Scroll down the page to access the full Top 10 Welsh Bike Climbs on the Map below (or switch to "Table" for a detailed list). Stay up to date with the latest developments. This featureoriginally appeared in the September 23 print edition of Cycling Weekly magazine,on sale in newsagents and supermarkets, priced 3.25. Only two miles, but one of those climbs that feels like it goes on forever. ANDY! I scream, we are coming. 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. We begin this climb in the midst of lush pastureland. Cairn O'Mount from the south side is 3.35km with an elevation gain of 319 meters. In a way. of course, ride the toughest cycling climbs across the UK and Europe. . 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. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, 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. 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. The less celebrated of two routes up Llangynidr Mountain, the climb from Llangattock is no less difficult. Afon Ddu from Trefriw is the toughest ascent with a difficulty score of 621. Where: Heading north out of Cymmer in the Afan Valley. We relied heavily on Simon Warrens Top UK Climbs Series in ranking and documenting UK bike climbs (https://www.100climbs.co.uk/books) - they are the Gold Standard for cycling climbing in the UK. Our first relentless climb is Abercynafon, found between Talybont-on-Usk and Pontsticill. 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 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. is the highest tarmacked pass in Wales (, Also known as Hellfire Pass, Bwich-Y-Groes is the highest paved road in Wales. It's all a bit of an optical illusion though. 1. Bath Over the course of the slog, you'll climb . For more epic hill climbing data, visit our Top 10 Most Epic UK and also our Top 10 Most Epic Welsh hill . They will help you plan, document and conquer your next adventure. Best Hill Climbs in the US | Bicycling It's all fairly steady going as the climb starts just off the A449. The Floor is Lava is nothing compared to this road. 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? Gwent The toughest climb in south Wales Where Heading west on the A465 from . The climb is tough right away, then gets tougher still as you bend right into what is a small taste of things to come. Ultra endurance cycling events: World's 10 toughest - Red Bull Still, that's the least of your worries as you pass a 25% sign. The Rhigos is an altogether different proposition from the south, getting straighter rather than more meandering as it climbs. What comes next will take your breath away. A long, long stretch of wickedly steep tarmac lies ahead, hugging the side of the mountain, with a slight levelling halfway but steeper still after that. The English name for the area derives from Snowdon, which is the highest mountain in Wales at 3560 ft (1,085 m). Join the road up from Thornhill and things get a little easier before the final wall up to the main road. Check out PJAMM Adventure's prepackaged (self-guided) cycling trips. 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. As of 2022, Simon Warren has published 12 cycling climbing books - 10 focusing on the UK, one on TdF and the other on the Giro. Do not attempt to ride here in unfavourable conditions. 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. To climb from the east, begin at the warning sign at Jubilee Bridge. 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. Click the CONTRIBUTE button to share your thoughts with us. Moel Arthur - 220m - 10 to 20% - 2.2km #88. 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. Best time to cycle J F M A M J J A S O N D Ranking list Wales Difficulty points Gradient Length Total ascent Simon Warren has published many books on cycling climbing in the UK (e.g. Youre not going to forget the name of this route, nor how it makes you feel! 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. Get info and context about new features. By the time that respite comes, you've climbed nearly 800ft. You have to take each and every opportunity to recover when it is presented, no matter how slight he says. Ride 1.8 miles gaining 916 at 10% average grade. The second set of switchbacks are steeper still, and these now 30% slopes will have you straining every sinew as your front wheel desperately searches for a kinder gradient and weaves all over the road fighting to stay upright. Once through, you can pick up some speed before the final steep turns and your new-found momentum will help carry you through these and over the top. This spectacular virtual fly-through shows the stunning route of the 2016 Velothon Wales, Huge vintage clothing warehouse where you can get designer brands at a fraction of the price, The Thrift operates over a huge 12,000 sq ft and stocks big brands as well as a value section, Superdrug anti-aging cream called 'botox in a tub' by shoppers, Optimum Collagen Day cream is priced at 14.99. I was to discover that there is absolutely no objection to cyclists riding it, although few would be mad enough. Select a portion of the route to retrieve climb & profile data for that segment. This climb is simply a monster with several stretches in the red zone - above 16%, including one massive stretch at 20% for 200 yards. I can now hear Jess approaching from behind, her 34 x 32 slightly more suited to the venue than my 34 x 28, judging by her colourful language I assume I am in her way. Most local riders know its here, we gave it the nickname the Baby Zoncolan but we all avoid it like the plague. 