Hardest UK climb?

[100%JR]

Jackson Bridge is a local climb and I've ridden it a few times on my carbon summer bike (34x28) and have always found it ok. Similarity the climb over Holme Moss (though really Holme Moss is more of a challenge due to the pretty much continuous climb from Holmfirth).

I recently did Hartside Fell in Cumbria and that is rated the same as Holme Moss in the 100 climbs book.It's longer than Holme Moss but nowhere near as tough.The Moss is,as you say,a continuous climb up from Holmfirth...strange that the 100 Climbs book starts the climb after you leave Holme.I personally think it starts proper where it ramps up just after the Church in Holmbridge(that's where I gauge my efforts from at least!).

The climb I actually found toughest was Fleet Moss from the Gayle(Hawes) side......but I was on a 170mm Travel FS MTB

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Third time lucky, next year will probably be doing round Devon again both ways, south coast torquay to plymouth, ilfracombe , minehead return in 24hrs, not quite got it yet
Just add the cycle paths and not the roads like you do for some extra sweat out of Plymouth to tavistock and Oakhampton to barstaple...............................any offers to buddy up

[rjb]

Hi,
Third time lucky, next year will probably be doing round Devon again both ways, south coast torquay to plymouth, ilfracombe , minehead return in 24hrs, not quite got it yet
Just add the cycle paths and not the roads like you do for some extra sweat out of Plymouth to tavistock and Oakhampton to barstaple...............................any offers to buddy up

Hats off to you. I can visualise your route having started cycling as a teenager in Plymouth before moving to Somerset. I have probably ridden all the roads on your route but not in that timescale. To do it now I would have to use my Bus Pass.

I look forward to seeing how you get on. Best of luck next time.

[Mick F]

I have an idea to do the whole of the SW peninsula.
From here to Portland, then up to Minehead, then down to LE via the north coast, and then back to here via the south coast.
500miles on the coasts, plus crossing from Portland to Minehead. Distance? Maybe 600miles.

[rjb]

I have an idea to do the whole of the SW peninsula.
From here to Portland, then up to Minehead, then down to LE via the north coast, and then back to here via the south coast.
500miles on the coasts, plus crossing from Portland to Minehead. Distance? Maybe 600miles.

Excellent idea, but you have missed out one of the best sections. The Section over the Quantock hills is spectacular. You could do a lighthouse tour. Portland Bill to Burnham on Sea then the coast roads to Lands end, the Lizard and back to yours. Plenty of climbing involved which is a bonus.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

I have an idea to do the whole of the SW peninsula.
From here to Portland, then up to Minehead, then down to LE via the north coast, and then back to here via the south coast.
500miles on the coasts, plus crossing from Portland to Minehead. Distance? Maybe 600miles.

What's your excuse.....Pub hop around and BB where you stop each day....................but keep us updated
Spring / summer.

Edited - Hah your probably need a granddad front gear

[Mark1978]

Great Dun Fell is the hardest I've done. It's both long and very steep in places but it being closed to cars is a big plus.

[100%JR]

Great Dun Fell is the hardest I've done. It's both long and very steep in places but it being closed to cars is a big plus.

On my list.
Wanted to do it when we were up there last month doing Hartside Fell but my mate was beat the day after plus it was blowing a gale and the rain was horizontal!
Next time!

[Richard A Thackeray]

I'll suggest Trooper Lane, at Halifax, as being worthy of inclusion
Whilst I've not ridden it, I have run up it twice, during the (Stainland Lions) 'Bluebell Trail 10 Mile'
Plus it's part of the 'Ronde van Calderdale' route
The 'Lions' clain it ascends 570 feet in half a mile!! (higher than Blackpool Tower)
YouTube clip in the link
http://thehelloftheworth.blogspot.co.uk/p/2-trooper-lane.html (Shibden Wall is index to right)

A couple of weekends ago I went down to West and South Yorkshire to knock off a series of climbs in the '100 Greatest Climbs' book. Of the seven I did (plus of course all the climbs in between) I think Shibden Wall was the hardest. It's less than 1km long and climbs a mere 130-odd metres but the cobbles are awful, or rather the gaps between the cobbles are awful, they look like they'd happily pinch and hold a bike wheel, especially when you're only doing 4 or 5 mph. I spent a lot of effort trying to hop around the cracks.

I've ridden Shibden Wall (Lee Lane, to give it the correct name), & it's a booger of a climb, for all the reasons given

In one edition of the Tour Of Britain, when they went over it, didn't even Sean Kelly take to the pavement?

Hard can be measured in all sorts of ways - after riding fifty miles, very steep, very long, bad road surface, terrible bends - I can probably think of examples of all these. Locally the Strines road is talked about in hushed tones, even the TdF didn't dare cross the full length but really none of the climbs are that difficult on their own, neither great height gain nor particular length but ride all five and you certainly will be wishing you had more sense!

The first time I rode that (Mortimer Road), was in about 1991 (I'd driven over it quite a few times)
I was riding my Orbit America road-bike, but stupidly had a bottom gear of 42 x 21
I managed it, but had wobbly legs by the top (we had ridden up to, & over HolmeMoss, then over to Glossop, & up Snake Pass first though

[Richard A Thackeray]

In addition to the above

The present edition of 'Cycling Weekly' features a picture of The Strines, at the hairpin at the bottom of what is know as 'Deliverance' (that was where - was it - Tom Boonan cocked it up a few years ago, & went onto the farmers track?)
The pic is in the article about what climbs riders want to see in the 2019 Worlds Road-Race


Plus, there's a picture of the hill-climb at Bank Road, in Matlock
The stonework on the building to the right gives the game away, with relation to the gradient

[foxyrider]

I was riding my Orbit America road-bike, but stupidly had a bottom gear of 42 x 21
I managed it, but had wobbly legs by the top

Them was nice bikes even if not always the best made frames! Still have my Pro as bike of last choice - if all the others are out of commision!

Good job you stayed on the Strines road and didn't detour via Bradfield! The road from lower to upper is a right B!

[Richard A Thackeray]

Foxyrider

To further prove Orbits credentials, Roger Hammond won the 1992 World Junior Cyclo-Cross Championships (held in Leeds, that year!!) on an Orbit

I think it was built in 753, as well

[100%JR]

Good job you stayed on the Strines road and didn't detour via Bradfield! The road from lower to upper is a right B!

Just when you think it's over as you reach the bench it ramps up again...turn right at the top then immediately left and you have another little climb....just incase your legs aren't totally shot!
There's a much worse one a bit further down the valley from Damflask upto the old Convent!

[eileithyia]

Bank Road Matlock especially when lined with people shouting your name you know you cannot fail in front of them.


http://cadenceimages.com/-national-hc-2016/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gX-BQJx ... e=youtu.be

[Richard A Thackeray]

Bank Road Matlock especially when lined with people shouting your name you know you cannot fail in front of them.

http://cadenceimages.com/-national-hc-2016/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gX-BQJx ... e=youtu.be

I think I've driven that way, but it'll have been 20+ years ago

The building to the right of the Fiesta gives an idea of the gradient
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1522606

Last year, I had cause to drive from Chesterfield, down to Matlock, on the main road (A632), & that's a long enough descent!!
I note, from looking at online mapping that there's a street near Bank Road, called Steep TurnPike, hence part of the original road to Chesterfield