I love climbing.
Although I'm not very fit, I have gears, several under 20".
🙂
Recently enjoyed;
1. Chew Valley:
The tram road up past Greenfield Res.
Took some relatives walking up there yesterday.
Pretty idyllic setting, not been on that side of the road for ages so popped over early this morning for a ride up.
It's ace, feels friendly and local.
Came back via Indian's Head and a bit(!) of a carry.
Probably should have taken the MTB, bit cheeky, but it's dry as a bone up there.
Was going to have a pop at finding the Lysander on Featherbed Moss as well, but I was knackered!
Feels like an English, tarmac version of the Llyn Anafon climb on Conwy Mountain.
2. Burnley from Hebden, the hard way:
Always get cocky even though it's a local ride. 😐
Easy on the outbound leg, left at the Kettledrum and through Slack.
After a coffee in Hebden the top road to Heptonstall or Mytholm Steeps always seem like a good idea.
I remind myself of this whilst grinding up Long Causeway out of Blackshaw Head attempting not to vomit whilst breathing through my arse.
It's horrible, every time.
Probably need more cake.
3. Marchlyn Mawr from Llanberis.
Down though the quarry from Dinorwic, Pete's for brekkie then round the north end of the lake and up the Fachwen.
Compulsory coffee stop at Lodge Dinorwic half way then up to the reservoir.
On a good day, it's worth it.
You can come back via the quarry zig zags if you've got big tyres, otherwise, just pick a fast way down and hang on.
Pint in the Bull in Dieniolen on the way back earns you my eternal admiration.
Half an Alp D'Huez apparantly, but you get to see Anglesey and play in a quarry.
Yours?
Hillycroft in Morley, purely because I'm the fastest up it this year so far according to strava.
Keepers lane, also in Morley, long, steep and technical.
Views Tom, tell me about the views.
Any ice cream van action?
🙂
Butts Brow in Willingdon and the Beachy Head bends
Fachwen is nice.
Might I suggest the two out of Trefrw into the hills. Colwyd especially. Not nice but satisfying. And just north the two out of Tal y Bont.
Matt, love the climb up to Colwyd, but usually do it downhill on knobblies.
Tell me about the two out of Tal y Bont?
Never ridden specifically from there apart from up and down the main road on the road bike.
Ta!
tomhoward, where are those 2 in morley.
Hillycroft is a short (sub 30s if you are trying) cobbled ramp up the side of a chippy of the same name
Keeper lane isn't a road climb, and not in morley (most of my rides start there though...) it goes from bankhouse lane in pudsey, to tong lane in, err, Tong. Near an ice cream shop though! Will screen shot strava for a better description...
Here...
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4165/34332066641_2ed2486d67_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4165/34332066641_2ed2486d67_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/UiNPit ]Keeper lane[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/123500482@N06/ ]tom howard[/url], on Flickr
that keeper lane one is a killer Tom. from the beck up to the cricket club.
https://www.strava.com/activities/743209784/shareable_images/map_based?hl=en-US&v=1476347803
1400m up in about 25km
Tal y Bont both is Warrens book which is what I was ticking off last week. In the village by the pub. One starts just to the right, up past the Bulls Head? and stay left the R further up, down a dip over a bridge then to the end.
Other is next road left of pub on main road, a gnats left of a stream under the main road and up. Eventually to the knackered dam. I parked by the council houses between the two. 100m between the starts
Isn't the climb up to Cowlyd meant to be the hardest road climb in the UK? Only been down it once when doing the MTB loop but I did think it went on for a while and would be a beast of a climb.
I've only done it once but Thwaites Brow in Keighley is actually quite technical for a road climb as the gaps between many of the stones is road tyre width so you have to pick a line to avoid them. Pretty steep as well!
I did Pyms Chair the other day, not sure I'd say I enjoyed it, but i'm glad i've done it and will do it again.
Blaze hill was another first timer for me that I was glad I got up.
My favourite ones though are up the Wizzard in Macc then up to the Cat and Fiddle, it means i'm starting out on an adventure of one sort or another 😀
Cant say I enjoy this sort of thing, but staying in Calderdale, Eastwood Lane from Halifax Road up to Great rock and beyond to the Kebs seems like a challenge. Ugh. I'm pleased that i can peddle all the way up Stoodley Pike now after a few years of trying, and its usually the start of a good day (not by penny steps, sod that).
I must get back to Alpe d'Huez:
Killin - Ben Lawers road over to Bridge of Balgie - up Glen Lyon to dam - over old Hydro Road to Glen Dochart and return.
8)
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Stop at the Balgie Tea room
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(Turn off sound 🙁 )
That's a fav of mine too Matt but usually do it clockwise.
Also the Glen Quaich road climb from Kenmore, over 600ft in the first mile.
Round my way there's
Sutton Bank (as featured in the TDY 2016)
Just along the road there's White Horse Bank, from Kilburn up to the gliding airfield;
Not forgetting Kepwick Bank from Kepwick village up onto the Cleveland Way
This week I've been loving the 4 mile climb on my commute home. For anyone that knows Glasgow its from Eastwood Toll to the top of Newton Mearns at the GSO junction. I've had a fierce tailwind home and even though I've been riding the knobbly tyred cx bike this week, I've been flying up it. Not that I don't normally enjoy it but I usually have a headwind, this week's been special.
And the sun is shining, and I'll be riding home in short sleeves.
I did Pyms Chair the other day
Ugh! That climb is tough; one of my least favourite in the Peak District. There are steeper and longer climbs, but that just seems to get steeper and harder.
I like the climb up the B5056 from near Birchover to up above Winster. It's a nice gradient to get a good, efficient rhythm and it has some lovely sharp bends that make it feel a bit alpine. I don't do it enough. Shame about the cars.
I like the Druid's in Birchover, the fish and chip butties are excellent.
Great circular walk along the Limestone Way too, then the quick footpath back through the farm.
Was round there last week but didn't enjoy a lot of the road riding - too many bloody HGV's for me.
😐
Didn't try East Bank in Winster, it's hard enough to walk.
🙂
Cotos from Rascafría, not a hugely challenging climb but shady and twisty, and not too bad for traffic.
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[url= https://tinyurl.com/n5fg93o ]Here[/url].
Butts Brow in Willingdon
It's evil more than enjoyable, I've planned a route Ive yet to actually ride, little more fitness required, that does Bo Peep Bostal,Firle Beacon, Streat Bostal,Ditchling Beacon, High & Over, Exceat-East Dean and finishes on Butts Brow. Around 80 miles for the loop.
The 55 bends of the Col de Soller in Majorca. Not particularly difficult (5km @5%), but stunning.
I like the Bealach na Ba. Great scenery up and down if it isn't misted over.
But we have a wee bastard climb on the outskirts of Dingwall. Stony Brae, not long but straight up the hill in 3 stages. One day I'll get up it all the way on my singlespeed, can only just manage it with gears, but nearly die.
I'm quite enjoying the climb up Shaw Lane from just south of Belper to Holbrook.
It's not huge, but steep enough that you have to put some effort in.