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Signed up to do the Little Dipper in the Chilterns in April and note that there are 4 cat 1 climbs.
What can I expect? I need to do some hills in my training so need an idea of how bad!
short but steep i'd imagine in the chilts
there are no climbs in the uk that compare with continental style categorized climbs for length but there are some pretty steep ones
there are no climbs in the uk that compare with continental style categorized climbs for length but there are some pretty steep ones
So you've never heard of the Bealach na Ba then? 🙂
Historically a cat 1 climb was any climb that a car of the day had to go up in 1st gear. I would say there are loads of hills that meet that definition, but they aren't as long as in europe in the UK.
yes, i've ridden it on a loaded tourer
it's a cracking challenge but in no way does it's 5 mile length compare with the severity of the big mountain climbs in the alps and pyrinees, some of which i have also ridden
The A38 between Minehead and Barnstaple springs to mind as the most severe road route I can think of in the South of the UK.
for AlasdairMc
A big but beautiful Scottish hill
[url= http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2063/4512222418_22a65f0d48.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrmichaelwright/4512222418/ ]Fin[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/mrmichaelwright/ ]mrmichaelwright[/url], on Flickr
A mountain (Col de Palheres, 15km, 1000m vert)
[url= http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5107828470_031912437b.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrmichaelwright/5107828470/ ]P1000745[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/mrmichaelwright/ ]mrmichaelwright[/url], on Flickr
Surely hardknott pass must be one, although its not that long but way steeper than anything i've experienced in the alps/spain.
Bealach na Ba is impressive for the UK, but only half the distance and height gain of something like Col de Galibier. It is steeper though, twice as much so if Wiki is correct. We're a bit limited by our geography, even the Scots...
Hardknot is steeper again, but very short. We do tend to build our roads and footpaths steeper than on the continent.
When looking at Scottish/UK climbs people never mention the climb to the Leadhills radar dome from Mennock. I know it finishes on a service road, but it's all tarmac, and statistically is the equal of BnB.
Out of interest what would the climb up the back of Mam Tor (from edale direction) be classsed as?
Winnats Pass in the Peaks, forget 'cars of the day', cars of today have to go up in 1st!
Snakes Pass From ladybower is ~6 miles and ~300m, especialy when combined with (from sheffield train station) Broomhill to manchester road, snakes pass to glossop, glossop to chapel, chapel to castleton (rushup edge), then back through hayfield and up the hill over to hunters bar.
Mapmyride.com will tell you what category any road falls into, anoyingly it stops counting the moment it levels off, so what you think of as one continuous slog with a minor respite halfway it only see as two smaller climbs.
Porlock to Exford common, around 7 miles and 400m. there's plenty of fairly big ones around, even in the south, just not of Alpine dimensions.
[i]Out of interest what would the climb up the back of Mam Tor (from edale direction) be classsed as? [/i]
2nd Cat probably. That's a bastard climb cos you can't get into a rhythm on it, it's all up/down. Winnats is actually quite easy if you know the technique for it, the problem with that road is it's so busy and so narrow, not wide enough for 2 cars + bike. I did some video footage for the Tour of the Peak Sportive last year which included Winnat's:
Hardknott and BnB are probably the two hardest roads in the UK, hors categorie (above 1st cat) in the language of continental climbs. This book:
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is good for a bit of inspiration if you're looking for hill-climbing challenges.
sorry - BnB is not a hard climb .....
from the south on gairnsheil from blairgowrie
from the south on the lecht from corgarff - both piss on the BnB
hell even the from banchory side of the cairn o mount is harder than BnB !
The A38 between Minehead and Barnstaple springs to mind as the most severe road route I can think of in the South of the UK.
That strange because the A38 doesn't go anywhere near Minehead or Barnstaple, the A39 does though 😆
Terry: depends a bit on weather - you're right, I agree, it's just long, it's not that "hard" (although there's still plenty of people who walk it) but throw in a howling headwind, mist/rain etc and it's a pretty grim 30 minutes.
I think that's where it's got it's reputation from combined with it being, what, 3rd highest road in Scotland?.
Great little book, that. I've even done a few of the climbs. Worst ever on MTB was Rosedale Chimney and worst on road bike was Jubilee Tower on the Lancaster to Clitheroe road.
A quick search found 2 Cat 1 climbs from last years Tour of Britain (there may be more).
Stage 4: Minehead to Teignmouth, Category 1 Climb at Peak Hill, Sidmouth.
