The 100 Best UK Climbs not featured in Warren's books
Comments
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To be fair to Simon, he's never claimed its either an exhaustive list nor a listing of difficulty. If you throw a post it note on an OS map of the Lake District, Peak District, Snowdownia, North Yorkshire, you'll get a decent list.
For Cumbria, James Allen has done a similar book - 50 Cumbrian Cycle Climbs. There's some overlap between his and Simon's but they both have different takes. James' book introduced me to Rickettrae, one of many nasty little buggers in an area I thought was fairly flat by Cumbria standards.
Anyone who's watched the 2 Tour of Britain finishes in Kendal will be (vaguely) familiar with Beast Banks. Its just the pros only do the bottom quarter of it
It carries on for a fair way to a quarry, levels off a little bit before crossing a dual carriageway, dips a bit then gets nasty until the summit by a car park. The other side of the hill is Underbarrow, which is in Simon's North West book.
Its a similar story with the Brigsteer Brow climb in Simon's NW book. There's an slightly less challenging climb out of Kendal to that (also starting with beast Banks). I can't actually find a strava segment for that - starts from Kendal town hall with Beast Banks Direct and finishes with Underwood to Racecourse via Brigsteer Road Bumps. I don't think I've actually ever ridden it from Kendal town hall, as I usually come in for the top half at the start of my ride and rarely do the bottom half. Purely logistical of where my house is.0 -
Which direction? Either is tough. And timing is important to avoid the Sellafield Nut Jobs.Honeybadger99 wrote:
+ 1Escher303 wrote:206) Corney Fell, Cumbria, 7/10 4.3 miles, 5%, 1180 feet.
Personally, I prefer from Broughton Bridge rather than Waberthwaite. The southward route is just a slog with the straight ramps. There's also the 3rd way from Broadgate.
Generally, the opposite side of each of the 100 climbs routes on any of the Lake district passes are worth doing. I seem to have a habit of doing them the 'wrong' way 0 -
226) Church Climb out of Alvediston: Climbs out of the Chalke Valley between Salisbury and Shaftesbury with a maximum gradient of 20% (stays at this for longer than welcome!). Altitude gain is 112 metres and the climb lasts just over 1 mile.
https://www.strava.com/segments/12500307
227) Portesham Hill: Climbs inland from the village of Portesham to Hardy's Monument in Dorset - maximum gradient is 17%. I climbed this once having just bonked! (Cannot find segment)
228) Druley Hill: East of Bruton in Somerset. Harder than the segment suggests, as it is mostly uphill undulations from the town of Bruton to the start of the segment. https://veloviewer.com/segment/1268041/Druley+Hill+Long
229) Fovant Badges Hill: Another in the Chalke Valley, this one has a maximum gradient of 15%. https://www.strava.com/segments/7154610
230) Wylye Hill: Climbs out of the village of Wylye in the Wylye Valley. Only 12% maximum gradient but the climb lasts 2.1km, which is plenty. Also, it is quite exposed to the wind - as the climb is a southbound one, it is best to do it with a northerly wind.https://veloviewer.com/segment/1797106/Wylye+Hill0 -
InconveniencedBadger wrote:226) Church Climb out of Alvediston: Climbs out of the Chalke Valley between Salisbury and Shaftesbury with a maximum gradient of 20% (stays at this for longer than welcome!). Altitude gain is 112 metres and the climb lasts just over 1 mile.
https://www.strava.com/segments/12500307
227) Portesham Hill: Climbs inland from the village of Portesham to Hardy's Monument in Dorset - maximum gradient is 17%. I climbed this once having just bonked! (Cannot find segment)
228) Druley Hill: East of Bruton in Somerset. Harder than the segment suggests, as it is mostly uphill undulations from the town of Bruton to the start of the segment. https://veloviewer.com/segment/1268041/Druley+Hill+Long
229) Fovant Badges Hill: Another in the Chalke Valley, this one has a maximum gradient of 15%. https://www.strava.com/segments/7154610
230) Wylye Hill: Climbs out of the village of Wylye in the Wylye Valley. Only 12% maximum gradient but the climb lasts 2.1km, which is plenty. Also, it is quite exposed to the wind - as the climb is a southbound one, it is best to do it with a northerly wind.https://veloviewer.com/segment/1797106/Wylye+Hill
Portesham Hill segments:
To the monument (2.5 kms, max shows as 22% on Veloviewer): https://www.strava.com/segments/6354218
The steeper first part from the village: https://www.strava.com/segments/658254
Not sure I'd include Druley Hill, but the Fovant climb is nasty and was used in the Wilton GP races, and Alvediston is nasty too!0 -
Dorset Boy wrote:InconveniencedBadger wrote:226) Church Climb out of Alvediston: Climbs out of the Chalke Valley between Salisbury and Shaftesbury with a maximum gradient of 20% (stays at this for longer than welcome!). Altitude gain is 112 metres and the climb lasts just over 1 mile.
