Don't let the urban nature of this climb fool you - it's not easy. 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. He wasn't wrong. The views? 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%. The English name for the area derives from Snowdon, which is the highest mountain in Wales at 3560 ft (1,085 m). Climb summary by PJAMM Cyclings Brad Butterfield - he climbed this one in 2018 and 2022. 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. For more epic hill climbing data, visit our Top 10 Most Epic UK and also our Top 10 Most Epic Welsh hill . A mix of all three? 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. The climb lasts for almost a mile and has an elevation gain of 180 metres. There, in front of you, painted on to the side of the mountain and looking like a giant flight of stairs, lies the rest of the climb. Or should we be asking, how accurate? Bryn Du is a very steep climb in Aberdare, up Maerdy Mountain. Turn away from the village of Knock and begin opposite a farm gate. Named Hellfire Pass by the English but better known by its Welsh name, Bwlch-Y-Groes. The Travel App includes many helpful travel tools, including: an itinerary, interactive map with points of interest and all loaded routes as well as navigation to each; a tracking feature that shows participant locations; records statistic for routes completed; post photos and text in real time to blog and map; and a share feature so friends, fans and family can follow you and your adventure on our interactive map. Length 2.25km Height gain 298m Approx climb time 15 mins, If Hardknott is the king of climbs, then Wrynose is its queen; slightly softer at the edges but no less ruthless. 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 . Where: South of Llangadog, Carmarthenshire. View PJAMM Cycling's collection of the highest ranked climbs in Wales. When we reached this last hairpin though his jaw hit the floor, he recalls. Views and scenery during the middle of the climb. Ride over Irton Pike and pass through Eskdale Green and Beckfoot to reach the base of the climb next to the warning sign at Jubilee Bridge. Essentially every turn is a blind curve. The climb lasts for almost a mile and has an elevation gain of 180 metres. If you have any information regarding this climb, we'd like to hear from you. A headwind, on the other hand, and it can be a real grind. Only two miles, but one of those climbs that feels like it goes on forever. The distinctive remnants of an ancient quarry indicate the summit. We asked Simon Warren to provide us with lists of both the Top 10 Hardest, and Top 10 Most Epic bike climbs in England, Wales, Scotland, and the UK. He was in north Wales pinching some of my best KOMs so I thought he deserved some punishment. 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. Dan is still chatting away but Ive fallen silent - there is no space to fit words in-between breaths. This is a list of all 200 climbs feature in 100 Greatest cycling climbs and also the sequel 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). and climbs through roadside fields. List of - 100 Climbs Total climbing: 21,293m over 322.75km. 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. From the long, straight opening stretch, the summit seems scarily close in distance, while worryingly far away in altitude. Rhiwr Road (SW #197), and 10. I asked. 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. 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. Photograph: Paul White/Alamy, Scotch mist hanging over Bealach na Ba. It's a very tough mile though, averaging somewhere around 9% as it cuts its way up the side of Maerdy Mountain. 2. 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. . This brutal, bucket list climb invites you to tackle an incredible 48 hairpin bends between Prato and the mountain's summit. The gradient towards the top is, in the most part, forgiving, with the most taxing stretches found around the villages lower down. The road levels slightly but the. What comes next will take your breath away. 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. 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. The Guardian - Britains top 10 toughest cycle climbs, Rate climbs, post comments and share your experiences on any of our climb pages, Create bucket lists of climbs & mark the dates you complete them, Weather data for all climbs - Start & Finish, Upload photos to your member page to customize your PJAMM Cycling experience, Utilize all of our interactive tools - Profile & Routes in Area. 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. Bwlch y Groes is rich in history and strong on inspiring, if not breathtaking, scenery. Its so incredibly steep that even 10 seconds of going too hard early on and youll blow it, you really have to measure it just right., Dan Jones's climbing prowess and local knowledge showing on the steeper sections of Abdon Ddu. 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. But I have to keep fighting. (If you're cyclist in North, Mid or West Wales, we'll be. While our Fiets list overlaps Simons for some climbs, the 2 lists do give you a nice sense of the objective and subjective Top 10 hardest Welsh climbs. After a few slight rises the road surface improves dramatically and stretches far into the distance, taking the shortest route over the featureless ridge. is the highest tarmacked pass in Wales (100 Greatest Cycling Climbs - Britain). Cyclist and spectators make their way up The Tumble Abergavenny. Youre not going to forget the name of this route, nor how it makes you feel! 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. There's a choice towards the top between turning right down towards Llangynidr or carrying on along the road to Rassau to complete the full climb. It covers 827 square miles (2,140 km2), and has 37 miles (60 km) of coastline. 