Where Head north into the mountains from Ballater on the A939. The Shelf - 262m - 5 to 15% - 5.1km #87. Windswept and remote this climb begins in Brynamman, Carmarthenshire, and goes for 3.7 miles with a 12% gradient. Banking right, the surface breaks up and 20% soon turns into 25%. Follow the road alongside the river to Llanymawddwy, pass through and begin the climb across the Pont y Pennant. If you survive the absolute wall out of Pontypridd along Graigwen Road, you'll be treated to one of the most beautiful routes in this part of South Wales as the road follows a ridge high above Taff Valley to the historic church of Llanwonno. 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. 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. This route is an area of desolate but beautiful countryside. Climbing into the Aran Mountains on the edge of Snowdonia, its a road of outstanding beauty rough, weathered and remorselessly steep. On our climb, we encountered a car and had to back up nearly a kilometer to find a place where they could pass. As Eryri (see above), this area has a unique place in Welsh history, tradition and culture. Eventually you'll bend around to the left and the battered, rugged road levels for good. before our second trip to document the UKs top climbs in 2022 -- thus, its The Real Deal! ) Let us know your thoughts about this page. 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. 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. Climb summary by PJAMM Cyclings Brad Butterfield - he climbed this one in 2018 and 2022. WOW - enough said! 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 . Deep in the dark heart of Wales, climbing nut Simon Warren thinks he has discovered Britain's steepest hill. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. There's still plenty of climbing to do along the way, but nothing as ugly as the severe slopes that head straight out of Ponty. Im now trapped on a two foot wide strip of rippled 30 per cent concrete fighting for survival. 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. The Brecon landscape is barren but beautiful as you climb 3.5 miles in Pen-y-Cae. A pretty stone bridge over a stream takes you across the side of the hill, before a further hairpin spins you back towards the exposed top section. Repeatedly, you'll think you're through the worst - only to be hit again with the next step of the staircase. Penbarra ( Bwlch Pen barras / Bwlch Penbarras / Old Bwlch) - 258m - 11 to 25% - 2.3km #89. In 2021 we contacted Simon Warren requesting his picks for the Top 10 Most Epic and Top 10 Hardest bike climbs in (1) Wales, (2) England, (3) Scotland, and (4) the UK. The Road to Hell - 353m - 3 to 20% - 11km #90. Simon and Dan get to grips with Pythagoras Theorem. Cross the cattle grid onto a long straight 7% drag that takes you into the trees. This climb is simply a monster with several stretches in the red zone - above 16%, including one massive stretch at 20% for 200 yards. 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. It does not include the hills to the south of Maentwrog. A headwind, on the other hand, and it can be a real grind. This is the highest paved road and hardest bike climb in Wales. Over the course of the slog, you'll climb . Two miles up a main road at between 4% and 6% might sound easy, but that just depends on how fast you're going. Now on Station Road, take the third left after crossing the rail line on to Bushcombe Lane between the two 25% signs. 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. To climb from the east, begin at the warning sign at Jubilee Bridge. 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. 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. 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. Stwlan Dam. Ride two miles gaining 1,055 at 10.3% average grade. This climb is along the southeastern edge of Snowdonia National Park (established 1951 - third national park in Britain after Peak District and Lake District). You have to take each and every opportunity to recover when it is presented, no matter how slight he says. #3 HARDEST WELSH CLIMB -BWLCH PENBARRA TO JUBILEE TOWER, Cycling Bwlch Penbarras to Jubilee Tower, Wales. Heave yourself round this evil corner and you're through the worst of it. Have you tackled the toughest climb in your region? Join the road up from Thornhill and things get a little easier before the final wall up to the main road. The Tumble (SW #97), 8. Most local riders know its here, we gave it the nickname the Baby Zoncolan but we all avoid it like the plague. Llangynidr Mountain is very much a climb of two halves. Rounding the corner I spot our photographer Andy ahead and see he isnt in position. Simon has been riding for over 30 years and has a long connection with Cycling Weekly, he was once a designer on the magazine and has been a regular contributor for many years. 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. I snapped my chain not once but twice in my attempt to conquer this vicious stretch of tarmac. I asked. 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. Turn left after around a mile though, and everything changes. Cyclist and spectators make their way up The Tumble Abergavenny. 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. One of the hardest climbs in the South West (Credit: Mark Percy) Dunkery Beacon is one of the toughest climbs in the south west of England with 321m of climbing over 3.1km. 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. In Wales cyclists can find 74 interesting climbs between 5 and 550 meters above sea level. It was the first to be designated of the three national parks in Wales, in 1951. BA1 1UA. We completed this jewel in August 2018 and because it is so epic, came back for a second go in June 2022. Stick with it, as eventually the one-in-three does turn into a relatively gentle one-in-six, allowing you to build a little momentum to drag your bike up on to the moor. The distinctive remnants of an ancient quarry indicate the summit. Holding a straight line is becoming all but impossible and the effort needed is simply unsustainable. Length: 64.8km Maximum gradient: 13% Vertical: 1,785m Hazards: Heat exhaustion and death America's Death Valley is not generally known as a great place to ride. Moel Arthur - 220m - 10 to 20% - 2.2km #88. Through Gayle, the road flat, hugging the river, soon rises sharply for a short 17% lung-opener. 