Your favourite road

MattFalle

What's your favoutite road? Not just your favourite road for cycling on, but your favourite road?

Emotional reasons, scenery, memories....

Pray, tell

#journies

orraloon

And the perverted fear of violence
Chokes a smile on every face
And common sense is ringing out the bells
This ain't no technological breakdown
Oh no, this is the road to Hell

shirley_basso

Cawsand bay.

Descent from Muir of Fowlis to Towie

ugo.santalucia

Oh dear...

UK one: probably the road that connects Rhyader with Devil's Bridge in the Cambrian mountains, national cycle route 81

Non UK one: Col de Sulour to Col d'Aubisque in the Pyrenees

elbowloh

Port de Bales in the Pyrenees. Stunning views, natural springs at the side of the road where could literally pull up, hold you bidon out and fill up.

Also, at the time it was thronged with crowds for the soon to be arriving caravan and they were cheering us on and even giving out glasses of brandy. Ah, that was nice.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Probably riding up Cheddar Gorge, stunning shear cliff faces down near the base, on what was my highlight ride of the year.

Honorable mention for Hillside in Prestatyn that hits ~33% after being lulled into a false sense of security ascending the gentle Fforddlas and New Road in Draycott with its ~20% stretch in the middle.

I suspect the B4501 might become a contender if I actually get to tackle it this year, after a freehub failure on the way to it in summer 2020.

elbowloh

N0bodyOfTheGoat said:

Probably riding up Cheddar Gorge, stunning shear cliff faces down near the base, on what was my highlight ride of the year.

Honorable mention for Hillside in Prestatyn that hits ~33% after being lulled into a false sense of security ascending the gentle Fforddlas and New Road in Draycott with its ~20% stretch in the middle.

I suspect the B4501 might become a contender if I actually get to tackle it this year, after a freehub failure on the way to it in summer 2020.

Cheddar Gorge is a good shout. Nice going up or down. Done it as part of "Chase the Sun"

Charlie_Croker

Abroad: My fav still has to be a section of the C345 north of Málaga going towards Loja. On the Michelin map I had, it showed two loops in the road. Well I’d never seen that before so off I went to investigate.




Turns out the road goes inside a mountain, you go into a tunnel and the tunnel corkscrews its way inside the mountain and the road emerges higher up. Being abroad, it’s all constant radius bends, marvellous! Came out of there with the biggest cheesy grin on my face. I remember it fondly.

UK road: Don’t really have a fav (except Hardknott and Wrynose Pass done on a motorcycle), any road that has a surface as smooth as a billiard table, I luv smooth, O and traffic free! Cobbles are not for me

ugo.santalucia

N0bodyOfTheGoat said:

Probably riding up Cheddar Gorge, stunning shear cliff faces down near the base, on what was my highlight ride of the year.

It's only the bends around the gorge which are nice, then it gets rather average... it's not a very long stretch, less than half a mile maybe. Also difficult to find it clear of traffic, I suppose you have to live there and go up early in the morning

oxoman

The greenhow hill road going down into pateley bridge. Just squeeze the brakes a little before the farm on the bend.

pilot_pete

Yes, I’ve done Cheddar Gorge and to be honest it wasn’t as good as I expected. The climb from Errwood reservoir up to Derbyshire Bridge out of the Goyt Valley is one of my favourite in the U.K. beautiful.

mrb123

Lanthwaite to Gatesgarth in the Western Lakes. Along the shores of Crummock Water and Buttermere. Absolutely lovely stretch of road.

pilot_pete

The climb starts at the reservoir on the left here. The scenery just getting to that point is wonderful!



Then the climb starts through the woods with the steep sided Goyt valley off to the left...



It opens out and you get above the tree line...



But there is still a long way to go...



Even at Derbyshire Bridge there is more climbing...



The top is at the famous Cat & Fiddle, in the distance here...


It has an awful lot for the UK - picturesque, sheltered valley, steep sided drop off to the left on the one way road up. Nice surface, wooded start up to the tree line, then exposed moorland, stream, bridges, then barren exposed, and can be windy as hell top with great views across the Cheshire Plain to the west and the Peak District to the East. It’s challenging but not overly steep all the way. On a sunny day it is sublime.

PP

nellycutie95

So there is a road in the Netherlands between Leiden and Waddinxveen and always took that road going to work (even though it took me 30mins extra hahah) There are a lot of cows and horses and I love them. Also picnic tables with great views, I recommend going there with a partner. Very romantic

thistle_

Charlie_Croker said:

Turns out the road goes inside a mountain, you go into a tunnel and the tunnel corkscrews its way inside the mountain and the road emerges higher up. Being abroad, it’s all constant radius bends, marvellous! Came out of there with the biggest cheesy grin on my face. I remember it fondly.

I quite like the look of the Lysebotn Road, although it only has one loop.
I suspect it could be pretty hairy in places if there's any cars using it, the tunnel section looks extremely narrow.
If you think cycling hill climbs are daft, they do a roller ski race that road:

Charlie_Croker

Crikey! I didn't even know roller skis were a thing. That looks like bloody hard work

Next time I'm struggling to get up a hill, I'll think of this [inspiration]

thistle_

Seems to be quite popular in Norway:
Running up that last incline was hard enough (292m in 4.5km) and note that they hadn't got round to installing the tunnel ventilation at the time #sweaty
Another road I'd like to drive one day - I don't think you're allowed to cycle along there now that it's open.

joe_totale-2

On Dartmoor, there's a lovely quiet climb up to Hexworthy, turn off the main road near Dartmeet and then it's wonderful little lanes all the way to Buckfastleigh where you can fill your bottles full of Buckfast for the return leg.

kingstongraham

elbowloh said:

Port de Bales in the Pyrenees. Stunning views, natural springs at the side of the road where could literally pull up, hold you bidon out and fill up.