Stage 5: Tavistock to Glastonbury, Category 1 King of the Mountains Climb at Coombe Hill near Hemyock
Don't go thinking that the North has all the steep climbs 😉
yep crazy legs, thats what I assumed from looking here - http://www.zanibike.net/motore.aspx?quanti=20&ID=1&da=az&come=af&lingua=eng&commenti=False
[i]and worst on road bike was Jubilee Tower on the Lancaster to Clitheroe road. [/i]
I used to live in Lancaster, I remember the very first time I went out on a road bike round there. Lancaster, over Jubilee Tower to Slaidburn, did a big loop round there then back a similar way to Lancaster. Nearly 100 miles which I'd misjudged, I blew up big time. 🙁
Once I got used to it, I didn't mind it, I've done the Jubilee Tower Hill climb race a few times - fastest I ever managed was 8.40 but the record is under 8 minutes (from the crossroads at Quernmore to the tower).
Seasoned roadies think little of a 70 to 80 mile circuit like that. If you'd told me three years ago I would be doing that kind of ride I would have laughed in disbelief but now... road riding has made me soooo much fitter than I ever was on pure MTBing. I just regret that I didn't take it up years ago; I'd have been a much faster MTB rider and would have done better at Polaris events, races etc.
I went out for the first time in about 5 years with the Saturday MTB group having done a few road rides and turbo sessions in training, I was gobsmacked at how I got on, i expected to be at the back all day, thanks to my roadie work i wasn't, a good start to a comeback year.
There are no cat 1 climbs in the UK.
Do we mean Hardknott from west to east is 1st cat?
Rode it east to west last summer and it was horriffic. Although doable.
The only thing that I can think of that is even remotely close would be the climb up to the radar station at leadhills from the nith valley.
TR the southern softies conveniently ignore Scotland in their "hardest hill" bragging 🙄
Anyone know how the Kirkstone and Hardknott passes compare to the aforementioned road up to the Radar station in Leadhills? (Assuming the one SBZ is talking about is the climb to Wanlockhead either up the Menock Pass or up from Elvanfoot, then onto the radar station).
I'm pondering a wee day trip to Penrith to ride out to Eskdale (and back) over the Kirkstone and Hardknott and wondering how they compare? Reckon that's 80 miles over 2 big climbs, should be a good day.
FWIW the radar station climb and the BNB are good, tough climbs but can't be compared to, say, the Col de l'Iseran. Are the lakes ones but mere hillocks in this regard?
Hebden Bridge to Haworth is a nice ride, certainly not cat 1
anyone tried the humprhey road to the resevoir up the kilpatrick hills,its maybe only 2miles but its steep as hell.according to sportypal it goes from 100ft above see level to 1900ft at the top,its a belter......
We did a TDF climb when down in the pyrenees, depending on who you asked it was either a cat 1 based on its length or hors category due to its difficulty, either way it was a godawful endless mother****er. There's nothing equivalent in the UK simply because there aren't any mountains tall enough- the ascent was higher than the relative height of any mountain in the rest of the UK and all but a couple in Scotland, and none of those have a road to the top. No doubt the TDF guys wafted to the top without breaking a sweat though. I nearly had to be put down.
(your weapon of choice should not be a 30lb 6 inch bouncer on fat sticky tyres, bit of a schoolboy error really)
I would rate hardknott from the east as a much harder climb than the climb to the radar station on green lowther. It's not that hard a climb.
Mam Rattagan, Kyle of Lochalsh is the steepest hill I've ever pedalled up. If you get a chance give it a go. Im sue I passed a sign saying 20%
A pic I took from the veiwing point, [i]not[/i] the top.
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Agreed Gary. The radar climb is easier than Bealach na Ba as well - similar height gain from Mennock but over a longer distance IIRC so the average gradient is less. The surface is also a lot smoother but it's a great climb nonetheless. Hardknott is way steeper and tougher than either, although much shorter.
Yeh I would agree it's easier than the bealach as long straight on the bealach is tough -in a good way though.
Some stats and profiles here; [url= http://www.climbbybike.com/ ]http://www.climbbybike.com/[/url]
Are there any races go up Hardknott? I'd love to see a Tour of Britain stage that followed the Fred Whitton route.
It's a tough call, but I'd say that it's a tougher climb than the Bealach na Ba (and that's coming from a Scot).
There is a whole list of Uk climbs on this site complete with gradients
http://www.sportivecentral.com/
[i]Are there any races go up Hardknott? I'd love to see a Tour of Britain stage that followed the Fred Whitton route.[/i]
No and TBH I doubt they'd ever do it. The road is too tough and in too bad a condition. Bear in mind that a pro race will have dozens of cars and vans in the race convoy, TV motorbikes etc and the logistics and danger of getting all that over a hill like Hardknott is one hell of a big ask. It'd also make for pretty crap TV cos the field would be blown to pieces within seconds.
On the continent it's fine, the roads are wider and far superior (usually to ski stations so they're in excellent condition), the crowds are HUGE and the atmosphere is great. In the UK - you'd just get the farmers bloody moaning that they couldn't get to their sheep for half a day...