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. Baniamr Aquabah Pass, 6. 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. 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. Between the narrow road, the rutted surface and the severity of the slope, this is one seriously tough climb. 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. The less celebrated of two routes up Llangynidr Mountain, the climb from Llangattock is no less difficult. 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. 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. The king of climbs and arguably the hardest road in the land, the legendary Hardknott Pass is an amazing sliver of tarmac. But as the road heads into the trees, it rears up sharply, and doesn't drop below 12% until the very top. 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. A commonly held belief is that the name is derived from eryr ("eagle"), and thus means 'the abode/land of eagles',but recent evidence is that it means quite simply Highlands, and is related to the Latin oriri (to rise) as leading Welsh scholar Sir Ifor Williams proved.The term Eryri first appeared in a manuscript in the 9th-century Historia Brittonum, in an account of the downfall of the semi-legendary 5th-century king Gwrtheyrn (Vortigern).In the Middle Ages the title Prince of Wales and Lord of Snowdonia (Tywysog Cymru ac Arglwydd Eryri) was used by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd; his grandfather Llywelyn Fawr used the title Prince of north Wales and Lord of Snowdonia.Before the boundaries of the national park were designated, "Snowdonia" was generally used to refer to a smaller area, namely the upland area of northern Gwynedd centred on the Snowdon massif, whereas the national park covers an area more than twice that size extending far to the south into Meirionnydd. Whether it's the pine trees, the hairpin close to the top, or the meadows at the summit, but there always seems something slightly alpine about this little climb at the top of the Rhondda - even though it's less than a mile long. Leave the head of Loch Kishorn, turn left and you're on your way, soon passing the large sign warning of the various dangers that lie ahead. When we reached this last hairpin though his jaw hit the floor, he recalls. There is still some way to go but you can click through the gears before finishing just after a gaping cattle grid adjacent to a small car park.Where Head east from the A435 through the village of Bishop's Cleeve on Finlay Way. . 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. Please check your inbox to complete the sign-up process and ensure you receive emails and offers from us in the future. 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. At the end of this long stretch, as we reach bend four of four. Horshoe Pass (Bwlch yr Oernant) - 317m - 7 to 20% - 6.1km #91. Pass through the village, over the river, turning right to find the base of Beggarmans Road and head for the sky. Named Hellfire Pass by the English but better known by its Welsh name, Bwlch-Y-Groes. 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. for this page: 100 Greatest Climbs - A Road Cyclists Guide To Britains Hills; Cycling Climbs of Wales; see also https://www.100climbs.co.uk/books). I can see why. Grid Ref: NY 231 014 (OS96). But its trajectory means that the damage is done on the brutally steep lower slopes. This climb has a maximum gradient of 24% and an average gradient of 6.5%. The Tyla rounds the Blorenge from Gilwern, Heading into the trees on the Wentwood Ridge climb just where it starts to get really steep. This was the advice of a local man as I approached the foot of this brutal climb last year. 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). 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. 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. If there's a more brutal stretch of road anywhere in South Wales than Llanguicke Road, then it's definitely best avoided. Afon Ddu from Trefriw is the toughest ascent with a difficulty score of 621. La Muerte, 9. Only two miles, but one of those climbs that feels like it goes on forever. 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. Climbs have an average length of 4.2km and 248 meters of total ascent. If the Tumble is the famous and successful son, the Tyla is his awkward, challenging older brother. 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. 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. Learn More ALL TRIPS 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. 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. The hardest, most difficult and challenging cycling climbs in Wales are, in order of difficulty, 1. Luckily for us the rain was holding on our expedition. 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. We decided to opt for an even steeper summit - Cairn O'Mount. Cwm Eigiau, 6. Where: Heading north out of Cymmer in the Afan Valley. Also known as Hellfire Pass, Bwich-Y-Groes is the highest paved road in Wales. This climb has one very steep segment near the beginning of the climb: a full half-mile at 16.5%. An altitude gain of 620ft in just a mile gives a clue about what kind of climb this is. But amongst the legendary Welsh valleys, beaches and mountains found in the south of the country, where can you find the most challenging climbs on two wheels? If you have any information regarding this climb, we'd like to hear from you. I have purchased and relied heavily on several of these books in deciding what climbs to include on the PJAMM Website for the UK. No part of it is easy, but it's the first of two hairpins that makes it notorious. Receive a selection of the most beautiful climbs we've added. Click the CONTRIBUTE button to share your thoughts with us. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. 