https://www.strava.com/segments/12500307
227) Portesham Hill: Climbs inland from the village of Portesham to Hardy's Monument in Dorset - maximum gradient is 17%. I climbed this once having just bonked! (Cannot find segment)
228) Druley Hill: East of Bruton in Somerset. Harder than the segment suggests, as it is mostly uphill undulations from the town of Bruton to the start of the segment. https://veloviewer.com/segment/1268041/Druley+Hill+Long
229) Fovant Badges Hill: Another in the Chalke Valley, this one has a maximum gradient of 15%. https://www.strava.com/segments/7154610
230) Wylye Hill: Climbs out of the village of Wylye in the Wylye Valley. Only 12% maximum gradient but the climb lasts 2.1km, which is plenty. Also, it is quite exposed to the wind - as the climb is a southbound one, it is best to do it with a northerly wind.https://veloviewer.com/segment/1797106/Wylye+Hill
Portesham Hill segments:
To the monument (2.5 kms, max shows as 22% on Veloviewer): https://www.strava.com/segments/6354218
The steeper first part from the village: https://www.strava.com/segments/658254
Not sure I'd include Druley Hill, but the Fovant climb is nasty and was used in the Wilton GP races, and Alvediston is nasty too!
Remember watching the Wilton GP races a few years ago! The speed at which they went up the Fovant hill was startling to me at the time (although back then I didn't ride as much).
I suppose the reason I included Druley Hill was because I've only really climbed it on longer rides and during winter and also because it is the first major hill you come across in that part of Somerset when riding from the west.
Alvediston is more typical of a climb in Cornwall or even parts of Crete bizzarely! It is indeed nasty!0 -
While I'm here, I might as well add a few more:
231) Donhead Hollow - Climbs about 110 metres in 1.2 miles. A bit of a wake up call hill, particularly if you've been riding in the valley previously. (Cannot find segment)
232) Dean Hill - Climbs 108 metres in 1.25 miles. The first part encourages you to push hard as it isn't too steep, but then there is a sharp right turn where you're dumped onto a significantly steeper part which will be noticeably harder. https://veloviewer.com/segment/2572453/Dean+Hill+(P14H)
233) Foyle/St John's Hill into Shaftesbury - Climbs 130 metres in 1.4 miles. There is even a sign at the bottom of Foyle Hill saying 'very steep hill'. Several other hills in and near to Shaftesbury including Gold Hill and Zigzag Hill, which I think are in the books already.
234) Blissford Hill - This one is extremely short, but as it is 25% gradient and in the New Forest (are there any others in the New Forest?) I thought I'd include it. https://veloviewer.com/segment/1623144/Blissford+Hill0 -
St John's only becomes hard if you head up to the hospital rather than turning right at the top.
Foyle is fairly hard, and again made harder by turning left at the top and heading up to the hospital - would be a good stage finish.0 -
Dorset Boy wrote:St John's only becomes hard if you head up to the hospital.
That can be said of all climbs...
left the forum March 20230 -
I was disappointed to see no mention of my favourite climb, which is a road to Buckland in the moor which is just outside of Ashburton.. However seeing as I can't even see the road on Google maps I suppose I can forgive its omission ! it just seems to fizzle out on Google maps.. From memory it might be marked as 'not suitable for cars' although I have seen a car drive down it once.
