Simon ranked Bwlch y Groes as the fourth hardest climb in Wales (7 UK) and second most epic in Wales (after Stwlan Dam). That said, Bwlch Penbarra is certainly a top three for US. A great alternative to the Cray climb (see above) - this starts from the same point, but instead of taking the main road, bears left up a narrow lane into a desolate moment top. Grid Ref: NY 231 014 (OS96). Where Turn off the A896 and head east just before Tornapress. Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our. Since that . The first 200-yard segment averages 15%, so be sure to warm up. 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. and climbs through roadside fields. Unlike national parks in other countries, Snowdonia (and other such parks in Britain) are made up of both public and private lands under central planning authority. Where Head north into the mountains from Ballater on the A939. It's a long drag, but not particularly taxing in the most part, rising through the trees with the rumbling of vehicles on the adjacent main road in the distance. This page provides an excellent and comprehensive summary of the top, hardest and best bicycling climbs in Wales. Each country has her crowned Jewel and Bwlch y Groes makes a good argument for taking that award for the Welsh territory. Between the narrow road, the rutted surface and the severity of the slope, this is one seriously tough climb. Learn More ALL TRIPS Bwlch Penbarra (SW #88), 9. Mauna Kea, 2. Id evaluated the merits of all contenders from Yorkshire's Rosedale Chimney to Ffordd Penllech via Bushcombe Lane and Vale Street but then came that bigger fish, then came a new vision of hell: Afon Ddu, AKA the Baby Zoncolan. Heres how it works. All rights reserved. "Take it easy now or you'll never make it." Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. World Cycle Tours, Nutterswood Cottage, Nutters Wood, Cleeve Hill, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 3PZ, United Kingdom. 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. Maximum gradient: 16%. We've collected 37 of the hardest, most beautiful, steepest, highest and longest climbs in South Wales. If you were measuring the steepest, hardest, highest or longest climbs in South Wales, this wouldn't be anywhere near it. My knees are ready to snap. The Tyla rounds the Blorenge from Gilwern, Heading into the trees on the Wentwood Ridge climb just where it starts to get really steep. The top 10 hardest cycling climbs around the globe, all of which we have personally documented, are: 1. It is in the Aran Mountains near the south east edge of Snowdonia (. Grid Ref: NG 775 423 (OS24) Length 8980m Height gain 623m Approx climb time 37 mins, Extracts taken from 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs and Another 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs by Simon Warren, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Cyclist climbing Hardknott Pass, The Lake District National Park, Cumbria Photograph: Peter Oliver/Alamy, Cyclists on Wrynose Pass in the Lake District. ), and I recommend parking there and not attempting to traverse any part of the actual climb route in a car. No part of it is easy, but it's the first of two hairpins that makes it notorious. The Great Orme from Llandudno via Marine Drive, The Great Orme from Llandudno via Ty Gwyn Road. 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. before our second trip to document the UKs top climbs in 2022 -- thus, its The Real Deal! ) Let us know what you thought of this climb. A few weeks later I arrive with our photographer Andy, Dan and his wife Jess - a hill climb champion in her own right - to share the experience with them and get the local low down on this insane 700 metres of vertical concrete. The full climb might be 2.4km, but that doesn't even nearly tell the full story. A long, long stretch of wickedly steep tarmac lies ahead, hugging the side of the mountain, with a slight levelling halfway but steeper still after that. Bwlch y Groes is rich in history and strong on inspiring, if not breathtaking, scenery. Grid ref: SD 862 843 (OS98)Length 5.34km Height gain 323m Approx climb time 22 mins, On the eastern edge of the Long Mynd lies the infamous Asterton Bank, also known by many other names that I could not print here. Llangynidr Mountain is very much a climb of two halves. The Gospel Pass is 548 high. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, The climb goes up a ridge to a small parking lot, where we saw two other cyclists. Watch a gorgeous open up before your eyes as you tackle this country road that rises straight out of Pontardawe. The English name for the area derives from Snowdon, which is the highest mountain in Wales at 3560 ft (1,085 m). Grid ref: SO 403 918 (OS 137)Length 0.96kmHeight gain 163mApprox climb time 7 mins, You're spoilt for choice when it comes to climbing Cleeve Hill. If you have any information regarding this climb, we'd like to hear from you. Named after the huge old ironworks that once dominated this hillside above Pontypool, there's little to suggest the majesty of this climb's top section when you turn onto its lower slopes off the A4043 through Abersychan. 