Highest Road?

mrsbloomsburybarton · Post by **mrsbloomsburybarton** » 25 Aug 2008, 7:37pm

What is the highest road in England and the highest road in Wales? I define 'road' as something at least marked yellow on an OS map!

thirdcrank · Post by **thirdcrank** » 25 Aug 2008, 7:49pm

Donkey's years ago, one of the cycling handbooks (the sort of thing you used to read if you arrived at the YH a bit early and too cream-crackered to explore) used to list the A 689 between Alston to Wearhead as the highest A class road in England, I think. I know that wasn't the question but that's the nearest I have.

There is a village in N Wales on the A 525 bteween Wrecsam (AKA Wrexham) and Llandegla with a sign saying it is the highest in Wales.

Even less connected with your question, Wanlockhead YH ( is it still there?) used to claim to be in the highest village in Scotland.

Are you entereing a pub quiz? :wink:

workhard · Post by **workhard** » 25 Aug 2008, 7:52pm

harthorpe moss and or killhope cross, both in weardale, should float your boat as highest public roads in England; others will argue for Great Dun Fell but it is 'only' a bridleway.

Bwlch y Groes in Wales is the highest there to the best of my knowledge. YMMV.

Cunobelin · Post by **Cunobelin** » 25 Aug 2008, 7:54pm

There is a superb book called 50 quirky bike rides for family and friends, free from freightlining juggernauts and white van road rage, in eco-friendly, carbon neutral, naturally blissful, thrills and hills, on a hunch, over lunch, brooks beckon, waves lap, wind whizzes through tunnels of love and spectacular sweeps of bridges and gorges, the bendiest, whizziest, twistiest, zingiest, prettiest, peakiest, bumpyest, bounciest, hilliest, rockiest, bestest, bestest, bike rides in England and Wales. Ever.

The book lists Great Dun Fell in this category.

BUY THE BOOK - its full of routes like this.

thirdcrank · Post by **thirdcrank** » 25 Aug 2008, 7:57pm

Cunobelin

You have probably achieved the record ( or the most buzzing in your ears) for the longest link ever :shock:

cranky · Post by **cranky** » 25 Aug 2008, 7:57pm

...and I thought the idea was to make links shorter

workhard · Post by **workhard** » 25 Aug 2008, 7:57pm

thirdcrank wrote:There is a village in N Wales on the A 525 bteween Wrecsam (AKA Wrexham) and Llandegla with a sign saying it is the highest in Wales.

wonder what the good folk of Llangurig in Mid-Wales have to say about that claim?

Dean · Post by **Dean** » 25 Aug 2008, 8:00pm

Aye, Harthope Head from Langdon Beck in Teesdale to St John's Chapel in Weardale and Killhope Cross from Alston in Tynedale to Weardale (A689) are both listed as 627m. They're the highest through roads in England. Just up the road is Coldberry End, though you wouldn't get most cars over it.

My claim to fame? I've ridden all three

More info here:

http://www.4x4xplore.com/about/highroadsindex2.html

Note the section on low roads: I've ridden along one of those too...

Glenshee, on the A93 in the Cairngorms, is listed as the UK's "highest through tarred public road". 670m. I haven't ridden that. Yet.

thirdcrank · Post by **thirdcrank** » 25 Aug 2008, 8:10pm

workhard wrote:wonder what the good folk of Llangurig in Mid-Wales have to say about that claim?

Weineb dros dro?

Cunobelin · Post by **Cunobelin** » 25 Aug 2008, 8:18pm

thirdcrank wrote:Cunobelin

You have probably achieved the record ( or the most buzzing in your ears) for the longest link ever

cranky wrote:...and I thought the idea was to make links shorter

I know - but the book title is so wonderfully eccentric that it would be criminal to shorten it

It also describes the contents precisely

Cunobelin · Post by **Cunobelin** » 25 Aug 2008, 8:22pm

There is * confirmation for Gt Dun Fell at 848 m as being the highest (Tarmacked) road in Great Britain!

*Short enough link?

thirdcrank · Post by **thirdcrank** » 25 Aug 2008, 8:44pm

I think there's more to life than just breaking records :wink:

(Although two in one thread is pretty good

)

Asdace · Post by **Asdace** » 26 Aug 2008, 12:19am

I'm heading for Teesdale next week, only to be heading South via Grains o' th' Beck. No high roads for me, thank you.

Cunobelin · Post by **Cunobelin** » 26 Aug 2008, 7:06am

thirdcrank wrote:I think there's more to life than just breaking records (Although two in one thread is pretty good )

Is U sayin that I is SAD?

workhard · Post by **workhard** » 26 Aug 2008, 1:51pm

Cunobelin wrote:There is * confirmation for Gt Dun Fell at 848 m as being the highest (Tarmacked) road in Great Britain!

*Short enough link?

It isn't a public road. It is a public bridleway that the owner happens to have tarmac-ed for their own convenience..... so does it really count from the OP's perspective?