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 road levels between the sharp bends giving you a chance to attack each wicked corner then gather yourself in time for the next. Its found as you head north-west out of Pontardawe. Passing farm buildings and trees, the road veers left, then a very sharp 25% right a taste of what's to come before easing as the last of the trees disappear beneath you. 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. Youll see the Foel Y Gordd formation as you enter the canyon area. The photos in the collage at the top of this page are of PJAMMs Top 10 Hardest per the Fiets Index. 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. Al Jaadah Pass, 3. | 26 regions. Where: Heading north out of Nantymoel in the Ogmore Valley. Where Leave the A470 at Dinas Mawddwy and head north east towards Aber-Cywarch. Even though its very short you have to go so slowly at first. Ride only 600 meters but at a stunning 21.3% average grade. 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. The traditional Snowdonia thus includes the ranges of Snowdon and its satellites, the Glyderau, the Carneddau and the Moel Siabod group. 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. Bath 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. The Hardest Climbs - The Steepest Roads in the World Bikes & Gear Health & Nutrition Training Repair Exclusives Subscribe Sign In 1 Five Black Women Who Rode From NYC to DCin 1928 2 18 Best. In an attempt to move right, my front wheel lifts, there is a bang, my right foot instinctively unclips and that was it, I am gone. These days, cyclists have it pretty much to themselves, save for the odd bit of local traffic. You have to take each and every opportunity to recover when it is presented, no matter how slight he says. Leave the A470 at Dinas Mawddwy and head into the Afon Dyfi Valley. This is simply a magnificent cycling experience. The climb goes up a ridge to a small parking lot, where we saw two other cyclists. I snapped my chain not once but twice in my attempt to conquer this vicious stretch of tarmac. Scotland Bealach Na Ba Bealach na B is arguably the toughest climb in Britain. It might be less than a mile, but make no mistake - this is the one of the toughest climbs in South Wales, with the gradient hovering around 15% virtually all the way until it finally shows some mercy in the last couple of hundred metres. 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. In fact, there is a sign at the start warning that the road is Unsuitable for motor vehicles. Although I assume this is mostly to keep tourists away as we intersected multiple residents traveling the road in their cars. It was the first to be designated of the three national parks in Wales, in 1951. 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. Like being first? Get info and context about new features. It covers 827 square miles (2,140 km2), and has 37 miles (60 km) of coastline.The park is governed by the Snowdonia National Park Authority, which is made up of local government and Welsh representatives, and its main offices are at Penrhyndeudraeth. for this page: ). Simon ranked Bwlch y Groes as the fourth hardest climb in Wales (7 UK) and second most epic in Wales (after Stwlan Dam). The gradient kicks up to 14% as you head through the Cimla area of Neath, before a descent the other side takes you down into the Afan Valley. WOW - enough said! Wales has some gorgeous road bike climbs, and Bwlch y Groes is surely one of them! How many have you suffered on your way up? Climbs have an average length of 4.2km and 248 meters of total ascent. If you can ride this, you can ride anything. The Floor is Lava is nothing compared to this road. 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 . We relied heavily on Simon Warrens Top UK Climbs Series in ranking and documenting UK bike climbs (. ) No part of it is easy, but it's the first of two hairpins that makes it notorious. This climb is along the southeastern edge of Snowdonia National Park (established 1951 - third national park in Britain after Peak District and Lake District). 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! Far from any major towns, the starting point is near some very old homesteads. Cycling apparel brand, Rapha today launched the Rapha Film Fund, a program designed to help support creatives bring their life lived by bike stories to life on Raphas YouTube. A straight line of unflinching steepness of such monotony that it regularly feels like you're going nowhere. Simon Warren has published many books on cycling climbing in the UK (e.g. Horshoe Pass (Bwlch yr Oernant) - 317m - 7 to 20% - 6.1km #91. (sort by distance, difficulty, elevation and more). Baniamr Aquabah Pass, 6. Stay up to date with the latest developments. I have purchased and relied heavily on several of these books in deciding what climbs to include on the PJAMM Website for the UK. You'll probably wish you were enjoying a sedate stroll along the fairways of the adjacent golf club by the time you reach the lung-crushing gradients at the top of this punchy climb out of Pontypridd. United Kingdom: Wales Hardest and Most Epic Hill Climbs. One for the power climbers. This is one of the toughest bits of road anywhere in the UK and, through the next left-hand bend, it touches 30% at the apex. Photograph: Stephen Dorey/Alamy. A wide right-hand bend signifies the end of the toughest part, from where it's a lovely, if exactly, ride up to the top, with a hairpin halfway up affording a great view of the town you've just left. 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. But had this happened before I hit the deck or after? I cant say for sure but I decide to stick with before to salvage what I can of my fragile ego. The 10 hardest hill climbs in Wales can be viewed on this page via the map (zoom in to view climbs in particular areas), by Climb Cards (photo and stats) or by a detailed list of the climbs that can be arranged in metric or imperial units by difficulty, distance (longest climbs in the area), altitude gained, highest elevation (highest summit), average grade (sort the grades by varying distances), lowest start point, etc.