100 Great Cycling Climbs

[popeyewhite]

flight147z said:

Bit of a resurrection but I thought I would see how people on PH are getting on with these. I'm up to 25 now (no intention to do them all but I'm doing the ones that I can when I can!)

South West - Cheddar Gorge, Dover's Hill
South East - Swains Lane
Midlands - Michaelgate, Terrace Hill, Monsal Head, Bank Road, Riber, Winnats Pass, Rowsley Bar, Curbar Edge, Mow Cop, Peaslows, Jiggers Bank, The Burway
Yorkshire - Pea Royd Lane, Jackson Bridge, Holme Moss, Malham Cove, Langcliffe Scar,
Scotland - The Cairnwell, The Lecht
North West - Cat and Fiddle, Swiss Hill, Lamps Moss
Wales - None

People must be desperate if the Cat and Fiddle qualifies. I jog it with the dog! (well, from Macc up to the half way point.) I've always been mystified why motorcyclists flock to it, it seems a mecca for them as well as cyclists so on a summer's day the road is completely clogged and movement is at a crawl. Holme Moss is better as a challenge, road's a lot quieter as well.

[ukbabz]

There is a whole series of books, with the original 100 and another 100 greatest climbs. Then there are the regional ones on their own and the tour de france climbs too.

From the original 100 I've done the following:

South East

• Whiteleaf
• Streatley Hill
• Combe Gibbet

Wales

• Black Mountain

I've also done the bwlch and rhigos in Wales but the wrong climbs for the book.

From the another 100 I've done 3 climbs (#121 dragon hill, #145 trapping hill, #193 devils elbow)

Then from the TdF I've done 4 - #83 Alpe D'huez, #86 Col Du Telegraphe, #87 Col du Galibier, #100 Ventoux) although I missed the start of the 'official' segment I'm counting it.

Pretty poor show really, I've done as many in the UK as I've done in France!

Veloviewer has leaderboards that are free for all to use.


https://veloviewer.com/100Climbs/Original
https://veloviewer.com/100Climbs/Another
https://veloviewer.com/100Climbs/Tour-de-France0

[flight147z]

popeyewhite said:

flight147z said:

Bit of a resurrection but I thought I would see how people on PH are getting on with these. I'm up to 25 now (no intention to do them all but I'm doing the ones that I can when I can!)

South West - Cheddar Gorge, Dover's Hill
South East - Swains Lane
Midlands - Michaelgate, Terrace Hill, Monsal Head, Bank Road, Riber, Winnats Pass, Rowsley Bar, Curbar Edge, Mow Cop, Peaslows, Jiggers Bank, The Burway
Yorkshire - Pea Royd Lane, Jackson Bridge, Holme Moss, Malham Cove, Langcliffe Scar,
Scotland - The Cairnwell, The Lecht
North West - Cat and Fiddle, Swiss Hill, Lamps Moss
Wales - None

People must be desperate if the Cat and Fiddle qualifies. I jog it with the dog! (well, from Macc up to the half way point.) I've always been mystified why motorcyclists flock to it, it seems a mecca for them as well as cyclists so on a summer's day the road is completely clogged and movement is at a crawl. Holme Moss is better as a challenge, road's a lot quieter as well.

For where it is it's a long climb to a high summit and for the most part decent climbs in England are a lot shorter and steeper so it's nice I the way that it's different. I think it only averages something around 3% When I did it it was also pretty quiet. Agree Holme moss is harder (and probably more fun) but I don't think it's as long. Snake pass is another similar climb to those two

[flight147z]

ukbabz said:

There is a whole series of books, with the original 100 and another 100 greatest climbs. Then there are the regional ones on their own and the tour de france climbs too.

From the original 100 I've done the following:

South East

• Whiteleaf
• Streatley Hill
• Combe Gibbet

Wales

• Black Mountain

I've also done the bwlch and rhigos in Wales but the wrong climbs for the book.

From the another 100 I've done 3 climbs (#121 dragon hill, #145 trapping hill, #193 devils elbow)

Then from the TdF I've done 4 - #83 Alpe D'huez, #86 Col Du Telegraphe, #87 Col du Galibier, #100 Ventoux) although I missed the start of the 'official' segment I'm counting it.

Pretty poor show really, I've done as many in the UK as I've done in France!

