The wooded opening sequence and the first phases on the open hillside are where you'll really suffer. Watch a gorgeous open up before your eyes as you tackle this country road that rises straight out of Pontardawe. United Kingdom: England's Hardest and Most Epic Hill Climbs, United Kingdom: Hardest and Epic Bike Climbs, United Kingdom: Scotland's Hardest and Most Epic Hill Climbs. Taking your bike up a steep climb next to Welsh dry stone walls and mountain streams on Heol Lan is an experience that will stay with you. Bryn Du is a very steep climb in Aberdare, up Maerdy Mountain. 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. These days, cyclists have it pretty much to themselves, save for the odd bit of local traffic. This challenging route is found between between Ystrad Mynach and Merthyr Tydfil and is a distance of 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometres). We decided to opt for an even steeper summit - Cairn O'Mount. -- Climbs taken from 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs (8.99, . Over the course of the slog, you'll climb . 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. 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. Passo Stelvio, Italy. List of - 100 Climbs Total climbing: 21,293m over 322.75km. This featureoriginally appeared in the September 23 print edition of Cycling Weekly magazine,on sale in newsagents and supermarkets, priced 3.25. 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. Through a second gate it's easy for a while then bending right once again it's leg-breakingly tough to the finish at the station, where, looking around you, you might as well be on top of the world. I can see why. 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. The road to get to this climb is brutally narrow with thick shrubs blocking the views ahead. First built in 2nd century by the Romans, the pass is unbelievably tough from both directions. 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. 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. She got all aggressive so we turned around and chilled for 20, walked back up the trail and she was still there . Cape Epic. Grid ref: NY 710 321 (OS 91)Length 7.45kmHeight gain 638mApprox climb time 40 mins, Few climbs have such a fearsome reputation as Rosedale Chimney, and rightly so. Between the narrow road, the rutted surface and the severity of the slope, this is one seriously tough climb. Arguably, though, he is best known as the author of Cycling Climbs series of books. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. 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. But as the road heads into the trees, it rears up sharply, and doesn't drop below 12% until the very top. On our climb, we encountered a car and had to back up nearly a kilometer to find a place where they could pass. 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. The steepest paved street in Pittsburghand one of the toughest climbs in the USmakes the top spot on our list. No part of it is easy, but it's the first of two hairpins that makes it notorious. If someone built it we will damn well try and ride it, even if it means falling on our ass because. Where: Heading north out of Nantymoel in the Ogmore Valley. A while later the utterly horrendous Cowlyd in north Wales found its way onto my radar and again the slate was wiped clean and a new standard was set. 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. 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. 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. We've collected 37 of the hardest, most beautiful, steepest, highest and longest climbs in South Wales. 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. The makeup of land ownership at Snowdonia is as follows (Wikipedia - Snowdonia National Park). Climb summary by PJAMM Cyclings Brad Butterfield - he climbed this one in 2018 and 2022. There is also now a Welsh Climbs book 100 greatest cycling climbs is a list of some of the hardest climbs in the UK from Constitution Hill to Kirkstone Pass and Ditchling Beacon. 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. Start opposite the old red telephone box, past the numerous warning signs, across the cattle grid then bend slightly left. It is in the Aran Mountains near the south east edge of Snowdonia (. 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. . It does not include the hills to the south of Maentwrog. In a way. Learn More ALL TRIPS Pozza San Glisente (Dos dell'Asino), 8. Afon Ddu starts abruptly from the main road and youll need just one gear, the lowest you can fit on your bike. Bealach na B is the one most talked about, as one of few category 1 road climbs in the United Kingdom. Explore the climbing route via Google Street Views. Up ahead, eventually the final bends come into view, just as the gradient gets brutal on the long weather-beaten 20% slope that tests your legs to the limit. It's very steep into a small woodland, over a cattle grid and then you will see the enormity of your task. The Floor is Lava is nothing compared to this road. Ride only 600 meters but at a stunning 21.3% average grade. The Rhigos is an altogether different proposition from the south, getting straighter rather than more meandering as it climbs. This climb has one very steep segment near the beginning of the climb: a full half-mile at 16.5%. . #3 HARDEST WELSH CLIMB -BWLCH PENBARRA TO JUBILEE TOWER, Cycling Bwlch Penbarras to Jubilee Tower, Wales. The 5 hardest cycling climbs in the UK (Please link to Pedalsure.com if using elsewhere) Bealach na B Bealach-na-Ba 9.2km at 6.8% (Grid: 1 km) -25% -10% 0% 10% 25% View full details on 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. 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 . (If you're cyclist in North, Mid or West Wales, we'll be. Who knows. After all that has preceded it, the finale a set of four hairpin bends may be all too much, but fear not. 