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. You have to pace yourself because as the road progresses you hit a series of bends, coupled with a 30% gradient. Its from here that this road separates itself from its peers, and its from here that everyone will be pushed to their limits. Ride two miles gaining 1,329 at 12.5% average grade. . On our climb, we encountered a car and had to back up nearly a kilometer to find a place where they could pass. This climb is breathtaking and we will return and do this one again - its just that unique, inspiring and exceptional. A little bit about Simon Warren - We contacted Simon Warren with our request for his Top 10 lists because we consider him the Gold Standard and cyclist with the most thorough and comprehensive knowledge of hill climbing by bike in the UK. Three Cycling UK members have successfully completed an epic challenge to tackle 100 of the UK's most iconic climbs in one mammoth month-long road trip. After around 50 metres the second bend arrives where on the corner there is a slight leveling, Dan immediately heads to the shallower part of the corner here to catch a few seconds respite. ranks this as the hardest climb in Wales and he will get no argument from us on that front! The base of the climb is on the first right out of the village next to a farm gate. Where: Heading north-west out of Pontardawe. Between bend three and four the pitch increases to a brutal 30 per cent then backs off slightly so we can recover for an instant before it kicks up again. We rank this monster as #2 most difficult in UK via the Fiets index. Climbing up through Bedlinog is such a challenge because its so deceptive. But its trajectory means that the damage is done on the brutally steep lower slopes. List of - 100 Climbs Total climbing: 21,293m over 322.75km. I have purchased and relied heavily on several of these books in deciding what climbs to include on the PJAMM Website for the UK. We completed this jewel in August 2018 and because it is so epic, came back for a second go in June 2022. Windswept and remote this climb begins in Brynamman, Carmarthenshire, and goes for 3.7 miles with a 12% gradient. Babusar Pass, 4. The scene of a brilliant double ascent during the 2013 Tour of Britain, this iconic route out of Caerphilly also features as the final climb in the Velothon Wales loop of South Wales. Have you tackled the toughest climb in your region? The early parts of this mountain road rarely drop below 10% as the route winds its way up through the trees. Its found as you head north-west out of Pontardawe. Where: Between Talybont-on-Usk and Pontsticill. Scanuppia Dan tells me he brought none other than Andrew Feather (current national hill climb champion) here a few weeks back. Select a portion of the route to retrieve climb & profile data for that segment. There's something evil lurking in the woods at the top of this climb in rural Monmouthshire. Want the best food, film, music, arts and culture news sent straight to your inbox? Climb summary by PJAMMs Brad Butterfield who documented this climb in 2018 and again in 2022 (Wales is one of 27 countries Brad has cycled and documented for PJAMM in addition to 16 US states). Once the gradient kicks in it just gets steeper and steeper, 20% past the last of the houses, then the fun really starts. Where: Heading north out of Nantymoel in the Ogmore Valley. The hardest ascent is from the west, beginning at Fell Foot Farm, where straight away you have a 20% right-hander and that's just a taste of what lies ahead. It never relents, never lets up until you reach the bend in the shadow of a rocky outcrop, you've still got a fair bit of climbing to reach the top, but it's not as hard now. For more epic hill climbing data, visit our Top 10 Most Epic UK and also our Top 10 Most Epic Welsh hill . Weve been crawling skyward for about two minutes, covering just 250m of tarmac as we round bend three. Gradients of around 30% are generally only found on the inside of tight bends. Two miles up a main road at between 4% and 6% might sound easy, but that just depends on how fast you're going. The Brecon landscape is barren but beautiful as you climb 3.5 miles in Pen-y-Cae. You're now face to face with the vicious 25% corner which delivers you on to the cruel slopes that cling to the side of the sheer bank. Where To find Hardknott Pass leave the A595 and head east towards Eskdale. TOP 3 HARDEST BIKE CLIMBS IN WALES (FIETS INDEX), This extraordinary climb is in the northwestern section of Wales in the Snowdonia