an amazing place to ride indeed.

The old horseshoe pass?, not aware of that?, map or route for it? please

elderone

danowat wrote:

elderone wrote:

Well done,all those climbs are within cycling range for me.Hirnant pass is stunning.For another hard climb try the old horse shoe pass,it,s makes the horse shoe climb almost flat.

Yes, its an amazing place to ride indeed.

The old horseshoe pass?, not aware of that?, map or route for it? please

Don't have a map as such but it,s easy to find.As your going up the normal climb and pass the big pub/hotel on the left just as the road kicks up then there is a right fork.this for leads to the climb.
Basically it goes across the valley infront of the horse shoe part and goes straight up to the back of the ponderosa.
The top half is like the hirnant pass climb from the barriers,but steeper and longer.I would say it lies between the hirnant and bwlch in hardness.
I actually filmed myself up it and its painfully slow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w37eGOuQvY
The 20% stuff starts at about 6.20.turn volume down if you don't like heavy breathing and waffle.

simon_e

Some serious climbing done there danowat. But choosing the Bwlch for your first big climb? Some masochistic tendencies there.

To get onto the old road up the Horseshoe Pass you turn right off the A542 soon after the Britannia Inn (facing up the pass), signposted Pentredwr.

As well as Llanberis Pass there is a really nice climb from Nant Gwynant to the junction at Pen Y Gwryd. Both are used for hill climb events by North Wales clubs and IIRC are used in the the Etape Eryri sportive.

If anyone wants to make a loop using the A5 you might like to know that part of the Nant Ffrancon pass (the Ogwen valley between Bethesda and Capel Curig) the old single-track road is on the opposite side of the valley as far as Ogwen cottage so keeps you away from the traffic on a narrow, winding stretch of the A5. There is now a surfaced Sustrans path all the way from Porth Penrhyn in Bangor to Ogwen Cottage: http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/route/lon-las-ogwen

cyclingsheep

+1 for the old horseshoe pass. It's been suggested that the 20% sign on Horseshoe Pass is supposed to have been placed on the old road. Having ridden up both I suspect it's true. Great area of the country to get some mountains in your legs. I get to ride them when visiting the mother-in-law. A bit jealous as it seems like it's been a while since I was up there.

giant_man

well done that man, fantastic area, hope to cycle those areas myself someday, wow ...

danowat

Simon E wrote:

Some serious climbing done there danowat. But choosing the Bwlch for your first big climb? Some masochistic tendencies there.

To get onto the old road up the Horseshoe Pass you turn right off the A542 soon after the Britannia Inn (facing up the pass), signposted Pentredwr.

As well as Llanberis Pass there is a really nice climb from Nant Gwynant to the junction at Pen Y Gwryd. Both are used for hill climb events by North Wales clubs and IIRC are used in the the Etape Eryri sportive.

If anyone wants to make a loop using the A5 you might like to know that part of the Nant Ffrancon pass (the Ogwen valley between Bethesda and Capel Curig) the old single-track road is on the opposite side of the valley as far as Ogwen cottage so keeps you away from the traffic on a narrow, winding stretch of the A5. There is now a surfaced Sustrans path all the way from Porth Penrhyn in Bangor to Ogwen Cottage: http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/route/lon-las-ogwen

Yes, in hindsight not the best one to start on, I did think, ahhh it can't be that steep, how wrong I was!.

Thanks for the info, I'll add them to the wish list as I am planning on heading back sometime for a solid weeks riding in the hills

nweststeyn

You made it over all of them so you're an okay climber in my book! Well done, congrats and chapeau!

simon_e

danowat wrote:

Thanks for the info, I'll add them to the wish list as I am planning on heading back sometime for a solid weeks riding in the hills

Although a main road, the Crimea Pass (Betws Y Coed - Blaenau Ffestiniog) is much nicer than the A5, wide and smooth, though exposed so it wouldn't be my first choice on a windy day. Further east there's the Sychnant Pass between Conwy and Penmaenmawr and there are a number of good routes over the Denbighshire moors, where this year's Tour of Britain went before it reached Snowdonia.

And if you fancy a change there are lovely routes on the Lleyn peninsula (e.g. Sych It And See audax) and Anglesey.

Spoilt for choice, TBH

danowat

Simon E wrote:

danowat wrote:

Thanks for the info, I'll add them to the wish list as I am planning on heading back sometime for a solid weeks riding in the hills

Although a main road, the Crimea Pass (Betws Y Coed - Blaenau Ffestiniog) is much nicer than the A5, wide and smooth, though exposed so it wouldn't be my first choice on a windy day. Further east there's the Sychnant Pass between Conwy and Penmaenmawr and there are a number of good routes over the Denbighshire moors, where this year's Tour of Britain went before it reached Snowdonia.

And if you fancy a change there are lovely routes on the Lleyn peninsula (e.g. Sych It And See audax) and Anglesey.

Spoilt for choice, TBH

The B4391 from Ffestiniog also looked like a good road to ride too, mind you, there were lots of roads I'd have liked to have ridden!

Scotter

Chapeau danowat.
This is definitely my favourite part of the country for riding. The view of the hirnant climbing away into the distance towards Vyrnwy is fantastic.
Another lovely climb is the one from Llanwychlynn up the other side of Bwlch y Groes. The reason my times aren`t that good for the Bwlch is because I`ve always ridden this 5 mile cracker before descending the Bwlch to go back up!

Also try the B4391 over the Berwyns from Llangynog - not steep but utterly stunning views of the valley below on a nice day. 8)

sbbefc

Prenteg , numerous climbs across the clwydians, Ysbytu Ifan to festiniog to name a few more.

I always try to avoid the A5, far too busy considering there are many diversions around it where you wont meet a car for miles.

sbbefc

Scotter wrote:

Chapeau danowat.
This is definitely my favourite part of the country for riding. The view of the hirnant climbing away into the distance towards Vyrnwy is fantastic.
Another lovely climb is the one from Llanwychlynn up the other side of Bwlch y Groes. The reason my times aren`t that good for the Bwlch is because I`ve always ridden this 5 mile cracker before descending the Bwlch to go back up!

Also try the B4391 over the Berwyns from Llangynog - not steep but utterly stunning views of the valley below on a nice day. 8)

Cycled the climb from Llangynog, Milltir Cerrig, for the first time this weekend, probably my favourite british climb. A steady 5-6% 6km climb and some amazing views of the valley below, feels almost alpine with the road stretching ahead.

sloppyschleckonds

sbbefc wrote:

feels almost alpine with the road stretching ahead.

What was the temperature?