Perhaps some of the West country riders know of it? it is a small turning off Newbridge Hill (which goes from Ashburton direction up to Dartmoor), and goes past a green area or space called Pitchwick. The road seems like a dead end but you get to a house and it turns left and proceeds to get v steep indeed and must be at least one and a half miles long.. It was featured every year in the Tour of Dartmoor sportive, and was within ten miles of the start.. I rode the Tour of Dartmoor three times and every year people who did not know the climb would grind to a halt and fall over if they tried to go up in the big ring.. It comes out near the church in Buckland.. Hope some West country riders who know the area can confirm how hard it is 0 -
People have already suggested a number of climbs in the Peak District, but the tendency has been to focus on the hard ones whereas the Peak District has a number of longer draggy climbs. It's not that I don't like a steep climb or two as my friends will attest, but there must be a place for the longer climb too. The two classics are probably the Cat and Fiddle from Macclesfield and the Snake Pass from Glossop, but I wouldn't include these because they are usually quite busy, but here are a couple of my favourites:
235) Long Hill from Whaley Bridge, 7.5 km at an average of 3%
236) Longcliffe from the Ashbourne side, 3.1 km at an average of 4%0 -
Dorset Boy wrote:St John's only becomes hard if you head up to the hospital rather than turning right at the top.
Foyle is fairly hard, and again made harder by turning left at the top and heading up to the hospital - would be a good stage finish.
That is the bit that I meant - you are right that the first bit of St John's isn't particularly hard though. Also, once you've climbed into Shaftesbury, you don't really get a proper recovery until you leave the town due to the whole place being on a hill. Do you ride a lot in this area?0 -
Long Hill is a very good shout, I rode that on Sunday in the wind and rain... I think i just assumed it was already on one of the lists!davebradswmb wrote:People have already suggested a number of climbs in the Peak District, but the tendency has been to focus on the hard ones whereas the Peak District has a number of longer draggy climbs. It's not that I don't like a steep climb or two as my friends will attest, but there must be a place for the longer climb too. The two classics are probably the Cat and Fiddle from Macclesfield and the Snake Pass from Glossop, but I wouldn't include these because they are usually quite busy, but here are a couple of my favourites:
235) Long Hill from Whaley Bridge, 7.5 km at an average of 3%
236) Longcliffe from the Ashbourne side, 3.1 km at an average of 4%0 -
237) Swinhope Head. Back to the Durham Dales for the quietest and wildest of the road crossings between Teesdale and Weardale. A very rough singletrack road between Newbiggin and Daddry Shield (although a section on the North side has been resurfaced in the last couple of years) topping out at over 600m. 5.7km at 5.9% or 5.4km at 5.6%. Best taken South to North in my view so you get the better surface in descent.0
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I know that climb. I usually turn right at the false flat on the road that takes you towards haytor and widecombe, because I think the final pitch up to the cattle grid makes for a longer climb than going to buckland. Either way the relentless bit past the turn to Hele is horrific.bam49 wrote:I was disappointed to see no mention of my favourite climb, which is a road to Buckland in the moor which is just outside of Ashburton.. However seeing as I can't even see the road on Google maps I suppose I can forgive its omission ! it just seems to fizzle out on Google maps.. From memory it might be marked as 'not suitable for cars' although I have seen a car drive down it once.
Perhaps some of the West country riders know of it? it is a small turning off Newbridge Hill (which goes from Ashburton direction up to Dartmoor), and goes past a green area or space called Pitchwick. The road seems like a dead end but you get to a house and it turns left and proceeds to get v steep indeed and must be at least one and a half miles long.. It was featured every year in the Tour of Dartmoor sportive, and was within ten miles of the start.. I rode the Tour of Dartmoor three times and every year people who did not know the climb would grind to a halt and fall over if they tried to go up in the big ring.. It comes out near the church in Buckland.. Hope some West country riders who know the area can confirm how hard it is0 -
InconveniencedBadger wrote:Dorset Boy wrote:St John's only becomes hard if you head up to the hospital rather than turning right at the top.
Foyle is fairly hard, and again made harder by turning left at the top and heading up to the hospital - would be a good stage finish.
That is the bit that I meant - you are right that the first bit of St John's isn't particularly hard though. Also, once you've climbed into Shaftesbury, you don't really get a proper recovery until you leave the town due to the whole place being on a hill. Do you ride a lot in this area?