mountain region. Over the years, I've sought to climb as many hills as possible. We decided to opt for an even steeper summit - Cairn O'Mount. Pozza San Glisente (Dos dell'Asino), 8. F. J. . The surface, just wide enough for a single car, is smooth at the edges but little more than gravel and moss in the centre. Its gradient maxes out at 37 percent, with an . Where Leave the A470 at Dinas Mawddwy and head north east towards Aber-Cywarch. The average gradient of the climb is 2.9% and the maximum gradient is 13%. This climb has the steepest 500 meter segment in all the UK. Thank you for signing up! Get through this, the first of many brutal stretches, and things back off for a while before ramping up to the first of two gates. The Gospel Pass is situated in Wales. A headwind, on the other hand, and it can be a real grind. We have had the great fortune of documenting the most epic and hardest climbs in Wales in both 2018 and 2022. The road if you can call it that was built so vehicles could access the giant pipelines that draw water from Llyn Cowlyd and Llyn Eigiau to feed the Dolgarrog hydroelectric power Station and the water treatment plant that sits on its slopes. If you want to share something you need to create an account. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Simon Warren for his books generally and for his contribution of Top 10 lists for PJAMM Cycling. Wales treated us quite well on our visit in August 2018. Thanks to Strava for the route maps and climb profiles. The British is named after the massive old ironworks that once dominated this area above Pontypool. I have purchased and relied heavily on several of these books in deciding what climbs to include on the PJAMM Website for the UK. The lodge helpfully is a decent cafe stop too as it happens. This climb is simply a monster with several stretches in the red zone - above 16%, including one massive stretch at 20% for 200 yards. Baniamr Aquabah Pass, 6. Deep in the dark heart of Wales, climbing nut Simon Warren thinks he has discovered Britains steepest hill. Simon Warren has published many books on cycling climbing in the UK (e.g. They will help you plan, document and conquer your next adventure. The maximum gradient is 13%. It only takes 1 minute and it's completely free. Where Leaving the A593 just south of Skelwith Bridge head west to Little Langdale. Stunning and rugged, the Black Mountain (and you) are open to the elements. 1. From bend two the road swings left, kicks up then eases back to rumble across a cattle grid and so far, so pretty ordinary but then, up ahead the road arcs away to the right and here it begins to look serious. It is an incredible climb both ways but the road from Tornapress, heading north-west, is just awesome. is the highest tarmacked pass in Wales (, Also known as Hellfire Pass, Bwich-Y-Groes is the highest paved road in Wales. Named Hellfire Pass by the English but better known by its Welsh name, Bwlch-Y-Groes. Newly formed NCL teams to make their debut at Tucson Bicycle Classic, Rapha launches a Film Fund, US filmmakers encouraged to pitch Living life by bike stories, Improve your performance with our expert practical, nutritional and training tips, Every week get exclusive interviews, fitness tips and product reviews. The top few miles of the Swansea Valley take you up the steady slopes of a wide and straight main road up to the beautiful Crai Reservoir. Cycling Weekly is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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. It's also available via Apple Newsstand and Readly. of course, ride the toughest cycling climbs across the UK and Europe. Ride 1.8 miles gaining 916 at 10% average grade. The first time I went up was on a mountain bike and even that proved almost impossible, however, once I got to the top I knew I had to return on a road bike to see how fast I could ride it, he recalls. Once through, you can pick up some speed before the final steep turns and your new-found momentum will help carry you through these and over the top. We completed this jewel in August 2018 and because it is so epic, came back for a second go in June 2022. VIDEO: Snowboarder Climbs Tree To Evade Angry Moose. 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My veins are ready to explode as I push and pull through each agonising revolution of the pedals. Almost imperceptibly, the gradient rises up until you'll suddenly feel like you're pedaling through treacle - probably just before the turn-off for Fforest Fawr. Far from any major towns, the starting point is near some very old homesteads. When: March 20-27, 2022. The climb lasts for almost a mile and has an elevation gain of 180 metres. Now round to the right, the ever steepening, increasingly lumpy surface heads into arguably the hardest section of relentlessly steep tarmac in Britain. This climb has a maximum gradient of 24% and an average gradient of 6.5%. Something went wrong, please try again later. Bwlch y Groes means Pass of the Cross.. Through Gayle, the road flat, hugging the river, soon rises sharply for a short 17% lung-opener. 