Whats your favourite climb?

Trisross

My favourite climb local to me would be Mam Nick from Edale. It's long and has a very steep section in the middle. The view from the top looking back towards Edale is amazing. When you roll over the top it does remind me of an alpine pass.
Rutland CC run a hill climb on it each year.

I don't think Mam Nick made it into the 100 best climbs book but its a great climb anyway.

macleod113

Well i like Beeley Hill on the way to Chatsworth in Derby's. not very steep or long but great views and for me always a nice feeling when i complete it.

Cromford Hill on the way to Matlock on the other hand is complete bas#@rd

CiB

Locally the fight up the hill into Brickhill Woods at Bow Brickhill. 24% at its peak if we believe the numbers, and it runs into a nice part of the world.

Further afield doing Oxenhope in both directions during the TdF was good, but top of the tree and just up the road, Blackstone Edge on the A58 Halifax Road. Great views, nice old pub at the top and climbing it at the end of a 100 miler is hugely satisfying, esp when the in-laws do the 'why would you?' face.

ugo.santalucia

Trisross wrote:

My favourite climb local to me would be Mam Nick from Edale. It's long and has a very steep section in the middle. The view from the top looking back towards Edale is amazing. When you roll over the top it does remind me of an alpine pass.
Rutland CC run a hill climb on it each year.

I don't think Mam Nick made it into the 100 best climbs book but its a great climb anyway.

It's a great climb and far less traffic than the neighbouring Winnats... I think it's in the second book of Simon Warren

Bozman

Ellastone to the top of Weaver Hill, 2.9 miles of pleasure and there's a cracking view at the top.
Oakamoor to the A52 is pretty close to the climb above and that's quite a nice climb too.
You can follow the two climbs above with a drop down into Ilam which leads to a sharp climb out of Ilam heading over to Milldale, then you have to get out of Milldale... All good fun.

iron-clover

Mam Nick is a nice climb- I was lucky enough to stay right next to it a couple of times when I was at YHA Edale for the uni hill climb champs, but I think the favorite climb I've done so far is 'The Struggle' up the Kirkstone Pass out of Ambleside in the Lake District.

I did it just after arriving in Windermere on a warm Sunday afternoon in June when on what was supposed to be a short spin to Ambleside and back before dinner- I ended up on the road by accident and was the first 'proper' climb I've ever done (i.e. not one of the downs in the South). The scenery is fairly good, I saw no cars for the entire 20m climb, only a few walkers giving encouragement on the way up, and the view back towards the lake up at the top was stunning.
It also had some pretty vicious gradients to it but didn't feel insurpassable, but still feels like a real achievement to reach the top.

EDIT:
Here's a pic I got from my phone at the top. Unfortunately I didn't know how how to take landscape pictures at that point- there's a lot more to see up there.

marcusjb

Mam Nick is a fabulous climb indeed. The view down the valley as you get up towards the top is world-class. Not an easy climb either for sure - then the ride along Rushup Edge before the super fast descent into Chapel is just fabulous.

I think the climb that gives me goosebumps when I look at photos and have ridden it is actually pretty small (as big mountain climbs go - it's a mere pimple this way of certainly less than 200m):

Col du Soulour from the Col d'Aubisque approach - when you look back over your shoulder onto the Cirque du Litor - stunning.

bobmcstuff

I really enjoyed Cairngorm Mountain to the ski centre, cracking views down the mountain and a proper climb without being devastating (~425m from Aviemore or ~325m from the snow gates where it gets more "serious"). In fact I enjoyed it so much I did it twice http://www.strava.com/activities/184234882



I couldn't find a really good picture of the climb (it's hard to get anything non-skiing related for Cairngorm mountain searches) but it's a fairly steady gradient with a few steeper bits and some nice hairpins.

The Lecht is much, much harder (particularly as you have to come over Garnshiel first) and more satisfying to reach the top but Cairngorm was more fun (perhaps helped by the substantially better weather when I did that!).

bobmcstuff

Also generally speaking the Cairngorms and Aviemore (the town below Cairngorm ski centre) is a great place for cycling and outdoor activities in general, would recommend it to anyone.

gloomyandy

Not really sure about my favorite climb, there are a lot of good ones in this part of the world. Maybe Holme Moss(which direction though?), maybe Blackstone Edge, Cragg Vale or possibly the climb from Oxenhope over Pecket Well? But I do know my least favorite, Wessenden Head. Not that steep and not that long, but it always seems hard work and I never seem to get it right. Keep trying though!

ugo.santalucia

marcusjb wrote:

Mam Nick is a fabulous climb indeed. The view down the valley as you get up towards the top is world-class. Not an easy climb either for sure - then the ride along Rushup Edge before the super fast descent into Chapel is just fabulous.

