The steep, consistent gradient hovers around 15% all the way, making it one of the most challenging climbs in South Wales. Where Leave the A684 that runs through Hawes and head south on Gayle Lane to Gayle. Signup for our. The climb lasts for almost a mile and has an elevation gain of 180 metres. But as the road heads into the trees, it rears up sharply, and doesn't drop below 12% until the very top. La Muerte, 9. for this page: ). Just keep going, then head down the terrifying descent. Over the course of the slog, you'll climb . Llano de las Animas, 7. Here are some of the UK's other toughest ascents. The lodge helpfully is a decent cafe stop too as it happens. 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. Do not attempt to ride here in unfavourable conditions. Im now trapped on a two foot wide strip of rippled 30 per cent concrete fighting for survival. Let us know what you thought of this climb. Named Hellfire Pass by the English but better known by its Welsh name, Bwlch-Y-Groes. Cycling climbs Wales The views? Simon Warren has published many books on cycling climbing in the UK (e.g. The Tyla rounds the Blorenge from Gilwern, Heading into the trees on the Wentwood Ridge climb just where it starts to get really steep. Epic Climbs in South Wales - Cardiff By Bike Britain's top 10 toughest cycle climbs - the Guardian And it's so steep, close to 25% at the point where the tall valley walls disappear and the radar slowly rises over the horizon to sit above you, tracking the remainder of your progress. The bottom of the Abercynafon climb - note the 20% gradient, The open countryside of the Baran Road climb, The open part of the Bedlinog climb, after leaving the village, Looking south from the climb up the Black Mountain, The profile of the Black Mountain, from Brynamman, Looking down at the upper reaches of the Black Mountain climb from Llangadog, Looking north from the top of the Black Mountain, The profile for the Black Mountain from Llangadog, The top of the British, heading out of Abersychan, Steep inclines before leaving Aberdare on the way up Maerdy Mountain, The hairpin on the climb up Maerdy Mountain from Aberdare, Descending from the Bwlch into the Afan Valley, Near the top of the Bwlch, from the Afan Valley, The profile for the climb up the Bwlch from the Afan Valley, Looking up towards the summit of the Bwlch on the way up from Treorchy, The early part of the Caerphilly Mountain climb after leaving Tongwynlais, The steepest part of the climb up Caerphilly Mountain from Tongwynlais, The profile of the climb up Caerphilly Mountain from Caerphilly, The 20% slopes of the Wenallt climb up Caerphilly Mountain, The profile of the Wenallt climb up Caerphilly Mountain, Dan Martin and Nairo Quintana lead up Caerphilly Mountain in the 2013 Tour of Britain, The final kick on the Mountain Road ascent of Caerphilly Mountain, The profile of the climb up Caerphilly Mountain from the centre of the town, The road up Cefn Bryn stretching into the distance, The higher part of the Cimla climb out of Neath, The steep and cobbled slopes of Swansea's Constitution Hill, The long stretch up to Crai reservoir from Pen y Cae, The view down from the top hairpin on the Devil's Elbow, The top section of the Gospel Pass, after the steepest parts, Climbing up alongside dry stone walls and mountain streams on Heol Lan, Looking back down the climb out of Llangattock, Looking back down from the top of Llangynidr Mountain, Llanguicke Road: Almost unimaginably steep, The views from close to the summit of Llangynidr Mountain, The climb from Llangwm towards Shirenewton, The climb to Llanwonno, shortly after leaving the houses of Graigwen Road, The forested section close to the top of the climb to Llanwonno from Pontypridd, Onto more open terrain at the top of the Maerdy Mountain, The profile of the climb up Maerdy Mountain, The Old Black Rock climb from Gilwern to Brynmawr, The relentless gradient to the top of Penrhys, One of the steepest sections of the climb up past Pontypridd Golf Club, Looking back from the top of the Pontypridd Golf Club climb, The profile for the Pontypridd Golf Club climb, The top section of the Rhigos on the north side, The profile of the Rhigos climb from Hirwaun, The profile of the Rhigos from Treherbert, Rhiwr Road is difficult from the very start, Looking back towards Monmouth shortly after leaving Mitchel Troy on the climb to Trelleck, The profile of the climb towards Trelleck from Mitchel Troy. I have purchased and relied heavily on several of these books in deciding what climbs to include on the PJAMM Website for the UK. This climb is breathtaking and we will return and do this one again - its just that unique, inspiring and exceptional. The lower half is a meander through pastoral scenery, before suddenly opening out onto exposed mountain top with stunning views of the peaks around Abergavenny. The sheer length of this steep section is what sets this climb apart, there's just nowhere to recover. The Most Challenging Climbs in South Wales - World Cycle Tours Where From the bottom left corner of Rosedale Abbey leave the main road and turn south east on to Gill Lane, pass the giant warning sign, and head up. 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. They are good people out here that enjoy a way of life much slower and unfamiliar to most others I think. Ultra endurance cycling events: World's 10 toughest - Red Bull 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. Region: South West Length: 3.1km Average gradient: 10% Elevation: 321m With the wind on your back, it's one that can be tackled in the big ring on a good day. It is in the Aran Mountains near the south east edge of Snowdonia (. 