It's a brave soul who doesn't find the site of the Bwlch summit towering above them as they set out from Treorchy slightly daunting. In fact the Welsh flag has an imposing Dragon on it. 2. Since that . . By the time that respite comes, you've climbed nearly 800ft. Check the forecast before you head out and be prepared for harsher weather at the top. Where To find Hardknott Pass leave the A595 and head east towards Eskdale. But one thing's for sure - Wales has some great places to do it. I say a big thank you to Dan and Jess for joining me for the morning its then that they point out to me, if you thought it was hard on the way up, just wait until you go back down. This mini monster was brought to my attention by hill climb master and double National Champion Dan Evans after I noticed a string of expletives in his Strava feed. Unceremoniously I hit the floor and proceeded to tumble southwards just missing Jess by millimeters (how she stayed upright Ill never know and sincerely I apologise for ruining her QOM attempt). Gwent The toughest climb in south Wales Where Heading west on the A465 from . Its gradient maxes out at 37 percent, with an . Thankfully it eases off as it reaches the higher levels, giving you the chance to recover before the summit while taking in stunning views of Hay Bluff and the English borders. I cant say for sure but I decide to stick with before to salvage what I can of my fragile ego. Wales has some gorgeous road bike climbs, and Bwlch y Groes is surely one of them! . WOW - enough said! Heave yourself round this evil corner and you're through the worst of it. One for the power climbers. 1. Where Turn off the A896 and head east just before Tornapress. A short flat section ramps up hard, then almost levels before ramping hard again. Electric Mountain, 5. At this point, the climb would get significantly worse! This is largely due to its length of 9.32km. And yet it's easy to forget that it's also one of the toughest. Check out PJAMM Adventure's prepackaged (self-guided) cycling trips. The steep, consistent gradient hovers around 15% all the way, making it one of the most challenging climbs in South Wales. A flat lakeside hairpin two thirds of the way up should give you the slingshot needed for the last push, with the road cutting through rock on its final approach to the summit. How many have you suffered on your way up? But we dare you to stand at Broad Pool, look up at the ribbon of road snaking up to Gower's highest point and not want to ride it. Simon Warren has published many books on cycling climbing in the UK (e.g. The dial might touch 10% at times here, but in reality this is a fairly gentle climb that winds gracefully up for Mitchel Troy, just outside Monmouth, to its summit close to the village of Trelleck through a pleasant mix of open fields and deciduous woodland. Also known as Hellfire Pass, Bwich-Y-Groes is the highest paved road in Wales. Wrong. Where: Heading north-west out of Pontardawe. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Thank you for signing up! Dan is his normal chatty self as we hit the first ramp, our wheels getting their first taste of the ribbed and abrasive concrete surface that would do its best to hinder our progress the entire way up. Scanuppia Now very narrow and lined with snow poles, the climb is so well surfaced it resembles a two-metre-wide carpet. Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access, Enjoy your first month for just 1 / $1 / 1, *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription. South Africa's Cape Epic is the only MTB stage race classed as 'hors categorie' (beyond category) by the UCI, and upon looking at the eight days of riding . Grid Ref: NY 231 014 (OS96). As Dan waltzes off ahead I am beginning to falter. Then you hit the switchbacks, where a better surface is cold comfort as you grapple with gravity's pull and attempt to hold your momentum through these vicious bends. This was the advice of a local man as I approached the foot of this brutal climb last year. With summer temperatures routinely. They will help you plan, document and conquer your next adventure. Visit our corporate site. Simon and Dan get to grips with Pythagoras Theorem. Scotland Bealach Na Ba Bealach na B is arguably the toughest climb in Britain. Get info and context about new features. By the time you reach the clock tower in Pricetown, you'll have been climbing fairly constantly since Bryncethin. #3 HARDEST WELSH CLIMB -BWLCH PENBARRA TO JUBILEE TOWER, Cycling Bwlch Penbarras to Jubilee Tower, Wales. Anything you have read or been told about this amazing road is likely to be true. But those who want to do climbs like Penrhys are extreme even within that bracket. Thanks to Strava for the route maps and climb profiles. When: March 20-27, 2022. Is it the suffering? Bwlch Penbarra (SW #88), 9. With a maximum gradient of 22% and an average gradient of 8.1% youre afforded great views of Aberdare the higher you climb. Early motoring magazines often mention that editorial staff hand car manufacturers had been testing on the Bwlch y Groes owing to its status of a continual and sever gradient to one of the highest moorland crossings by a road in the UK. We completed this jewel in August 2018 and because it is so epic, came back for a second go in June 2022. It's