Best UK bike climb

B

braymarina

Well-known member
Mine:

I lived in Glossop so the Snake has to be one but for a really big hitter Winnats Pass, between Hope and Sparrowpit, in the Peak District takes some beating
 
No, Bray. Although I biked everywhere in my teens and 20s I dropped it as a sport when work took over. But I have driven up the Bealach several times. One time was in the dark late evening with a thunderstorm going on in the adjacent valley, and that was scary enough. Apparently, on a bike, it’s not the climb that can kill you... it’s the descent afterwards.
 
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I did the Coast to Coast from Seascale to Whitby 150 miles in a day, and also had to climb Hardknott and Wrynose pass. Hardknott is officially the # 1 hardest bike climb in the country fact
 
I've done the Bealach na Ba from both sides. I'd say doing it from the Loch Carron side is marginally better. Both are absolute belters.
My other top rides would include:-
Hardknott & Wrynose (I needed a 12-32 to get up the former)
Rosedale Chimney in the North York Moors is a 33% monster
Honister Pass in the Lakes - great from both directions
Bealach Feith nan Laogh near Strontian - again good in both directions but from the west side is a killer & is the longest hardest & most sustained climb I've done in the UK
The Lighthouse climb on the southern tip of the Mull of Kintyre if you want a fearsome & remote challenge
Park Rash near Kettlewell in the Yorkshire Dales - so steep I went over the handle bars on the decent!
Great Dun Fell near Penrith - if you only ever do one climb in the UK make it this one......
And one esoteric gem. Calum's Road on the Isle or Rassay - read the story then go ride the ride.

And to finish here are climbs on my hit list.
Shibden Wall & Trooper Lane in Halifax
The Serpentine on the Isle of Bute
Ffordd pen llech in Harlech North Wales - now officailly the steepest road in the world at over 40% (it's a one way street going downhill!)
Gold Hill in Shaftesbury, Dorset - known as Hovis Hill after the iconic advert
Cote de Robin Hoods Bay - I'll probably need to do this at night (after closing time) as I don't want an audience if/when I fall off!

UTP
TMS
 
I know op said UK but....Granada up to Sierra Nevada 🇪🇸 upto an altitude of over 2500m...about 30km Never done it but see plenty of pro teams training there in summer. Also plenty of new cars in disguise being tested. Saw the new Bugatti cheron testing there a couple or yrs back...
 
Cragg Vale near Mytholmroyd is a good one to do...... Lovely views and been used in professional races

cyclinguphill.com

Cragg Vale hill climb -

Cragg Vale hill climb (3%) from Mytholmroyd on B6138 road is longest continual ascent in England. 968 feet of climbing in 5.5 miles. Featured in T de F 2014
cyclinguphill.com
 
As a very ordinary person with no great hill cycling experience I once cycled down Strawberry Bank in South lakes. That was well hairy enough for me.
 
Not normally one for climbing steep hills on a bike but have encountered Ditchling Beacon a number of times on the London to Brighton bike ride.
 
Loco, I did that a good few years ago now and a number of years after packing cycle racing as a sport. The climb was less of a problem than the mass of people walking up it.

Archi, they also say that about mountain climbing, most fall happen on the way down.
 
Walton Hill in Worcestershire. Cobbled climb (in very poor condition) ramping up to 25%.
I can confirm that Hardknott Pass is well-hard. Did it as part of the Fred Whitton Challenge Ride. Never again.
 
themightysimmonite said:
I've done the Bealach na Ba from both sides. I'd say doing it from the Loch Carron side is marginally better. Both are absolute belters.
My other top rides would include:-
Hardknott & Wrynose (I needed a 12-32 to get up the former)
Rosedale Chimney in the North York Moors is a 33% monster
Honister Pass in the Lakes - great from both directions
Bealach Feith nan Laogh near Strontian - again good in both directions but from the west side is a killer & is the longest hardest & most sustained climb I've done in the UK
The Lighthouse climb on the southern tip of the Mull of Kintyre if you want a fearsome & remote challenge
Park Rash near Kettlewell in the Yorkshire Dales - so steep I went over the handle bars on the decent!
Great Dun Fell near Penrith - if you only ever do one climb in the UK make it this one......
And one esoteric gem. Calum's Road on the Isle or Rassay - read the story then go ride the ride.

And to finish here are climbs on my hit list.
Shibden Wall & Trooper Lane in Halifax
The Serpentine on the Isle of Bute
Ffordd pen llech in Harlech North Wales - now officailly the steepest road in the world at over 40% (it's a one way street going downhill!)
Gold Hill in Shaftesbury, Dorset - known as Hovis Hill after the iconic advert
Cote de Robin Hoods Bay - I'll probably need to do this at night (after closing time) as I don't want an audience if/when I fall off!

UTP
TMS
Click to expand...

You needed a 12-32 to get over Hardknott?

You’d have been better with one at 12-15. It’s a much faster bus!
 
themightysimmonite said:
I've done the Bealach na Ba from both sides. I'd say doing it from the Loch Carron side is marginally better. Both are absolute belters.
My other top rides would include:-
Hardknott & Wrynose (I needed a 12-32 to get up the former)
Rosedale Chimney in the North York Moors is a 33% monster
Honister Pass in the Lakes - great from both directions
Bealach Feith nan Laogh near Strontian - again good in both directions but from the west side is a killer & is the longest hardest & most sustained climb I've done in the UK
The Lighthouse climb on the southern tip of the Mull of Kintyre if you want a fearsome & remote challenge
Park Rash near Kettlewell in the Yorkshire Dales - so steep I went over the handle bars on the decent!
Great Dun Fell near Penrith - if you only ever do one climb in the UK make it this one......
And one esoteric gem. Calum's Road on the Isle or Rassay - read the story then go ride the ride.

And to finish here are climbs on my hit list.
Shibden Wall & Trooper Lane in Halifax
The Serpentine on the Isle of Bute
Ffordd pen llech in Harlech North Wales - now officailly the steepest road in the world at over 40% (it's a one way street going downhill!)
Gold Hill in Shaftesbury, Dorset - known as Hovis Hill after the iconic advert
Cote de Robin Hoods Bay - I'll probably need to do this at night (after closing time) as I don't want an audience if/when I fall off!

UTP
TMS
Click to expand...
Did you actually get up Hardknott without stopping or did you push a little. If you did Respect, I had a 12/32 casette set up and got about 25 yards. I nearly got to the top of Wrynose though.
 
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