Also, at the time it was thronged with crowds for the soon to be arriving caravan and they were cheering us on and even giving out glasses of brandy. Ah, that was nice.

Sigh - was booked to go back there last summer.

You'll have missed out on the cows that like to lick the salt off your arms at the top I guess?

harry-s

I was very impressed a couple of years ago by the A701 from Moffat to Blyth Bridge (and then onto Edinburgh).
I'll be keen to go back and re visit it once things are back to normal.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

For simply the rare excellently smooth tarmac up around the western side of the South Downs, the ~2 mile minor road known as Longwood Dean Lane, just north of Upham.

https://www.strava.com/segments/2662747

It's always had a good quality road surface since I found it in 2017, but bizarrely (when there are loads of roads that desperately need re-surfacing up there, including Old Winchester Hill Lane), it was re-surfaced in summer 2019... Someone high up the council food chain must live along there!

elbowloh

kingstongraham said:

elbowloh said:

Port de Bales in the Pyrenees. Stunning views, natural springs at the side of the road where could literally pull up, hold you bidon out and fill up.

Also, at the time it was thronged with crowds for the soon to be arriving caravan and they were cheering us on and even giving out glasses of brandy. Ah, that was nice.

Sigh - was booked to go back there last summer.

You'll have missed out on the cows that like to lick the salt off your arms at the top I guess?

Yeah, no cows for us at the time.

bompington

I would certainly nominate somewhere with a good road surface... if I could think of any.

amrushton

The Iseran road from Bourg or the Cormet de Roselend. Some of the roads in the Yorks Dales like Settle to Halton Gill or the Hawes road. Grippy and glorious (on a nice day!)

Dorset_Boy

I really like the Col du Telegraphe from the north. Perfect gradient, glimpses of views through the trees, good surface. Might be a bit busy with cyclists for some though.

The road from Moutiers to Meribel is also a huge favourite for many reasons, not all related to cycling!

darrell1967

The road which is actually a hill that leads to my house after a long ride.

ugo.santalucia

Interestingly, the A5 out of Bangor (from Tregarth) and up to Llyn Ogwen and down to Capel Curig is stunning and surprisingly cycling friendly

i.bhamra

Turning off the A896 at Tornapress to climb the Bealach na Ba with an awesome descent to Applecross bay and then following the coastline round to Shiedaig.

Did this to end the first day of a NC500 trip, bikes fully loaded. Rain cleared as we started climbing, dodging the motorhomes and sportscars on the way up was worth it for the views over the bay on the descent as the sky cleared and the sun appeared. Underestimated how tough the road to Shieldaig around the coast was with lots of short sharp climbs, but it was deserted apart from the highland cows and stunning views out to sea. Topped off with the best seafood platter I've ever had in Shieldaig.

ugo.santalucia

i.bhamra said:

Turning off the A896 at Tornapress to climb the Bealach na Ba with an awesome descent to Applecross bay and then following the coastline round to Shiedaig.

Very beautiful...
although I found the sheer number of idiots who want to go up to the pass with unsuitable motor vehicles ruins the experience for all. You have to go there early in the morning, or late in the afternoon during the (very long!) holiday season

davep1

thistle_ said:

Charlie_Croker said:

Turns out the road goes inside a mountain, you go into a tunnel and the tunnel corkscrews its way inside the mountain and the road emerges higher up. Being abroad, it’s all constant radius bends, marvellous! Came out of there with the biggest cheesy grin on my face. I remember it fondly.

I quite like the look of the Lysebotn Road, although it only has one loop.
I suspect it could be pretty hairy in places if there's any cars using it, the tunnel section looks extremely narrow.
If you think cycling hill climbs are daft, they do a roller ski race that road:

Roller skis - I did the Stelvio from Bormio when they close the road at 8 am, at the end of August. Was very surprised to see bunches of joggers and roller skiers starting the climb too!

davep1

N0bodyOfTheGoat said:

For simply the rare excellently smooth tarmac up around the western side of the South Downs, the ~2 mile minor road known as Longwood Dean Lane, just north of Upham.

https://www.strava.com/segments/2662747

It's always had a good quality road surface since I found it in 2017, but bizarrely (when there are loads of roads that desperately need re-surfacing up there, including Old Winchester Hill Lane), it was re-surfaced in summer 2019... Someone high up the council food chain must live along there!

Not too far off my regular patch, will give that one a try, thanks!

UK - I love the road around and down from Beachy Head, which was also resurfaced recently. The scenery is stunning and it has some good corners. Lots of lovely lanes in Sussex but the surface on most of them is patchy at best...

Europe - would have to be the Stelvio. I've been trying to wangle a trip there for years, got snowed off one year (at the end of August when we had been sitting on the Adriatic beaches in +35 degree heat a day before!) and it was breathtaking. I had very high hopes and it did not disappoint.

When they finish this cycle path - https://www.parcocostadeitrabocchi.it/the-cycle-pedestrian/ this too will be a stunner. 40+km along the coast, with all that Abruzzo can offer!

Thanks to the OP for the thread, this will be a great resource I reckon. I'll even turn a blind eye to Chris Rea creeping in on it...