# Blaze Hill



## Hacienda71 (18 Jul 2010)

I had an interesting ride today, went up to Pott Shrigley and thought rather than the Old Brickworks I would go the other way saw a sign to Rainow didn't know the road and turned up a hill. Blimey what a monster, Blaze Hill. Got to the top thought I will zip across the main road to Whaley past the Goyt Valley hit another hill steeper than Blaze Hill not as long but I had to granny ring it standing on the pedals. Knackered but quite chuffed i made it. Any one wanting to put their climbing to the test in the Cheshire Manchester area it certainly is a good one and you can have a nice freewheel down to Macc on the Cat and Fiddle road afterwards. 

Mental note to self check where you a riding before you go a for a Sunday constitutional. You might end up pushing yourself a bit more than anticipated


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## andy_wrx (19 Jul 2010)

Sounds like you went up Blaze Hill and then up Pym's Chair.

Characterbuilding...


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## Tail End Charlie (19 Jul 2010)

That's what is good about trying different routes. I know those hills and they are hard, in fact my nemesis is round there, the road beside Lamaload reservoir, I've never got up it yet. It wasn't helped by the last time I tried it was after I got off I realised I wasn't actually in my bottom gear


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## Hacienda71 (19 Jul 2010)

The Lamaload Climb was the one I hit after Blaze Hill. Looked on the map last night. Looks like it is between 1in4 and 1in5. Shorter but harder than Blaze Hill imho. I ended up looking at the tarmac in front of the front wheel rather than up the road as I knew it would freak me out if i looked for the summit. 

Character building is a good description.


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## fossyant (19 Jul 2010)

Good job you didn't turn left just before lamaload...and up Pyms Chair...that's a killer as the gradient varies alot, and it goes on for ages. Lamaload clime is hard to climb, I've lost traction trying to climb it in the dry, never mind wet. Blaze Hill is a proper lung buster.


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## alecstilleyedye (19 Jul 2010)

pym chair is an absolute killer

it did me on on saturday, not the best thing to find on your first club run in a while…


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## Hacienda71 (19 Jul 2010)

Where does Pym Chair come out. Nearer the Cat than Lamaload?


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## andy_wrx (20 Jul 2010)

Pym's Chair is at the top of the ridge between Lamaload and Goyt valleys. There's a info board thing, telling you about how Pym was a highwayman.

Three ways up
- Windgather Rocks, up from Kettleshulme is the easiest (sic) way
- The Street, up from Goyt
- what's normally called Pym's Chair is up from Lamaload side, up from Jenkin Chapel

Try going up from Pott Shrig up the Brickworks (Bakestonedale Rd), over top and down that storming descent to Kettleshulme, then up Windgather (signposted Dunge Gdns)

And then compare with going up Blaze Hill from Bolly, striaght over the at the Highwayman and over the top down Dead Man's Hill to Lamaload, turn left and keep dropping down, then up past Jenkin Chapel

First way might be a little easier...


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## Hacienda71 (20 Jul 2010)

Thanks Andy

I will go via the Brickworks and Kettlsehulme and see how I get on.


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## fossyant (22 Jul 2010)

I did it the second way that AndyWRX said - TBH didn't get up Pyms on 39 x 24 - my knackered shoulder gave way - that was last year. The section from Jenkins Chapel is horrible, steep, eases off, steep, round a bend....etc you can't see where the top is...it just goes on and on. Windgather route is a good hard climb, but not a stupid gradient.


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## a_n_t (23 Jul 2010)

I like to dig this pic out of pyms chair at times like this.............................FEEL THE PAIN!! 










and thats the easy bit near the the top!


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## Garz (23 Jul 2010)

Ouch Ant! Looks tough.


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## fossyant (23 Jul 2010)

That's the easy bit at the end - the rest of the hill is a mare - I now know why the club runs used to avoid it in my yoof..............

I am very tempted to ride it again shortly, but with the Garmin on, and see how bad it really is - it's the only hill that I haven't got up.......... (ps never tackled it till last year).....grrrrrrrrr


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## Hacienda71 (25 Jul 2010)

Went up Pym Chair from Kettleshulme this morning. Not too bad, I just have this horrible feeling the Lamaload climb to Pym Chair is going to be a killer. My MTB mate from Macc refers to the Lamaload climb as the devils ahole so i know it is going to be fun. I will save that for the next week or two.