As I live between Blandford and Shaftesbury, the answer to your question would be a yes!
I ride up St John's 95% of the times I go to Shaftesbury. A good loop is Iwerne Minster to Bedchester via Pen Hill, then Hartgrove, Kit Hill to Guys Marsh, St Johns to the hospital, then Zig Zag, drop down past Win Green, turn around & back up, down thrrough Tollard Royal, turn round, back up to Ashmore, Ashmore bottom and up and over to Fontmell Magna, Bedchester and then up Tower Hill from Iwerne Minster and back down to finish. About 45 kms and 1,000m of climbing.
Also have a good 63 km route down to Bulbarrow with 900m of climbing.
North Dorset is a great place to cycle, with great routes in all directions and into the neighbouring counties!0 -
Dorset Boy wrote:InconveniencedBadger wrote:Dorset Boy wrote:St John's only becomes hard if you head up to the hospital rather than turning right at the top.
Foyle is fairly hard, and again made harder by turning left at the top and heading up to the hospital - would be a good stage finish.
That is the bit that I meant - you are right that the first bit of St John's isn't particularly hard though. Also, once you've climbed into Shaftesbury, you don't really get a proper recovery until you leave the town due to the whole place being on a hill. Do you ride a lot in this area?
As I live between Blandford and Shaftesbury, the answer to your question would be a yes!
I ride up St John's 95% of the times I go to Shaftesbury. A good loop is Iwerne Minster to Bedchester via Pen Hill, then Hartgrove, Kit Hill to Guys Marsh, St Johns to the hospital, then Zig Zag, drop down past Win Green, turn around & back up, down thrrough Tollard Royal, turn round, back up to Ashmore, Ashmore bottom and up and over to Fontmell Magna, Bedchester and then up Tower Hill from Iwerne Minster and back down to finish. About 45 kms and 1,000m of climbing.
Also have a good 63 km route down to Bulbarrow with 900m of climbing.
North Dorset is a great place to cycle, with great routes in all directions and into the neighbouring counties!
1000m of climbing in 45km - blimey! I'm in Salisbury, so fairly nearby and with the prevailing winds as they are I'll often find myself down in that neck of the woods.
I've done Bulbarrow hill only once, although I think that the road I went up was one of the less challenging ways up - certainly not 20% like the one you listed on here.0 -
First Aspect wrote:
I know that climb. I usually turn right at the false flat on the road that takes you towards haytor and widecombe, because I think the final pitch up to the cattle grid makes for a longer climb than going to buckland. Either way the relentless bit past the turn to Hele is horrific.bam49 wrote:I was disappointed to see no mention of my favourite climb, which is a road to Buckland in the moor which is just outside of Ashburton.. However seeing as I can't even see the road on Google maps I suppose I can forgive its omission ! it just seems to fizzle out on Google maps.. From memory it might be marked as 'not suitable for cars' although I have seen a car drive down it once.
Perhaps some of the West country riders know of it? it is a small turning off Newbridge Hill (which goes from Ashburton direction up to Dartmoor), and goes past a green area or space called Pitchwick. The road seems like a dead end but you get to a house and it turns left and proceeds to get v steep indeed and must be at least one and a half miles long.. It was featured every year in the Tour of Dartmoor sportive, and was within ten miles of the start.. I rode the Tour of Dartmoor three times and every year people who did not know the climb would grind to a halt and fall over if they tried to go up in the big ring.. It comes out near the church in Buckland.. Hope some West country riders who know the area can confirm how hard it is
well done First Aspect - I was hoping someone else would also know of this little climb that is well tucked away. I was sure that Brian the Trumpet (who lives that way & France),who would know of it... Anytime you're cycling that way (Ashburton/Dartmoor), you can be certain of some serious gradients..0 -
InconveniencedBadger wrote:Dorset Boy wrote:InconveniencedBadger wrote:Dorset Boy wrote:St John's only becomes hard if you head up to the hospital rather than turning right at the top.
Foyle is fairly hard, and again made harder by turning left at the top and heading up to the hospital - would be a good stage finish.