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. The first 200-yard segment averages 15%, so be sure to warm up. All rights reserved. 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 rank this monster as #2 most difficult in UK via the Fiets index. When: March 20-27, 2022. In Welsh, the area is named Eryri. Height gain 286m It also has a very interesting motorsport history: The History of Motor Sport and the Bwlch-y-Groes is nearly as old as motorsport. 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. From the junction with Station Road, exit the village past the first 25% sign then the road bends left at a second 25% warning as if you need reminding, it's going to be hard. The three vicious ascents leaving Woodmancote all offer a fantastic challenge, and of the three it's Bushcombe Lane that stands apart. From the long, straight opening stretch, the summit seems scarily close in distance, while worryingly far away in altitude. But what is the attraction? It starts from the village of Porlock and climbs an average of 10% gradient towards the top of Exmoor. "Cycling in south Wales is a completely different story. The steep, consistent gradient hovers around 15% all the way, making it one of the most challenging climbs in South Wales. Where: Heading north out of Nantymoel in the Ogmore Valley. for this page: ). Al Jaadah Pass, 3. 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. Top 7 cycling climbs in North Wales and Snowdonia We have had the great fortune of documenting the most epic and hardest climbs in Wales in both 2018 and 2022. We parked at the Church in the town of Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd (try saying that TWO times fast . The route hugs the side of the steeply sided valley, following the contours of the hillside as it heads towards the summit. 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. . I snapped my chain not once but twice in my attempt to conquer this vicious stretch of tarmac. The top 10 hardest cycling climbs around the globe, all of which we have personally documented, are: 1. 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. - they are the Gold Standard for cycling climbing in the UK. First built in 2nd century by the Romans, the pass is unbelievably tough from both directions. The Tyla rounds the Blorenge from Gilwern, Heading into the trees on the Wentwood Ridge climb just where it starts to get really steep. Ahead lies 30 metres that has every single ounce of muscle straining like a weight lifter attempting to raise four times their body weight above their heads. Our preloaded PJAMM Adventure App trip pages Wales and the UK are accessed by clicking the purple PJAMM Trips button above. Where Leave the A66 in Appleby-in-Westmorland, head north past Brampton, and left through Dufton to arrive in Knock. It was the first to be designated of the three national parks in Wales, in 1951. World Cycle Tours, Nutterswood Cottage, Nutters Wood, Cleeve Hill, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 3PZ, United Kingdom. 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. Bwlch Penbarra (SW #88), 9. (sort by distance, difficulty, elevation and more). These days, cyclists have it pretty much to themselves, save for the odd bit of local traffic. An altitude gain of 620ft in just a mile gives a clue about what kind of climb this is. 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. (If you're cyclist in North, Mid or West Wales, we'll be. Rhiwr Road (SW #197), and 10. Explore the climbing route via Google Street Views. 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. It starts steep from the village of Clydach and beats you up for a whole mile before easing just a touch. If you want the privilege of having ridden the highest paved road in Wales, you'll need to earn it. And Lots of them. A straight line of unflinching steepness of such monotony that it regularly feels like you're going nowhere. Summarized above under Fiets Top 10 Hardest], 100 Greatest Climbs - A Road Cyclists Guide To Britains Hills, 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. 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. The Tumble (SW #97), 8. Below is a list of Simons choices for Wales Top 10 Hardest and Top 10 Most Epic. 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. This climb has one very steep segment near the beginning of the climb: a full half-mile at 16.5%. It's that steep much of the way. And yet it's easy to forget that it's also one of the toughest. Climbing up through Bedlinog is such a challenge because its so deceptive. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. The lodge helpfully is a decent cafe stop too as it happens. 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. Finish at the car park at the top of the climb. By the end of this section, you'll have ridden c.84km from the coast and will have climbed 2,800m from sea level.