Is it the suffering? By the time that respite comes, you've climbed nearly 800ft. TOP 3 HARDEST BIKE CLIMBS IN WALES (FIETS INDEX), This extraordinary climb is in the northwestern section of Wales in the Snowdonia mountain region. I cant say for sure but I decide to stick with before to salvage what I can of my fragile ego. 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. 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. 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's all fairly steady going as the climb starts just off the A449. 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. Canton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. 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. 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. 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. We've collected 37 of the hardest, most beautiful, steepest, highest and longest climbs in South Wales. La Muerte, 9. Our preloaded PJAMM Adventure App trip pages Wales and the UK are accessed by clicking the purple PJAMM Trips button above. In Wales cyclists can find 74 interesting climbs between 5 and 550 meters above sea level. Named Hellfire Pass by the English but better known by its Welsh name, Bwlch-Y-Groes. Photograph: Paul White/Alamy, Scotch mist hanging over Bealach na Ba. . My knees are ready to snap. . 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. They will help you plan, document and conquer your next adventure. But as the road heads into the trees, it rears up sharply, and doesn't drop below 12% until the very top. No part of it is easy, but it's the first of two hairpins that makes it notorious. [Summarized above under Fiets Top 10 Hardest]. ), and I recommend parking there and not attempting to traverse any part of the actual climb route in a car. Weve been crawling skyward for about two minutes, covering just 250m of tarmac as we round bend three. Youll enjoy unobstructed views of the canyon as you pass Wales mascot - Sheep! 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. The maximum gradient is 13%. Riding alongside Dan with Jess tucked in behind we set off, all three of us understandably apprehensive of what lies ahead. Second hardest bike climb in the UK (#1 Wales) - PJAMM Cycling 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. 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. Once the gradient kicks in it just gets steeper and steeper, 20% past the last of the houses, then the fun really starts. This is the story of how he found it and just how painful it is to ride. 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. 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. Baran Road is arguably the most beautiful of all the tough climbs were listing here. The route hugs the side of the steeply sided valley, following the contours of the hillside as it heads towards the summit. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. 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. We parked at the Church in the town of Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd (try saying that TWO times fast . This gorgeous country road is testing for even the best cyclists, but it provides great views north towards the western Brecon Beacons. Now very narrow and lined with snow poles, the climb is so well surfaced it resembles a two-metre-wide carpet. We decided to opt for an even steeper summit - Cairn O'Mount. In Welsh, the area is named Eryri. Llangynidr Mountain is very much a climb of two halves. Our first relentless climb is Abercynafon, found between Talybont-on-Usk and Pontsticill. 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. Over the years, I've sought to climb as many hills as possible. 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. Within a few hundred feet of the start point, a switchback of over 20% warns you of the battle to come. 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). It also has a very interesting motorsport history: The History of Motor Sport and the Bwlch-y-Groes is nearly as old as motorsport. Cyclist and spectators make their way up The Tumble Abergavenny. 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. Bedlinog 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. danevanscycling Ffordd Pen Llech 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. Here is all you need to know about the clocks changing in March, New restaurant from 'hugely talented' chef behind two top Welsh eateries coming to Cardiff, Poca will replace what was the highly regarded La Cuina and is a new place from the chef behind Alium and Humble Onion, The popular Swansea restaurant shut and empty for more than a decade with all its signs still up, Tom Sizemore dies at the age of 61 as Saving Private Ryan actor is taken off life support, Sizemore was best known for his roles in Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down, 7 places to stay in Wales these Easter holidays including cottages and holiday parks, There are some great deals to enjoy in Wales with a variety of accommodation to book for Easter 2023, Parallel: First look at Pasture's new small plates restaurant and speakeasy bar, Parallel can be found next door to Pasture on Cardiff's High Street, Dengue fever alert for Brits off on holiday to Ibiza this year, There are fears that there could be another wave of infections on the Spanish island this summer after half a dozen cases last year, Merthyr Mawr Forest Feastival 2023 return dates, times and vendors, The popular street food festival is back at Merthyr Mawr and it's got lots of new and tasty treats for foodies, Mum 'in tears' as family is thrown out of theatre's panto performance, The theatre has now apologised and admitted they got it wrong, BBC The Apprentice: Why Bradley Johnson didn't leave in a taxi despite being fired, Bradley Johnson and Avi Sharma were chosen as the next candidates to leave Lord Sugar's boardroom, Mum loses custody of six-year-old daughter after 'bleak' neglect, Cardiff family court heard the little girl still drinks milk from a baby bottle, wears pull-up nappies, and is often awake through the night in a room with no lightbulb in what the judge described as a 'bleak picture', Met Office issue yellow weather warning for snow as maps show where it will fall in the UK, Yellow warnings for snow and ice have been issued for parts of the UK as Arctic winds bring snow, Tonight's rugby news as 12 Wales stars try to convince Gatland and top Welsh clash cancelled amid injury crisis, The latest rugby news stories from Wales and beyond, Man who infamously taunted police while on the run sent back behind bars, Matthew Maynard once sent his local paper a 'better' picture of himself because he didn't like the wanted mugshot police had issued, Woman's mission to sample scone at every possible National Trust location, Her mission was finally completed on Wednesday when Ms Merker visited the Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland for one last scone, Heartbreak over plight of elderly who go to the grave without proper care, Age UK is 'deeply concerned' about the treatment of the elderly, 20 dogs looking for their forever home after a lonely winter in kennels, If you think you're up for giving a dog a new forever home then these are looking for one, Don't get burned by fraudsters' airfryer