Veloviewer has leaderboards that are free for all to use.


https://veloviewer.com/100Climbs/Original
https://veloviewer.com/100Climbs/Another
https://veloviewer.com/100Climbs/Tour-de-France0

The VV leaderboards are really good (especially the maps that show exactly where all the segments are). Well worth paying for.

Definitely looking forward to doing some of the climbs in France in the future. I was supposed to be doing l'etape in a month or so so really disappointed to miss out on that

Assume the climbs you've done abroad are a different league to the UK ones

[lufbramatt]

Looking forward to doing Great Dunn Fell in August (lockdown permitting, hopefully self catering cottages will be open). Found a nice 55 mile route from Penrith which should do me for a morning, long enough to count not but not so long that it will annoy mrs Lufbramatt :-)

[ukbabz]

flight147z said:

The VV leaderboards are really good (especially the maps that show exactly where all the segments are). Well worth paying for.

Definitely looking forward to doing some of the climbs in France in the future. I was supposed to be doing l'etape in a month or so so really disappointed to miss out on that

Assume the climbs you've done abroad are a different league to the UK ones

A different sort of sadism to be honest, as someone mentioned above the UK climbs aren't so long but are steeper. The French seem to hit double digits and throw in a switchback, whereas we keep going here. It' s a different kind of pain when you just sit at 8-9% and grind it out! I'm eyeing up the 3 ascents of ventoux in one day as a challenge, although that may be a tad stupid...

[flight147z]

lufbramatt said:

Looking forward to doing Great Dunn Fell in August (lockdown permitting, hopefully self catering cottages will be open). Found a nice 55 mile route from Penrith which should do me for a morning, long enough to count not but not so long that it will annoy mrs Lufbramatt :-)

Would be good to see your route when you have one for inspiration - 55 miles is about right for me, much more than that and I get bored so I try to pack the climbs into a shorter distance!

If you haven't done GDF before you'll love it. It's 150 miles away from home for me but definitely worth a day trip out. When I did it I left home at 6am and was out until 6pm.

I don't think there is anything like it in England. That and Abdon Burf are the two hardest climbs I've done I think

[moonigan]

JPJPJP said:

Once you have knocked off the UK climbs, you can head over to Italy for another 100!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1472143051

Yep. Head over to Italy, France or Swizterand and all the UK climbs become a bit meh.

[lufbramatt]

flight147z said:

lufbramatt said:

Looking forward to doing Great Dunn Fell in August (lockdown permitting, hopefully self catering cottages will be open). Found a nice 55 mile route from Penrith which should do me for a morning, long enough to count not but not so long that it will annoy mrs Lufbramatt :-)

Would be good to see your route when you have one for inspiration - 55 miles is about right for me, much more than that and I get bored so I try to pack the climbs into a shorter distance!

If you haven't done GDF before you'll love it. It's 150 miles away from home for me but definitely worth a day trip out. When I did it I left home at 6am and was out until 6pm.

I don't think there is anything like it in England. That and Abdon Burf are the two hardest climbs I've done I think

Hopefully this is helpful, having checked, it's a smidge under 50 miles and the only real climbing is GDF itself.



We are in the Northern Lakes for a week so hopefully I'll be able to get in one or two of the passes but don't want to take the P going off by myself.

Edited by lufbramatt on Friday 5th June 07:52

[Daveyraveygravey]

I love the Veloviewer leaderboards, about 4 years ago, I got inspired to do all the SE ones, without drive/ride as far as possible. Yellowjack's Veloviewer thread has reignited my interest, and I noticed the leaderboards include more hills than they used to. I have done 12 of 13 in Sussex, so last weekend I went to Eastbourne to bag #13 and try to improve my time on another, and I am planning to get the missing two soon.
I then need to revisit the Surrey ones 🙄
There are some hills that aren't in the books for some reason. If you're in Sussex, check out Bignor Hill, it has a double chevron on the OS map indicating >25%, and Bexley Hill which isn't far away.

[popeyewhite]

flight147z said:

For where it is it's a long climb to a high summit and for the most part decent climbs in England are a lot shorter and steeper so it's nice I the way that it's different. I think it only averages something around 3% When I did it it was also pretty quiet. Agree Holme moss is harder (and probably more fun) but I don't think it's as long. Snake pass is another similar climb to those two

Snake is a slog, not much to look at until the top either. The Cat does have pretty special views.

[Maracus]

moonigan said:

Yep. Head over to Italy, France or Swizterand and all the UK climbs become a bit meh.