I think the climb that gives me goosebumps when I look at photos and have ridden it is actually pretty small (as big mountain climbs go - it's a mere pimple this way of certainly less than 200m):

Col du Soulour from the Col d'Aubisque approach - when you look back over your shoulder onto the Cirque du Litor - stunning.

Agree, the Sulour-Aubisque has to be among the best... that said, when I did it the clouds were so low that it was a struggle to see the road ahead, let alone looking at the views

stueyboy

CiB wrote:

Locally the fight up the hill into Brickhill Woods at Bow Brickhill. 24% at its peak if we believe the numbers, and it runs into a nice part of the world.

Oh I know that hill well. Also not helped by the fact that I usually approach it from the headwind direction coming in from Woburn Sands. It's best to practice your "going very slow without falling off" skills before attempting.

peddlingmadness

Cross of Greet in the forest of Bowland. Great climb and view form each side, on a clear day you can see three peaks of Yorkshire. The other real beauty is the lack of any traffic. Going back a few years ago I was pedaling in the mist and I could hear a steady rumbling coming up behind me. I moved over as far as a could thinking it was a tractor and was stunned when a group of wild horses sprinted past. Never seen them before or since. Its not my local climb but, love the area..

ugo.santalucia

peddlingmadness wrote:

Cross of Greet in the forest of Bowland.

How can they call that one "forest" I can't see a bleeding tree for miles...

NeXXus

Sa Batalla

San Salvador

Sa Calobra

Soller

In no particular order

briantrumpet

Col de Rousset. A pleasant one-hour effort, with a view from the top to knock your socks off.

thegreatdivide

bobmcstuff wrote:

I really enjoyed Cairngorm Mountain to the ski centre, cracking views down the mountain and a proper climb without being devastating (~425m from Aviemore or ~325m from the snow gates where it gets more "serious"). In fact I enjoyed it so much I did it twice http://www.strava.com/activities/184234882



I couldn't find a really good picture of the climb (it's hard to get anything non-skiing related for Cairngorm mountain searches) but it's a fairly steady gradient with a few steeper bits and some nice hairpins.

The Lecht is much, much harder (particularly as you have to come over Garnshiel first) and more satisfying to reach the top but Cairngorm was more fun (perhaps helped by the substantially better weather when I did that!).

I like the Spittal to Glenshee ski station climb. Not as tough (apart from the last push) but very scenic. It's #65 in the 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs 'The Cairnwell'.

From a local perspective I like a climb up here from Rait over the Sidlaws. It's no monster at just under 2 miles long with an average gradient of 7%, but it's just a lovely back road climb and when you crest it you're confronted by a stunning view across the Perthshire flat(ish)lands to the Cairngorms.

wavefront

Wish I could name something local, but the Surrey Hills are just bumps really.

My fav is close to where I grew up - Carin O'Mount (north side), a beautiful beautiful road that runs from Banchory to Fettercairn just west of Aberdeen. It has everything, a lovely meandering road through constantly changing forests, which then passes a burn with a ruin next to it, and climbs up rapidly above the tree line, to a summit which is often closed in the winter due to snow, and I've also known it closed due to snow in June. Descending it once was also the scene of my fastest crash, luckily I came away with only torn skin and saddle.

stash36

The A635 from Greenfield towards Holmfirth, known as the Isle of Skye climb.
3.25 miles of climb with no real rest. Love it and its because it initially took me 3 attempts to get up it in one go.
Still chuffed when I get up every other weekend.

I used this to train for the Aubisque. I reckoned four repeats would be twelve miles and the same length as the famous Col. I only managed to do it twice in a row and left for my Pyrenees trip. Guess how far I got before I had to have a breather. Yep, exactly half way!

itboffin

In this country all four of my routes home over the same hill, the best is a measly avg 2% peaking for a few hundred yards at 10% ish its not the climbing I love its the views and idilic peace due to the twisting narrow back roads.

Elsewhere I'd say the tourmalet or the cap de long truely an amazing climb hard as fark but so worth the suffering.

phreak

The Pordoi I think is my favourite. Not too hard, not too long, but a beautiful part of the world and a climb you can get into a nice rhythm on.

barrie h

I like Fleet Moss, south of Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales, I always try to fit it in when I ride in the Dales

Barrie

supermurph09

Fortunate enough to live 10 minutes from Matlock which has a number of great climbs..