mentally taxing rather than a top-level physical challenge - the four miles of climbing are largely gentle in gradient terms, but difficult because of the scale of the landscape. How many have you ridden? South Wales needs no introduction. It's that steep much of the way. Where: Heading north out of Cymmer in the Afan Valley. I was to discover that there is absolutely no objection to cyclists riding it, although few would be mad enough. Inspecting my bike it appears my right pedal has partially disintegrated. Heres how it works. Please check your inbox to complete the sign-up process and ensure you receive emails and offers from us in the future. Maximum gradient: 16%. Click on "Climb Page" to jump to the detail page for that particular bike climb. It covers 827 square miles (2,140 km2), and has 37 miles (60 km) of coastline. This climb comes with the steepest 500 meters in all of the UK at 25%, and it comes at the beginning of the climb so be prepared to strain at the outset. In Wales cyclists can find 74 interesting climbs between 5 and 550 meters above sea level. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. But the gentle appearance of the hedge-lined opening can be misleading - it's here that the damage can be done if not enough is left in the tank for the slightly more forgiving upper reaches. The top 10 hardest cycling climbs around the globe, all of which we have personally documented, are: 1. Heading up the Blorenge from the other side, the climb gains slightly less altitude in slightly greater distance. We parked at the Church in the town of Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd (try saying that TWO times fast . Pozza San Glisente (Dos dell'Asino), 8. Its quite a strange effort needed to try and get the KOM, he explains. Here there is another leveling, a plateau of sorts before things turn from nasty to insane. Passo Stelvio, Italy. The Tour of Britain tackled the climb in 2010, when Swiss Michael Albasini attacked up it to take a solo win in Swansea. Populated by wandering sheep, the road steepens relentlessly, offering nowhere to hide as you click through the gears hoping to find a large enough sprocket just to keep moving. Constant variations in gradient make finding a rhythm a tough task and there are significant stretches in excess of 10%. It also has a very interesting motorsport history: The History of Motor Sport and the Bwlch-y-Groes is nearly as old as motorsport. It's short, steep and fairly hostile all the way to the final left corner that brings you out Caerphilly Mountain's famous snack bar. On my first climb up Bwlch y Groes in 2018 I got a flat tire on my vehicle that was parked in front of one of these homesteads and was assisted in fixing the flat by the old-timer that lived nearby. If you can ride this, you can ride anything. Between the narrow road, the rutted surface and the severity of the slope, this is one seriously tough climb. Where Leave the A470 at Dinas Mawddwy and head north east towards Aber-Cywarch. Select a portion of the route to retrieve climb & profile data for that segment. This extraordinary climb is in the northwestern section of Wales in the Snowdonia mountain region. If a man with legs as strong as Dans struggles up a climb then what chance do us mortals have? This climb isn't for the faint-hearted. This climb has a maximum gradient of 24% and an average gradient of 6.5%. Region: South West Length: 3.1km Average gradient: 10% Elevation: 321m I have purchased and relied heavily on several of these books in deciding what climbs to include on the PJAMM Website for the UK. Explore the climbing route via Google Street Views. Pass the clock tower, and things step up a notch, with a straight 16% ramp taking you (via a flatter terrace section) onto the climb proper. Pen-y-Pass is the climb out of Llanberis on the A4086 up to the Pen-y-Pass lodge where several walking routes to the summit of Snowdon start from. Canton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. Here are some of the UK's other toughest ascents. The 5 hardest cycling climbs in the UK (Please link to Pedalsure.com if using elsewhere) Bealach na B The closest to an Alpine mountain climb that the UK has to offer is Bealach na B ("Pass of the Cattle" in Scottish Gaelic) on the west coast of Scotland. WOW - enough said! Photograph: John Morrison/Alamy, Warning sign near the Rosedale Chimney in North Yorkshire Photograph: Mark Sunderland/Alamy, Remote pass Bwlch y Groes, Wales Photograph: Keith Morris/Alamy, The road from Cockbridge to Tomintoul, Aberdeenshire. It's a testing drag, with the incline quickly kicking up to 9% and staying there or thereabouts much of the way to the top. This route is an area of desolate but beautiful countryside. Grid Ref: SE 720 945 (OS94) Length 1430m Height gain 179m Approx climb time 9 mins, Fleet Moss, the highest road in Yorkshire, is a beast from either direction but the greater challenge lies in the route south from Hawes. Or should we be asking, how accurate? before our second trip to document the UKs top climbs in 2022 -- thus, its The Real Deal! ) The climb begins as we pass a set of old farm buildings on the left. The Tyla rounds the Blorenge from Gilwern, Heading into the trees on the Wentwood Ridge climb just where it starts to get really