That is the bit that I meant - you are right that the first bit of St John's isn't particularly hard though. Also, once you've climbed into Shaftesbury, you don't really get a proper recovery until you leave the town due to the whole place being on a hill. Do you ride a lot in this area?
As I live between Blandford and Shaftesbury, the answer to your question would be a yes!
I ride up St John's 95% of the times I go to Shaftesbury. A good loop is Iwerne Minster to Bedchester via Pen Hill, then Hartgrove, Kit Hill to Guys Marsh, St Johns to the hospital, then Zig Zag, drop down past Win Green, turn around & back up, down thrrough Tollard Royal, turn round, back up to Ashmore, Ashmore bottom and up and over to Fontmell Magna, Bedchester and then up Tower Hill from Iwerne Minster and back down to finish. About 45 kms and 1,000m of climbing.
Also have a good 63 km route down to Bulbarrow with 900m of climbing.
North Dorset is a great place to cycle, with great routes in all directions and into the neighbouring counties!
1000m of climbing in 45km - blimey! I'm in Salisbury, so fairly nearby and with the prevailing winds as they are I'll often find myself down in that neck of the woods.
I've done Bulbarrow hill only once, although I think that the road I went up was one of the less challenging ways up - certainly not 20% like the one you listed on here.
Lots of different ways up Bulbarrow, with Woolland being the hardest of the main ways, followed by Stoke Wake (we organise a hill climb in September each year that goes up both with about 25 mins rest in between. There is a short & very steep way up from Ibberton, but it is narrow and the surface poor by all accounts (I've not done it):
https://www.strava.com/segments/13437230 -
[/quote]
Lots of different ways up Bulbarrow, with Woolland being the hardest of the main ways, followed by Stoke Wake (we organise a hill climb in September each year that goes up both with about 25 mins rest in between. There is a short & very steep way up from Ibberton, but it is narrow and the surface poor by all accounts (I've not done it):
https://www.strava.com/segments/1343723[/quote]
Went up Bulbarrow earlier today on a century ride down to Dorchester and back; I went up the way you posted back when this thread was new (the Woolland one). Definitely a nasty and challenging one and at the top, I even had some sheep watching me heave my heavy bones up! Might try some of the other ways you suggested at some time in the future too.0 -
bam49 wrote:First Aspect wrote:
I know that climb. I usually turn right at the false flat on the road that takes you towards haytor and widecombe, because I think the final pitch up to the cattle grid makes for a longer climb than going to buckland. Either way the relentless bit past the turn to Hele is horrific.bam49 wrote:I was disappointed to see no mention of my favourite climb, which is a road to Buckland in the moor which is just outside of Ashburton.. However seeing as I can't even see the road on Google maps I suppose I can forgive its omission ! it just seems to fizzle out on Google maps.. From memory it might be marked as 'not suitable for cars' although I have seen a car drive down it once.
Perhaps some of the West country riders know of it? it is a small turning off Newbridge Hill (which goes from Ashburton direction up to Dartmoor), and goes past a green area or space called Pitchwick. The road seems like a dead end but you get to a house and it turns left and proceeds to get v steep indeed and must be at least one and a half miles long.. It was featured every year in the Tour of Dartmoor sportive, and was within ten miles of the start.. I rode the Tour of Dartmoor three times and every year people who did not know the climb would grind to a halt and fall over if they tried to go up in the big ring.. It comes out near the church in Buckland.. Hope some West country riders who know the area can confirm how hard it is
well done First Aspect - I was hoping someone else would also know of this little climb that is well tucked away. I was sure that Brian the Trumpet (who lives that way & France),who would know of it... Anytime you're cycling that way (Ashburton/Dartmoor), you can be certain of some serious gradients..
I don't suppose you could post a link to it on Strava, or just a map could you? I have family in Bovey Tracey and was thinking of a ride in that direction for this weekend. I've done the 4 biggies on Dartmoor that make it into Simon's books so was looking for something a bit different. Now going to see how I get to Ashburton without going on the A38...