Bank road is a superb climb, tough in terms of gradient, it's just unrelenting but one of my favourites. Then when you've done that have a breather and roll down to the start of another cracker, Riber. Riber is tough, very tough IMO, you attack the bottom half which is deceptively leg sapping then you hit the zig zags. 20-30% on the hairpins makes it a test for any rider.

norvernrob

Supermurph09 wrote:

Fortunate enough to live 10 minutes from Matlock which has a number of great climbs..

Bank road is a superb climb, tough in terms of gradient, it's just unrelenting but one of my favourites. Then when you've done that have a breather and roll down to the start of another cracker, Riber. Riber is tough, very tough IMO, you attack the bottom half which is deceptively leg sapping then you hit the zig zags. 20-30% on the hairpins makes it a test for any rider.

I did Riber for the first time a few weeks ago, then went back and did it again with some friends the week after. It's a cracking climb but very very steep, it's up there with Winnats for outright difficulty. The steepest part of Winnats is longer but Riber has the edge in ultimate gradient, my back wheel was slipping when out of the saddle and the front lifting when sat down!

I think my favourite climb is probably Holme Moss, I'd do it more often if it wasn't for the Woodhead after which is a horrible road to ride on. I could go across to Glossop after but that adds a lot of miles.

supermurph09

NorvernRob wrote:

Supermurph09 wrote:

Fortunate enough to live 10 minutes from Matlock which has a number of great climbs..

Bank road is a superb climb, tough in terms of gradient, it's just unrelenting but one of my favourites. Then when you've done that have a breather and roll down to the start of another cracker, Riber. Riber is tough, very tough IMO, you attack the bottom half which is deceptively leg sapping then you hit the zig zags. 20-30% on the hairpins makes it a test for any rider.

I did Riber for the first time a few weeks ago, then went back and did it again with some friends the week after. It's a cracking climb but very very steep, it's up there with Winnats for outright difficulty. The steepest part of Winnats is longer but Riber has the edge in ultimate gradient, my back wheel was slipping when out of the saddle and the front lifting when sat down!

I think my favourite climb is probably Holme Moss, I'd do it more often if it wasn't for the Woodhead after which is a horrible road to ride on. I could go across to Glossop after but that adds a lot of miles.

Agree with the comments about Winnats, I'm of the belief that most half decent riders with correct gearing can suffer their way up there but I'd expect Riber to catch a few out. For me it's 6m 42s of all out effort, I'll be targeting a good improvement on that next year.

sarm34

Cromford Hill on the way to Matlock on the other hand is complete bas#@rd[/quote]

Now that is a barstool :shock:

bobmcstuff

wavefront wrote:

Wish I could name something local, but the Surrey Hills are just bumps really.

My fav is close to where I grew up - Carin O'Mount (north side), a beautiful beautiful road that runs from Banchory to Fettercairn just west of Aberdeen. It has everything, a lovely meandering road through constantly changing forests, which then passes a burn with a ruin next to it, and climbs up rapidly above the tree line, to a summit which is often closed in the winter due to snow, and I've also known it closed due to snow in June. Descending it once was also the scene of my fastest crash, luckily I came away with only torn skin and saddle.

I've done that a load of times, really good climb. Descending the south side (to clatterin brig) is so fast! 2 miles in about as many minutes.

I was repping the South side climb for the Strava climbing challenge - but I agree that the North side climb is more scenic and entertaining (just a lower average gradient, the South side is the best climb to distance ratio I could find with easy access from Aberdeen).

Bozman

sarm34 wrote:

Cromford Hill on the way to Matlock on the other hand is complete bas#@rd

Now that is a barstool :shock:[/quote]


Make it a little worse and turn right at the top and head to Middleton Top or turn left after the bridge and head up to Alport Heights.

bernithebiker

Col de la Joux Plane - a bit tough to be relaxing, but superb views of Mont Blanc.

Sa Calobra, Majorca, simply stunning road up and down.

(This video of Sa Calobra is mental - I can't stop watching it!)

http://vimeo.com/110609619

lesfirth

bernithebiker wrote:

Sa Calobra, Majorca, simply stunning road up and down.

(This video of Sa Calobra is mental - I can't stop watching it!)

http://vimeo.com/110609619

That is brilliant!
When I see things like that ( and kite surfing and base jumping ) I really wish I was young again.

bernithebiker

lesfirth wrote:

bernithebiker wrote:

Sa Calobra, Majorca, simply stunning road up and down.

(This video of Sa Calobra is mental - I can't stop watching it!)

http://vimeo.com/110609619

That is brilliant!
When I see things like that ( and kite surfing and base jumping ) I really wish I was young again.

You don't have to be young to do that - just go for it, and learn to live with the several broken limbs that you will accumulate....