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. The surface is rough at first and steep from the outset, but improves as you pass over a cattlegrid and approach the double hairpin. It covers 827 square miles (2,140 km2), and has 37 miles (60 km) of coastline. 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. Youll see the Foel Y Gordd formation as you enter the canyon area. 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. We've collected 37 of the hardest, most beautiful, steepest, highest and longest climbs in South Wales. 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. In front of you is the Alpine-style Ski Centre, a simply awesome ride. Ride two miles gaining 1,329 at 12.5% average grade. ranks this as the hardest climb in Wales and he will get no argument from us on that front! Each country has her crowned Jewel and Bwlch y Groes makes a good argument for taking that award for the Welsh territory. Riding alongside Dan with Jess tucked in behind we set off, all three of us understandably apprehensive of what lies ahead. Signup for our. Bwlch y Groes means Pass of the Cross.. >>> Subscriptions deals forCycling Weeklymagazine. The sheer length of this steep section is what sets this climb apart, there's just nowhere to recover. With one and a half pedals and dented pride I manage to make it to the top to join Dan and Jess at the finish outside the water treatment works. It is an incredible climb both ways but the road from Tornapress, heading north-west, is just awesome. Where: Heading north out of Nantymoel in the Ogmore Valley. The climb lasts for almost a mile and has an elevation gain of 180 metres. The climb up here out of Ferndale is pretty tasty too. Bwlch Penbarra to Jubilee Tower, 4. The first 200-yard segment averages 15%, so be sure to warm up. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. 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. 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). Pass Gairnshiel Lodge and Colnabaichin. 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Is it the suffering? 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. For a while there I thought Id settled it. In Wales cyclists can find 74 interesting climbs between 5 and 550 meters above sea level. Who knows. 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. Afon Ddu starts abruptly from the main road and youll need just one gear, the lowest you can fit on your bike. -- Climbs taken from 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs (8.99, . Bwlch Penbarras from Llanbedr-Dyffryn-Clwyd, The Road to Hell from Denbigh via Nantglyn, Llanberis Pass / Pen-y-Pass from Nant Peris. Grid ref: SO 983 279 (OS 163)Length 1.54kmHeight gain 167mApprox climb time 9 mins, Named Hellfire Pass by the English but better known by its Welsh name, Bwlch-y-Groes is the highest tarmacked pass in Wales. And Lots of them. 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 gradient on the inside of the bend is estimated to be somewhere in excess of 30%, and while you'd be daft to try riding over that bit, the outside isn't exactly a piece of cake either. My puny cycling arms are shaking like a frightened kitten. If someone built it we will damn well try and ride it, even if it means falling on our ass because. I cant say for sure but I decide to stick with before to salvage what I can of my fragile ego. The gradient towards the top is, in the most part, forgiving, with the most taxing stretches found around the villages lower down. We participate in the Amazon Associates Program. The traditional Snowdonia thus includes the ranges of Snowdon and its satellites, the Glyderau, the Carneddau and the Moel Siabod group. Plus detailed bike, kit and accessory reviews from the experts. 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. But one thing's for sure - Wales has some great places to do it. Snowdonia (Welsh: Eryri) is a mountainous region in north west Wales and a national park of 823 square miles (2,130 km2) in area. 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. I have purchased and relied heavily on several of these books in deciding what climbs to include on the PJAMM Website for the UK. . It starts steep from the village of Clydach and beats you up for a whole mile before easing just a touch. 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. We have had the great fortune of documenting the most epic and hardest climbs in Wales in both 2018 and 2022. Abercynafon Our first relentless climb is Abercynafon, found between Talybont-on-Usk and Pontsticill. 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. With the wind on your back, it's one that can be tackled in the big ring on a good day. At this point, the climb would get significantly worse! United Kingdom: Wales Hardest and Most Epic Hill Climbs. 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. Scotland Bealach Na Ba Bealach na B is arguably the toughest climb in Britain. Rhiwr Road (SW #197), and 10. In fact the Welsh flag has an imposing Dragon on it. 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. 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. Ride only 600 meters but at a stunning 21.3% average grade. The makeup of land ownership at Snowdonia is as follows (Wikipedia - Snowdonia National Park). See where the steepest portions of the climb are located by gradient group. Not here. It's also available via Apple Newsstand and Readly. Where: Between Ystrad Mynach and Merthyr Tydfil. If you can ride this, you can ride anything. 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. This extraordinary climb is in the northwestern section of Wales in the Snowdonia mountain region. 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). Afon Ddu, 7. In a way. How many have you ridden? 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. 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! Okay - sheep is not the official mascot. See more details and tools regarding this climb's grade via the Profile Tool button. It's neither steep or particularly tough, but the constant sequence of false summits can make it a heartbreaking experience for an already fatigued rider. 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.