Is this the climb? https://www.strava.com/segments/1084989
And it looks like I can get to Ashburton via Liverton & Sigford?0 -
No, it starts here https://goo.gl/maps/34gB3A7w8o82DaveP1 wrote:bam49 wrote:First Aspect wrote:
I know that climb. I usually turn right at the false flat on the road that takes you towards haytor and widecombe, because I think the final pitch up to the cattle grid makes for a longer climb than going to buckland. Either way the relentless bit past the turn to Hele is horrific.bam49 wrote:I was disappointed to see no mention of my favourite climb, which is a road to Buckland in the moor which is just outside of Ashburton.. However seeing as I can't even see the road on Google maps I suppose I can forgive its omission ! it just seems to fizzle out on Google maps.. From memory it might be marked as 'not suitable for cars' although I have seen a car drive down it once.
Perhaps some of the West country riders know of it? it is a small turning off Newbridge Hill (which goes from Ashburton direction up to Dartmoor), and goes past a green area or space called Pitchwick. The road seems like a dead end but you get to a house and it turns left and proceeds to get v steep indeed and must be at least one and a half miles long.. It was featured every year in the Tour of Dartmoor sportive, and was within ten miles of the start.. I rode the Tour of Dartmoor three times and every year people who did not know the climb would grind to a halt and fall over if they tried to go up in the big ring.. It comes out near the church in Buckland.. Hope some West country riders who know the area can confirm how hard it is
well done First Aspect - I was hoping someone else would also know of this little climb that is well tucked away. I was sure that Brian the Trumpet (who lives that way & France),who would know of it... Anytime you're cycling that way (Ashburton/Dartmoor), you can be certain of some serious gradients..
I don't suppose you could post a link to it on Strava, or just a map could you? I have family in Bovey Tracey and was thinking of a ride in that direction for this weekend. I've done the 4 biggies on Dartmoor that make it into Simon's books so was looking for something a bit different. Now going to see how I get to Ashburton without going on the A38...
Is this the climb? https://www.strava.com/segments/1084989
And it looks like I can get to Ashburton via Liverton & Sigford?
I turn off here https://goo.gl/maps/9NXDN9VwDQJ2 and after a false flat, it climbs again. The road eventually takes you to a junction, where it is left down to Widecombe, right to Haytor.
There are two general ways to get from Bovey to Ashburton. One from the roundabout at the Heathfield Ind Estate, through Bickington and generally follows the A38 (literally, for a while). You can cut off a corner at Liverton, which is nicer. Another option is to climb Haytor and keep going. That brings you down the climb we've been talking about. It is pretty tight and damp there usually so go easy.
There are a myriad of other options if you want a longer loop. Last time I was there I went up Haytor, down into Widecombe and turned left. I managed to go through Postbridge, Two Bridges and came back via Dartmeet, which brings you in along the road past Holne. God knows which route I took, but that's the joy of cycling on Dartmoor.
Take your climbing legs.0 -
Cheers First Aspect! Might have to take a ton of wet weather gear too, the forecast could be challenging!0
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The logie kirk in the Ochil hill in central Scotland. They use the climb for the Scottish hill climbing champs
it might only be a 1 mile climb but its a wee brute, you also keep climbing when you come to the end of the segement
https://www.strava.com/segments/914182
https://veloviewer.com/segment/914182/logie+kirk0 -
Good one. That climb is damp and covered with Autumn leaves all year round. I prefer Sherrifmuir road. Its somehow less crushingly soul destroying.Topper harley wrote:The logie kirk in the Ochil hill in central Scotland. They use the climb for the Scottish hill climbing champs
it might only be a 1 mile climb but its a wee brute, you also keep climbing when you come to the end of the segement
https://www.strava.com/segments/914182
https://veloviewer.com/segment/914182/logie+kirk0 -
First Aspect wrote:
Good one. That climb is damp and covered with Autumn leaves all year round. I prefer Sherrifmuir road. Its somehow less crushingly soul destroying.Topper harley wrote:The logie kirk in the Ochil hill in central Scotland. They use the climb for the Scottish hill climbing champs
it might only be a 1 mile climb but its a wee brute, you also keep climbing when you come to the end of the segement
https://www.strava.com/segments/914182
https://veloviewer.com/segment/914182/logie+kirk
Think every climb up sheriffmuir has own good points.
I’d also add the 2 climbs out of dunning to the list, the dunning hill climb is my favourite in central Scotland, but I hate the dragon climb, it’s destoyed me every time I’ve done it0