scam, warn consumer experts, The enticing freebie on offer is just a ploy to enable thieves to run up big bills on your card or empty your bank account, Farmer's long battle to protect his home and livelihood from developers that never seems to end, Gethin Jenkins' family farm has taken a step closer to being saved, but he's well aware the battle may not be over yet, Grand former prime minister's family country home with astounding views and huge chessboard in the garden, Historic handsome house now a comfortable and welcoming homes packed with character and drenched in sunlight, Dozens of drivers caught without seatbelts in 90-minute police sting, There was a large police presence in Llandaff North, Cardiff, on Friday morning, Car crashes into house before driver flees scene, Police are investigating the incident and are appealing for witnesses, Nine-storey apartment block planned for Cardiff city centre, The proposed development would see a long-standing garage and car wash demolished, Fire breaks out on ferry carrying 183 people across the Channel, Rescuers scrambled lifeboats to the scene between Dover and Calais, Gran killed in crash after drug taking friend loses control of car, David Grant's barrister said the case would stay in the defendant's mind 'for life', Drug-dealing brothers caught with stash of cocaine and cannabis in hire car, The pair were sending and receiving drug dealing text messages even as the police followed their car. We rank this monster as the #3 most difficult in Britain via the Fiets index - #2 in Wales! Join the road up from Thornhill and things get a little easier before the final wall up to the main road. Start opposite the old red telephone box, past the numerous warning signs, across the cattle grid then bend slightly left. 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. Leaving Rosedale Abbey, a sign warns you of the one-in-three yes, one-in-three gradient to come. 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. You can also subscribe to the magazine, save on the cover price and get it delivered every Thursday. The traditional Snowdonia thus includes the ranges of Snowdon and its satellites, the Glyderau, the Carneddau and the Moel Siabod group. If any more proof was needed, this road takes no prisoners., it is utterly savage but thats what we love, right? Something went wrong, please try again later. It starts from the village of Porlock and climbs an average of 10% gradient towards the top of Exmoor. 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. If you want the privilege of having ridden the highest paved road in Wales, you'll need to earn it. Wales is a wonderful country with great people, extraordinary scenery and EPIC bike climbs!! F. J. 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. The best advice for anyone heading uphill out of Aberdare - don't put yourself in the red too early. 100 Greatest cycling climbs list - Cycling uphill Have we found Britian's steepest cycling climb | Cycling Weekly 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. 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 . Bwlch y Groes (SW #91), 3. Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access, Enjoy your first month for just 1 / $1 / 1, *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription. Watch a gorgeous open up before your eyes as you tackle this country road that rises straight out of Pontardawe. Bwlch Penbarra to Jubilee Tower, 4. 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. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. 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. The road levels slightly but the. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. 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. Follow the road alongside the river to Llanymawddwy, pass through and begin the climb across the Pont y Pennant. 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. Dan is still chatting away but Ive fallen silent - there is no space to fit words in-between breaths. 37 beautiful and challenging climbs in South Wales every - WalesOnline When we reached this last hairpin though his jaw hit the floor, he recalls. TOP 3 HARDEST BIKE CLIMBS IN WALES (SIMON WARREN). It covers 827 square miles (2,140 km2), and has 37 miles (60 km) of coastline. This is the highest paved road and hardest bike climb in Wales. This is a list of all 200 climbs feature in 100 Greatest cycling climbs and also the sequel I have purchased and relied heavily on several of these books in deciding what climbs to include on the PJAMM Website for the UK. I slump over the bars. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Since that . Its found as you head north-west out of Pontardawe. | 26 regions. 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. 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. The second bend here is so steep on the inside that it forces you far right, so take care. The hardest part is swinging onto the six or seven kilometre climbs and seeing riders crawling up the hill ahead of you looking like ants . Check out PJAMM Adventure's prepackaged (self-guided) cycling trips. But what is the attraction? Where: South of Llangadog, Carmarthenshire. 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. But I have to keep fighting. The climb begins as we pass a set of old farm buildings on the left. We completed this jewel in August 2018 and because it is so epic, came back for a second go in June 2022. By the time you reach the clock tower in Pricetown, you'll have been climbing fairly constantly since Bryncethin. Deep in the dark heart of Wales, climbing nut Simon Warren thinks he has discovered Britains steepest hill. The Tour of Britain tackled the climb in 2010, when Swiss Michael Albasini attacked up it to take a solo win in Swansea. 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. 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. 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. 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. We relied heavily on Simon Warrens Top UK Climbs Series in ranking and documenting UK bike climbs (. ) Now round to the right, the ever steepening, increasingly lumpy surface heads into arguably the hardest section of relentlessly steep tarmac in Britain. Below, we detail 10 of the toughest climbs in the UK, and provide links to the Strava segments to help you plan your routes. The Road to Hell - 353m - 3 to 20% - 11km #90. 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. And don't even think about putting a foot down - you'll never get started again. Penbarra ( Bwlch Pen barras / Bwlch Penbarras / Old Bwlch) - 258m - 11 to 25% - 2.3km #89. Still, that's the least of your worries as you pass a 25% sign. Before the construction of the Heads of the Valleys road, this was the main road between Gilwern and Brynmawr. Cycling climbs: UK's top 5 road climbs - Red Bull ANDY! I scream, we are coming. But those who want to do climbs like Penrhys are extreme even within that bracket. They will help you plan, document and conquer your next adventure. 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. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. WOW - enough said! Where Leave the A66 in Appleby-in-Westmorland, head north past Brampton, and left through Dufton to arrive in Knock.