Great thread, thanks guys, I'd heard of this secret big climb in the borders but never found it, now I know! 😀 Would make an interesting century from Edinburgh, shame the roads there and back are a bit uninspiring...
Mam Rattagan is a beauty, although I've only climbed it from the Glen Elg side.
No mention of the climb from Kenmore to Amulree? I would have thought just for general nastiness it should get a mention, I've no idea what makes a Cat.1 though.
Lee Lane in Halifax is a nice challenge - not massively long, but gets steeper and cobblier as you climb.
[url= http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Lee+Lane,+Halifax,+United+Kingdom&aq=0&sll=53.742818,-1.850103&sspn=0.000182,0.00066&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Lee+Ln,+Halifax,+Yorkshire+HX3+6UJ,+United+Kingdom&t=h&layer=c&cbll=53.742818,-1.850103&panoid=u5HmBQMJU8ry7FKznFQckA&cbp=13,284.71,,0,14.14&ll=53.742798,-1.850069&spn=0.00018,0.00066&z=21 ]Street view[/url] - just keep going forward for a virtual tour!
Here are the profiles for a couple of days riding I had in October.
Perth to Braemar - via Glenshee Ski Centre
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Elevation Gain/Loss - 1135m
Distance 82k
Braemar to Inverness - via The Lecht Ski Centre, which is at 2090ft and has, as part of the climb up to it, a 20% incline for about 3/4 mile.
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Elevation Gain/Loss - 1568m
Distance - 141k
Lee Lane in Halifax is a nice challenge
Looks a similar climb to Hagg Hill/Bolehill Road in Sheffield.
It's only about a mile and a half, but it gets to 20% as you reach the top of Hagg Hill, then you turn right onto Bolehill Road and there's another 20% bit as you climb up into Crosspool. It's a frickin' killer if you tag it onto the end of a [url= http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/27522598 ]Sheffield - Hathersage - Bamford - Rivelin Valley[/url] run. On the plus side, there's a nice pub at the top.
Bwlch-y-Groes from the Llanymawddwy side and the Trefriw to Llyn Cowlyd road
[i]No mention of the climb from Kenmore to Amulree? I would have thought just for general nastiness it should get a mention, I've no idea what makes a Cat.1 though.
[/i]
That's a cracking climb isn't it? We "discovered" it about a year ago and it's become our favourite since. I've cacked myself a couple of times on the descent at that hairpin bend too.
I'm surprised that no one has yet mentioned the awesome Col du Climpy
[i]No and TBH I doubt they'd ever do it. The road is too tough and in too bad a condition. Bear in mind that a pro race will have dozens of cars and vans in the race convoy, TV motorbikes etc and the logistics and danger of getting all that over a hill like Hardknott is one hell of a big ask. It'd also make for pretty crap TV cos the field would be blown to pieces within seconds.
[/i]
I see where you're coming from, but there's one climb in the Giro (Zoncolan I think) where it's so steep they don't allow cars up and the teams have to be supported by motorbike. Plus I've always thought that seeing the field blown apart makes for great telly.
just found this link after looking up cat 1 climbs uk; suprised that no one has mentioned saddleworth both directions are around 5 - 6 miles long and around 10% gradient average, not the steepest but they are long. No one has mentioned holme moss either which is a killer climb. Also might want to look at the roads around strines and bolsterstone alot are 20% and have shocking road surfaces. Also what about sir william hill road in grindleford that is a steep and long climb. Finally there is the monsal head road and the other side of the valley is the cressbrook hill which is maybe the most unpleasant hill that I have climbed. Sorry for restarting a really old topic but just wanted to stick my ore in.
I meant 5% not 10%... sory.
Bushcombe lane is probably the hardest climb in the Cotswolds. c200metres in 2km, with c150m done in the first kilometre. When the tour of britain came through a few years back they did the far easier stockwell lane and that was rated 1st cat.
Rosedale Chimney bank is the steepest I know of - 33%
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used to live in Lancaster, I remember the very first time I went out on a road bike round there. Lancaster, over Jubilee Tower to Slaidburn, did a big loop round there then back a similar way to Lancaster. Nearly 100 miles which I'd misjudged, I blew up big time.
Amen...
iirc the radar climb is actually a private road so you are not supposed be be on it. Doubt anyone would stop you though.
Looking out of my living room there's one, streatley hill, that's got to be a cat 1 climb ! I've fired both of my lungs out my arse riding that ****er!
No one has mentioned holme moss either which is a killer climb.
You think? I quite like Holme Moss, from either direction, it's never really steep just goes on for a while. I'm more wary of some of the short, steep things that don't get star billing, but are really quite nasty - the Monk's Road out of Charlesworth is my local horror show, there are some nasty little critters lurking around the Goyt Valley end of things and some of the stuff around Calderdale is pleasantly brutal. Oh, and there's that endless straight thing up to Sparrowpit as well from just off the A6 near Chapel. Kirkstone's evil, Honister, I don't think, has been mentioned, but is quite mean.