steep. Bwlch Penbarras from Llanbedr-Dyffryn-Clwyd, The Road to Hell from Denbigh via Nantglyn, Llanberis Pass / Pen-y-Pass from Nant Peris. The second bend here is so steep on the inside that it forces you far right, so take care. The Netherlands: A trip through the lowlands. Pass through the large orange gates used to close the road in winter proof, if you hadn't twigged already, that you're heading into serious country. The Tumble (SW #97), 8. You will, however, be able to reacquaint your backside with the saddle for the final push to summit on the approach to the gliding club.Where To reach the base turn north away from the A489 at Plowden. . The less celebrated of two routes up Llangynidr Mountain, the climb from Llangattock is no less difficult. North, as editor of the book Snowdonia (1949), states "When the Committee delineated provisional boundaries, they included areas some distance beyond Snowdonia proper." If the Tumble is the famous and successful son, the Tyla is his awkward, challenging older brother. Let us know your thoughts about this page. You'll be counting each and every pedal rev as you slowly push your way up the scree-littered road to the summit. Favourite cycling climbs in North Wales 1 - Pen-y-Pass aka Llanberis Pass Pen Y Pass Profile. 1. Still, that's the least of your worries as you pass a 25% sign. I dare not look up and in a situation like this it is best not to concentrate on the finish but just live in the moment, trying to stay on two wheels, preserving forward momentum. The Floor is Lava is nothing compared to this road. Newly formed Denver Disruptors and Miami Nights NCL teams will make their debut at Tucson Bicycle Classic and tackle a full season of NCL and domestic racing, By Anne-Marije Rook Don't let the urban nature of this climb fool you - it's not easy. Named after the river beside it, the Afon Ddu (Welsh for black river) which flows down from Llyn Cowlyd I ask Dan how he first came across it. The Cowlyd, 2. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This leaves us with a wealth of material describing the setting and condition of the road nearly a 100 years ago (, Named Hellfire Pass by the English but better known by its Welsh name, Bwlch-Y-Groes. The hardest, most difficult and challenging cycling climbs in Wales are, in order of difficulty, 1. The sense of achievement? In Welsh, the area is named Eryri. As of 2022, Simon Warren has published 12 cycling climbing books - 10 focusing on the UK, one on TdF and the other on the Giro. danevanscycling Ffordd Pen Llech Horshoe Pass (Bwlch yr Oernant) - 317m - 7 to 20% - 6.1km #91. Ffordd Penllech in Harlech is the UK's steepest road (Pic: Stephen Elwyn Roddick, via Wiki Commons) Jenkin Road was the final climb of stage two of this year's Tour de France (Pic: Marc, via. The road to get to this climb is brutally narrow with thick shrubs blocking the views ahead. Repeatedly, you'll think you're through the worst - only to be hit again with the next step of the staircase. First off, a classic. Snowdonia National Park (Welsh: Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri) was established in 1951 as the third national park in Britain, following the Peak District and the Lake District. After an age on the opening steep gradient the road banks right to plateau before a brief downhill. My bike is creaking. But the end of the steep ramp is within touching distance. The three vicious ascents leaving Woodmancote all offer a fantastic challenge, and of the three it's Bushcombe Lane that stands apart. Published 2 March 23. F. J. On the west coast of Scotland, Bealach na B has the most elevation gain of any road climb in the UK, rising from sea level to 626m over a stretch of 9.2km. Its found as you head north-west out of Pontardawe. We believe we have located and thoroughly documented the Top 10 Hardest (by Fiets and by Simon Warren) and 10 Most Epic (Simon Warren) and these are accessed via the Map or List above on the Wales Home page just above this Climb Area Summary. It starts from the village of Porlock and climbs an average of 10% gradient towards the top of Exmoor. A headwind, on the other hand, and it can be a real grind. The Harlech Hell Climb event was held on the excruciating climb on Sunday (August 11), with riders tackling the 330 metre climb, which averages 17 per cent and reaches a maximum gradient of 37.45 . The traditional Snowdonia thus includes the ranges of Snowdon and its satellites, the Glyderau, the Carneddau and the Moel Siabod group. The majority of Scotland's roads stick to valleys as there's no need to cross the mountains but here they link the village of Applecross with the rest of the world by taking the route over the top of Bealach-na-Ba. Ranking list We rank this monster as #2 most difficult in UK via the Fiets index. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Follow the road alongside the river to Llanymawddwy, pass through and begin the climb across the Pont y Pennant. He was in north Wales pinching some of my best KOMs so I thought he deserved some punishment. Since that first book, he's added 11 more, as well Ride Britain which showcases 40 inspirational road cycling routes. The route hugs the side of the steeply sided valley, following the contours of the hillside as it heads towards the summit.