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. 1. Another climb with a fair bit of ascent to even get to the start. These bike climbs can be viewed via google maps or by a detailed list of the climbs that can be arranged by difficulty, distance (longest climbs in Wales), altitude gained, highest elevation . Before the construction of the Heads of the Valleys road, this was the main road between Gilwern and Brynmawr. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Theres always a bigger fish. Thats what the ancient proverb says, and just when I thought Id ridden the steepest road in Britain, and put the matter of determining the country's toughest cycling climb to bed once and for all, up popped another hideous incline to further move the goalposts and redefine suffering. 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. Since that . [Summarized above under Fiets Top 10 Hardest]. Having left the steep streets of Upper Brynamman behind, the road dissects the open mountainside, tussock-covered hillsides on both flanks. ALL CLIMBS PJAMM TRIPS MEMBER COMMENTS Climb List: (sort by distance, difficulty, elevation and more) PJAMM TRIPS ADVENTURE STARTER BUNDLES Check out PJAMM Adventure's prepackaged (self-guided) cycling trips. 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. Simon Warren has published many books on cycling climbing in the UK (e.g. Riding from Llangadog, you'll be climbing before you realise, but the real business starts after the woodland stops and the open mountainside starts. Apart from the few cars that travel this route, you're more likely to have wary, onlooking deer for company, as they track your slow progress up the mountain. Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our. . Get info and context about new features. The surface, just wide enough for a single car, is smooth at the edges but little more than gravel and moss in the centre. The superlative Bwlch y Groes is coincidentally ranked #2 most epic hill climb in Wales and 3 in all the UK. Climb summary by PJAMM Cyclings Brad Butterfield - he climbed this one in 2018 and 2022. The 10 Hardest Bike Climbs in Wales - pjammcycling.com Two miles up a main road at between 4% and 6% might sound easy, but that just depends on how fast you're going. When I first tackled Hardknott Pass in the Lake District I assumed nothing could ever beat that, but then a few years after I discovered the road up to Abdon Burf in the Shropshire Hills and my perception of torture was changed. . Approaching 20%, you crawl through harsh, boulder-littered scenery, a massive slog to the briefest of levels where the classification of the road changes public cars are allowed no further. Climbs have an average length of 4.2km and 248 meters of total ascent. We have had the great fortune of documenting the most epic and hardest climbs in Wales in both 2018 and 2022. The surface is rough at first and steep from the outset, but improves as you pass over a cattlegrid and approach the double hairpin. Simon ranked Bwlch y Groes as the fourth hardest climb in Wales (7 UK) and second most epic in Wales (after Stwlan Dam). Ride 1.8 miles gaining 916 at 10% average grade. danevanscycling Ffordd Pen Llech One for the power climbers. The Tumble (SW #97), 8. Without being too hysterical, this climb is nothing more than a joyless straight line of pain. 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. El Torneado, and 10. Don't let the urban nature of this climb fool you - it's not easy. . When: March 20-27, 2022. Afon Ddu from Trefriw is the toughest ascent with a difficulty score of 621. Grid Ref: SH 913 232 (OS125)Length 3.56km Height gain 385m Approx climb time 23 mins, A true monster of a climb through the heart of the Cairngorms, the road up to the Lecht Ski Centre is a simply stunning ride. Thanks to Strava for the route maps and climb profiles. Read next: This spectacular virtual fly-through shows the stunning route of the 2016 Velothon Wales. Increasing in steepness as it passes old industrial relics, the road winds its way up the side of a breathtaking gorge, with just a few boulders between separating you and the 10% gradient from the edge. Penbarra ( Bwlch Pen barras / Bwlch Penbarras / Old Bwlch) - 258m - 11 to 25% - 2.3km #89. What comes next will take your breath away. 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. Or should we be asking, how accurate? Between the narrow road, the rutted surface and the severity of the slope, this is one seriously tough climb. The Great Orme from Llandudno via Marine Drive, The Great Orme from Llandudno via Ty Gwyn Road. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. 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. This was the advice of a local man as I approached the foot of this brutal climb last year. 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. Ranking list Let us know your thoughts about this page. Now straightening up, the next stretch is ridiculously hard, the main problem here being just staying upright while either side of the road, sheep wait to see if yet another rider falls victim to the Chimney. With this in mind, I put my eyes to work scanning the gradients ahead looking for any stretch of reprieve, no matter how short, where I can take a break from the infernal torment. Essentially every turn is a blind curve. This climb is along the southeastern edge of Snowdonia National Park (established 1951 - third national park in Britain after Peak District and Lake District). 