I guess it's down to personal preference. The Devil's Staircase in south Wales seemed a little anti-social, but I was having a bad day generally 😉
@ mrmichaelwright how do you get the altitude thingy on your edge 605?
1 word.......... Applecross 😆
Now im pretty sure that will compete with the great climbs around the world ? Also the views are truly stunning.
used to live in Lancaster, I remember the very first time I went out on a road bike round there. Lancaster, over Jubilee Tower to Slaidburn, did a big loop round there then back a similar way to Lancaster. Nearly 100 miles which I'd misjudged, I blew up big time.Amen...
From Preston my favourite routes are over Jeffrey Hill, up the Trough of Bowland (ToB climb) and then figure of eight round to climb back up Jubilee Tower and back to Preston through Garstang and the back lanes or over Jeffrey Hill, through Clitheroe and then the tour of Pendle Hill - climb up one flank, drop down to Barley reversing last year's British Road Race Champs route and up the 20-odd% climbs out of the valley, along the ridge to Sabden and then back up Pendle Hill on the road to the ski-club (rated in 100 Climbs book). Both about 55 miles and with some killer short sharp ascents that'll make you work even on a compact with a 27 tooth on the back...
Or from York I head out towards Sutton Bank, via Bulmer Bank, and do up and downs on all the small back roads there...
@ mrmichaelwright how do you get the altitude thingy on your edge 605?
Try pressing the Mode button a few times until you get to the Elevation screen, reading the manual might help too! 🙄
theres loads in the peaks, the climb past the cement factory, the climb out of stoney middleton near calver, calver itself, the climb from bradwell past the bowling green,and the climb from Ilam once you've left the manifold valley (we'll be doing that next weekend weather permitting).
I know holme moss and saddleworth aren't particularly steep but surely their lengths and altitudes gained do put them in a 'almost alpine' (said with a little tounge in cheek) class of climb that aren't commonly found in the uk. They're both about twice the length of froggart edge which is quite a long climb in itself.
I think UK climbs tend to be very different in nature to European Alpine climbs so I dont think you can categorise them the same way. UK ones tend to have short very steep sections where as European tend to have more hairpins which give you 5 seconds resbite.
Also weirdly I found doing Alpe d'Huez ok ish. The first section is an absolute killer as it is so steep and relentless, but then you do get in a rhythm which keeps you going all the way to the top. I find UK hills much more difficult to get in to a rhythm on.
I always struggle on East Chevin Road out of Otley, its probably only about 1 mile long but kills me every time, although good fun going the other way at 60mph +
Alex which climb are you talking about - "Saddleworth"? That's the area, not a specific climb. Do you mean up Hudersfield Road from Delph and over to Marsden...?
Saddleworth moor, the road from saddleworth back to holmfirth, the marsden moor road is further north and doesn't reach the top of saddleworth moor. I believe it is actually called holmfirth road. Usually ride from holmfirth towards Marsden then over Marsden moor to Saddleworth then from saddleworth ride back towards Holmfirth over said road, once in holmfirth its back to sunny Sheffield for a pint in the Nags Head.
Holmfirth Road it is indeed called - ride both ways, good descent from the Holmfirth side down in to Greenfield, sweeping fast bends and good views over Indian's Head and Dovestones res...
I didn't think there were any cat 1 climbs in the UK? I'm sure a commentator said that back in the 80s during the ToB or MR.
no-one has yet mentioned Bwlch Y Groes from Dinas side ! or Devils Staircase, and Coal Rd from Dent? or for a good long steady climb Milltir Gerrig across Berwyns 🙂
"Category 1: Between 6 and 12 miles in length. Climbs of 3,000 to 5,000 feet in elevation gain."
@ mrmichaelwright how do you get the altitude thingy on your edge 605?
i think you have to be navigating a course with elevation data. it's one of the screens available on the course page
If the Swedish chef is right in his definition then we have none in the UK - the Bealach na ba comes close at 5 miles and 2000 ft.
I once did a big pass in the alps - IIRC nearly 6000 ft of climb - took me 5 hrs
There's no hard n fast formula for the cats - my local climb is Cat 1 and is neither 6 miles nor 3,000 feet (Mt Jaizkibel, appears in the Clasica de San Sebastian).
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Sunrise hill near stratford. Short but very steep
jamesb - Member
no-one has yet mentioned Bwlch Y Groes from Dinas side ! or Devils Staircase
Both have on this very page
Cats are arbitrary and just used to assign points in road races. A prime example of this is early in the tour where small pimples are given a cat just so that they can give someone a jersey to wear.