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. As I force round this wicked right-hander, bend three, the pale, rugged and debris-strewn surface rises up like a wall through the trees. When we reached this last hairpin though his jaw hit the floor, he recalls. This climb truly is beauty and the beast. They will help you plan, document and conquer your next adventure. 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. What follows is a brief levelling out but you can't put off what lies ahead for long. 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. Riding alongside Dan with Jess tucked in behind we set off, all three of us understandably apprehensive of what lies ahead. If any more proof was needed, this road takes no prisoners., it is utterly savage but thats what we love, right? (If you're cyclist in North, Mid or West Wales, we'll be preparing similar articles for your area - and there's a form at the bottom to send your suggestions). This climb was renowned throughout the 1970s and 80s as the most challenging climb used in the Milk Race round-Britain cycle race (Wikipedia). Ahead lies 30 metres that has every single ounce of muscle straining like a weight lifter attempting to raise four times their body weight above their heads. Ranking list I can see why. Moel Arthur - 220m - 10 to 20% - 2.2km #88. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Simon Warren for his books generally and for his contribution of Top 10 lists for PJAMM Cycling. Hit the opening 12% slope too hard and you're finished - because it's followed by a sequence of bends with gradients rising above 30%. This was the advice of a local man as I approached the foot of this brutal climb last year. In many ways, the quintessential Welsh mountain road - wild, remote, desolate and endearingly featureless. This climb is along the southeastern edge of Snowdonia National Park (established 1951 - third national park in Britain after Peak District and Lake District). The Most Challenging Climbs in South Wales, West Sicily: A Journey Through Ancient Culture & History, Wales: Cycling From The Border To The Brecon Beacons, Sweden: The Kattegattleden & Halland Coast. The steep, consistent gradient hovers around 15% all the way, making it one of the most challenging climbs in South Wales. Do not attempt to ride here in unfavourable conditions. Things start off fairly easily, but get harder and harder and harder again by the time you near the summit of Cefn Eglwysllan, with a lovely 20% ramp greeting you to the very top. Zig-zag past cascading waterfalls, amidst the brief protection of rocky outcrops to exit this tangle of tarmac and round one final left hand to finish. What comes next will take your breath away. A mix of all three? 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. Soon into the ride we are climbing through a canyon area with dramatic plateaus and hillside formations, particularly on the right side as we climb. 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. 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. The second bend here is so steep on the inside that it forces you far right, so take care. By the time the open mountain top is reached, things are much more benign. 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 . It covers 827 square miles (2,140 km2), and has 37 miles (60 km) of coastline. Let us know your thoughts about this page. One of the longest climbs in South Wales, the road through the Afan Valley is generally in an upward direction from the time it leaves Port Talbot, but it's after going through Cymmer that the climb begins in earnest. Now very narrow and lined with snow poles, the climb is so well surfaced it resembles a two-metre-wide carpet. Photograph: Paul White/Alamy, Scotch mist hanging over Bealach na Ba. It's very steep into a small woodland, over a cattle grid and then you will see the enormity of your task. Afon Ddu from Trefriw is the toughest ascent with a difficulty score of 621. Views and scenery during the middle of the climb. Climb the Gospel Pass via Hay on Wye by bike. The Rhigos is an altogether different proposition from the south, getting straighter rather than more meandering as it climbs. 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. Rising 859ft over 2.7 miles actually makes for a fairly manageable gradient most of the way up, and there's more road on which to gain altitude than it might look initially. This is apparent in books published prior to 1951, such as the classic travelogue Wild Wales by George Borrow (1862) and The Mountains of Snowdonia by H. Carr & G. Lister (1925).