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. >>> Subscriptions deals forCycling Weeklymagazine. Llangynidr Mountain is very much a climb of two halves. The Tyla rounds The Blorenge Mountain from Gilwern, and its an incredibly challenging climb, mainly because of its steep lower slopes. Watch a gorgeous open up before your eyes as you tackle this country road that rises straight out of Pontardawe. of course, ride the toughest cycling climbs across the UK and Europe. This climb is simply a monster with several stretches in the red zone - above 16%, including one massive stretch at 20% for 200 yards. This climb is ranked #3 on PJAMMs FIETS formula-based difficulty index, as well as the UK Top Hardest Climbs list provided to us by Simon Warrenbefore our second trip to document the UKs top climbs in 2022 -- thus, its The Real Deal! If a man with legs as strong as Dans struggles up a climb then what chance do us mortals have? Photos clockwise from top left: Bwlch y Groes (Wales #1, UK #2 hardest); Stwlan Dam (Wales #1, UK #2 most epic); Entering Wales in Llanymynech; Cardiff Castle; Welsh flag flying over Cardiff Castle (center). Grid ref: NJ 252 118 (OS37) Length 3.01km Height gain 245m Approx climb time 21 mins, This is it: the Holy Grail, the toughest and wildest climb in Britain. Stwlan Dam. The beautiful landscape of the Brecon Beacons. The steep, consistent gradient hovers around 15% all the way, making it one of the most challenging climbs in South Wales. TOP 3 HARDEST BIKE CLIMBS IN WALES (FIETS INDEX), This extraordinary climb is in the northwestern section of Wales in the Snowdonia mountain region. Anything you have read or been told about this amazing road is likely to be true. My veins are ready to explode as I push and pull through each agonising revolution of the pedals. Its gradient maxes out at 37 percent, with an . The Shelf - 262m - 5 to 15% - 5.1km #87. I snapped my chain not once but twice in my attempt to conquer this vicious stretch of tarmac. Bwlch y Groes means Pass of the Cross.. The three vicious ascents leaving Woodmancote all offer a fantastic challenge, and of the three it's Bushcombe Lane that stands apart. Bwlch y Groes (SW #91), 3. Climbing for fun requires a particular type of sadism. 10 of the UK's Toughest Cycling Climbs - Band of Climbers We begin this climb in the midst of lush pastureland. The famous hairpin means you've broken the back of it, and by the time you're onto the tree-lined final straight, you'll virtually be able to taste the ice cream from the van in the layby at the summit. Reaching new heights - tackling 100 toughest cycling climbs winding route from Hay you veer right past the turn for Craswall and over a cattle grid.The road steepens here for the hardest part of the climb.After a few hundred yards you are greeted to a fantastic view of Hay Bluff and . Learn More ALL TRIPS Best cycling climbs Europe: Top 10 hardest routes - Red Bull As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. All rights reserved. (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). Average gradient: 6.5% Another 100 Greatest Cycling hills 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs at Amazon.co.uk Another 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs at Waterstones Another 100 climbs include: Longest Hill Climb Cragg Vale - The longest continuous ascent in England - 9.1 km. 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. Not here. Are you tough enough? | Ten of the UK's steepes The sense of achievement? It then all but levels off as you pass various farm buildings, where the surface is broken and covered with the mud and debris from passing tractor tyres. Over the years, I've sought to climb as many hills as possible. When is the first day of spring and when do clocks go forward in 2023? 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. It only takes 1 minute and it's completely free. You have to pace yourself because as the road progresses you hit a series of bends, coupled with a 30% gradient. Baran Road is arguably the most beautiful of all the tough climbs were listing here. Pozza San Glisente (Dos dell'Asino), 8. Cairn O'Mount from the south side is 3.35km with an elevation gain of 319 meters. After a few slight rises the road surface improves dramatically and stretches far into the distance, taking the shortest route over the featureless ridge. Therefore, after Bealach na Ba (UK #1 Most Epic and #4 hardest), Bwlch y Groes might be the second best bike climb in all the land. This climb was renowned throughout the 1970s and 80s as the most challenging climb used in the Milk Race round-Britain cycle race (, The History of Motor Sport and the Bwlch-y-Groes is nearly as old as motorsport. Check out PJAMM Adventure's prepackaged (self-guided) cycling trips. The 10 Hardest Cycling Climbs in the World The king of climbs and arguably the hardest road in the land, the legendary Hardknott Pass is an amazing sliver of tarmac. See more details and tools regarding this climb's grade via the Profile Tool button. You'll be counting each and every pedal rev as you slowly push your way up the scree-littered road to the summit. And don't even think about putting a foot down - you'll never get started again. ranks this as the hardest climb in Wales and he will get no argument from us on that front! Britain's greatest cycling climbs - The Telegraph The Floor is Lava is nothing compared to this road. 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 intimidating wall achieves virtually all of its 150m altitude gain in the space of a fearsome 1.2km, at an average gradient of nearly 13%. North Wales Cycling Climbs amongst the top 100 - VC Melyd We rank this monster as #2 most difficult in UK via the Fiets index. Through Gayle, the road flat, hugging the river, soon rises sharply for a short 17% lung-opener. The average gradient of the climb is 2.9% and the maximum gradient is 13%.