Couldn't agree more. There's nothing like it

[Daveyraveygravey]

Maracus said:

Couldn't agree more. There's nothing like it

I disagree, it's different, that's all. Although in Abruzzo, they have both types of climb - 2 hours at 5-6% in 30 degree heat, and 10 mins at 20+% also in 30 degree heat!

[flight147z]

2 new ones for me today - Shibden Wall and Halifax Lane. I also did another 6 climbs from the Yorkshire book - Trooper Lane was the toughest, at least half of it is cobbled and the average gradient is 15% for the climb. It's in the Yorkshire book and gets a 10/10 but oddly not either of the main national books!

Looking forward to trying some of the climbs on the continent at some point but for now I'm enjoying ticking these off in the UK!

[Solocle]

I've done a bit of Holme Moss, with a cousin. Had to turn around before we hit the really hard bit, though (not on my account)!

Hardknott, I had to walk, even with fresh legs... haven't done the hard side of Wrynose. Did The Struggle over Kirkstone Pass on that same trip, which I managed without stopping, but it was a pretty close run thing.

I also did GDF, which was pretty easy in comparison, although it was a hell of a long slog.

Fleet Moss was the first of the 100 that I took on, and had to stop a couple of times!

Cheddar Gorge was pretty straightforward on a sportive - I gave the cameraman a thumbs up.

[flight147z]

Next up for me will probably be something from the list below (over multiple rides) - anyone on here done any of these?

- Buttertubs
- Garsdale Head
- Hartside
- Norwood Edge
- Greenhow Hill

Although the bottom two are closer I do love the challenge of the Pennines, even though it's a long day out for me (based in Nottinghamshire). I think it would be three trips out to tick all of these off. I would probably try to combine Hartside with another go at GDF.

[flight147z]

Solocle said:

I've done a bit of Holme Moss, with a cousin. Had to turn around before we hit the really hard bit, though (not on my account)!

Hardknott, I had to walk, even with fresh legs... haven't done the hard side of Wrynose. Did The Struggle over Kirkstone Pass on that same trip, which I managed without stopping, but it was a pretty close run thing.

I also did GDF, which was pretty easy in comparison, although it was a hell of a long slog.

Fleet Moss was the first of the 100 that I took on, and had to stop a couple of times!

Cheddar Gorge was pretty straightforward on a sportive - I gave the cameraman a thumbs up.

Some good ones in here, and a lot that I haven't done yet (but hope to do soon!) Holme Moss is on my list to go back to, it's not too far from me and when I did it before I wasn't that fit so I reckon I've got the legs to give it a better go now

Never heard anyone call GDF easy before, albeit from what I have heard Hardknott makes a lot of climbs look easy! Toughest of the original 100 I have done to date is probably The Lecht based upon the rating in the book

[Solocle]

flight147z said:

Some good ones in here, and a lot that I haven't done yet (but hope to do soon!) Holme Moss is on my list to go back to, it's not too far from me and when I did it before I wasn't that fit so I reckon I've got the legs to give it a better go now

Never heard anyone call GDF easy before, albeit from what I have heard Hardknott makes a lot of climbs look easy! Toughest of the original 100 I have done to date is probably The Lecht based upon the rating in the book

Yeah, GDF is only easy on the basis that I wasn't fighting to make it without stopping (vaulting the gate doesn't count). Sure, there's the nasty 20% bit, but The Struggle involved far more grovelling, and Hardknott...

I also didn't go hard up GDF, I did it fairly leisurely. The Struggle gave me no choice in the matter, much slower and I'd fall over!

So yeah, not easy, but I'm good with persistence.

[boyse7en]

I'd never heard of VV, but I've done a couple of the Southwest climbs.
The "Exmoor Forest" one from Lynmouth to Simonsbath is a tough one, especially as when I got to Simonsbath I still had about 18 miles with two more big climbs to go. Its seven or eight miles of pure uphill with no respite.

Challacombe Hill out of Woolacombe is much shorter but is very steep. I watch the Tour of Britain guys ride up it a few years ago then tried to emulate their efforts...

[Maracus]

Daveyraveygravey said:

Maracus said:

Couldn't agree more. There's nothing like it

I disagree, it's different, that's all. Although in Abruzzo, they have both types of climb - 2 hours at 5-6% in 30 degree heat, and 10 mins at 20+% also in 30 degree heat!

The attitude of vehicle drivers is one of the biggest pluses for me.