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. Named Hellfire Pass by the English but better known by its Welsh name, Bwlch-Y-Groes. 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. It's not too steep to begin with but as the road bends hard left at the base of an almighty tower of rock, then the gradient increases. TOP 3 HARDEST BIKE CLIMBS IN WALES (FIETS INDEX), This extraordinary climb is in the northwestern section of Wales in the Snowdonia mountain region. - they are the Gold Standard for cycling climbing in the UK. 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. The second bend here is so steep on the inside that it forces you far right, so take care. The climb lasts for almost a mile and has an elevation gain of 180 metres. If you want to share something you need to create an account. The Road to Hell - 353m - 3 to 20% - 11km #90. Having left the steep streets of Upper Brynamman behind, the road dissects the open mountainside, tussock-covered hillsides on both flanks. We participate in the Amazon Associates Program. The surface, just wide enough for a single car, is smooth at the edges but little more than gravel and moss in the centre. BA1 1UA. Join the road up from Thornhill and things get a little easier before the final wall up to the main road. Simon Warren has published many books on cycling climbing in the UK (e.g. Canton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. See where the steepest portions of the climb are located by gradient group. Turn away from the village of Knock and begin opposite a farm gate. ), and I recommend parking there and not attempting to traverse any part of the actual climb route in a car. 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. Approaching from either direction you see the radar station's "golf ball" glowing like a beacon on the top of the ridge. 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 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. By the end of this section, you'll have ridden c.84km from the coast and will have climbed 2,800m from sea level. Thank you for signing up! Photograph: Stephen Dorey/Alamy. This route is an area of desolate but beautiful countryside. The scenery gets more barren as you climb, dispensing with the trees and dry stone walls of the lower stretches and opening out into a classic Brecon Beacons landscape at the summit. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Without being too hysterical, this climb is nothing more than a joyless straight line of pain. 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. Bwlch Penbarra to Jubilee Tower, 4. It is in the Aran Mountains near the south east edge of Snowdonia (The Guardian - Britains top 10 toughest cycle climbs). Ride two miles gaining 1,329 at 12.5% average grade. Pass Gairnshiel Lodge and Colnabaichin. 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. Bwlch y Groes means Pass of the Cross.. Factoring in a pretty torrid road surface too means reaching the top of this wall is an achievement few will ever accomplish. Bwlch y Groes (SW #91), 3. If there's a more brutal stretch of road anywhere in South Wales than Llanguicke Road, then it's definitely best avoided. Baran Road is arguably the most beautiful of all the tough climbs were listing here. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The British is named after the massive old ironworks that once dominated this area above Pontypool. From this page you may navigate to the top 10 most difficult bicycling climbs in Wales. Through Gayle, the road flat, hugging the river, soon rises sharply for a short 17% lung-opener. We participate in the Amazon Associates Program. Staring with 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs in 2010, Simon has set out to chronicle and, of course, ride the toughest cycling climbs across the UK and Europe. First off, a classic. The full climb might be 2.4km, but that doesn't even nearly tell the full story. The Great Orme from Llandudno via Marine Drive, The Great Orme from Llandudno via Ty Gwyn Road. The average gradient might "only" be 8.3%, but that's reduced by the steady stretch of false flat that precedes the summit. This is largely due to its length of 9.32km. Pass Castell Coch on your left, feel the smooth false flat underneath your wheels and the scent of wild garlic in the air, and you'll think you're in for an easy couple of miles. 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 steep, consistent gradient hovers around 15% all the way, making it one of the most challenging climbs in South Wales. The Tumble (SW #97), 8. Bwlch y Groes means Pass of the Cross.. There is no dress rehearsal for this stretch of road, this is one take and one take only. In Welsh, the area is named Eryri. It's a very tough mile though, averaging somewhere around 9% as it cuts its way up the side of Maerdy Mountain. You can also subscribe to the magazine, save on the cover price and get it delivered every Thursday. If you can ride this, you can ride anything. But those who want to do climbs like Penrhys are extreme even within that bracket. The Tyla rounds The Blorenge Mountain from Gilwern, and its an incredibly challenging climb, mainly because of its steep lower slopes. In fact the Welsh flag has an imposing Dragon on it. Finish at the car park at the top of the climb. Apagua, 5. Riding alongside Dan with Jess tucked in behind we set off, all three of us understandably apprehensive of what lies ahead. 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. Turn left after around a mile though, and everything changes. Let us know your thoughts about this page. Here are some of the UK's other toughest ascents. The hardest, most difficult and challenging cycling climbs in Wales are, in order of difficulty, 1. 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.