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## a_n_t (25 Jul 2010)

Hacienda71 said:


> Went up Pym Chair from Kettleshulme this morning. Not too bad, I just have this horrible feeling the Lamaload climb to Pym Chair is going to be a killer. My MTB mate from Macc refers to the Lamaload climb as the devils ahole so i know it is going to be fun. I will save that for the next week or two.




past windgather? probably the longest but easiest of the 3 routes up there. Get yourself past jenkins chapel and go up that way


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## Crossers (27 Jul 2010)

Blaze Hill and Lamaload are some of the best climbs around the area. These are on par with the Rake which is in Ramsbottom and that is one tough cookie. I have used Blaze and Lamaload all year in prep for the Cheshire Cat and Chris Walker Challenge. I was even riding up them when there was 6 feet of snow on the sides of the road. Lamaload can catch you out at the bottom as it raises steeply quickly.

There is a awesome 45 mile route that starts/finishes in Knutsford. This takes in both climbs and one more from wildboarclough and down into Sutton which is nearly as steep but not as long. The route finishes on flat roads back passed Jodrell Banks. Nice evening ride.


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## andy_wrx (27 Jul 2010)

I went up the hard way from Jenkin Chapel last year, wanted to do lots of puffing and panting, but lots of bikes and walkers coming down so I had to keep composing myself and look as though everything was under control - you know how it is 

At the top however, chavved-up Saxo with the doors and hatch open, thudding stereo and 4 lads leaning against the bonnet, watching me with interest.

Expecting sarcastic 'encouragement' if I looked like I was struggling, I had to get out of the saddle and sprint up over the top, with a suitably 'I'm not trying, this is easy' look pasted on my face 

As I passed them, I saw they were drinking cans of Red Bull : kinda amused me that I was the one with my lungs trying to jump out of my chest, they were leaning against a car and drinking the Red Bull.

I told a friend and he laughed, said that they'd probably had a hard night the night before, had stonking hangovers, and no matter how bad I felt on the hill, they probably felt worse...


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## andy_wrx (27 Jul 2010)

As Crossers says, it's worth tagging-on Wildboarclough - lovely picturesque drop down the valley and then that nasty/amusing 1:6 past the Stone Cross at the end

From Warrington direction I go over to Alderley Edge and up Artists Lane, then choice of either
- into Prestbury for Bollington, Blaze Hill, Lamaload, Wildboarclough
- or Prestbury, Bollington, Blaze Hill, Jenkin Chapel & Pym's Chair, Goyt Valley, Wildboarclough
- or Mottram St Andrews, Adlington, Pott Shrig, Brickworks, Windgather, Goyt Valley, Wildboarclough
then out of bottom either striaght down to Sutton-4-Lane-Ends, or down to Macc Forest and through Langley to Sutton, then Gawsworth, Siddington & home

Choices, choices !

'course at the moment it's all bolloxed as they're digging the bypass past Alderley Edge so that's inaccessible and the Goyt is also dug up - but I understand that's due to open in another couple of weeks, so we'll be on again !


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## Hacienda71 (22 Aug 2010)

Went up another good one this morning dropped down into the Goyt Valley from Pym Chair and across the dam at the end of the Errwood reservoir, out towards Buxton. Another cracking hill dead straight 500ish meters steep straight and nowhere to hide  think it becomes Goyt's Lane. Car with a bike rack on slowed as it came down the hill and the father and kids shouted and clapped encouragement as I sweated past them, don't get that too often. All good and a nice long decent down the A5004 into Whaley Bridge afterwards.


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## fossyant (23 Aug 2010)

Goyt's lane is a bugger !


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## chocolatelegs (27 Feb 2012)

Blaze hill and lamalode are both nice climbs. I have been up one called old gate nick? Which is in the same area. 
I still think the toughest in the area is monks road. From charlesworth over the tops towards little hayfield.


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## marcello (30 Jun 2014)

wow guys your not kidding went up the wizard through addlington then up the brickyard pyms chair goyt valley back throgh macc then bollington to av a go at blaze hill tough but not as painfull as flying down the briki i see a fellow comrade standing with his bike appearing to be in distress as he waved franticly as i flew passed, yes of course i hit the breaks at 36mph eventualy stoped turned and began the climb to lend a helping hand as i approched i said how can i be of assistance! the reply i got for my trouble was do you mind ime on the phone !!!! say what you will about this individual" but i would do the same again when ever i see a cyclist in distress.


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## marcello (17 Jul 2014)

blaze hill is hard as its a long hill with about 20 pc gradient but it does have flat bits to give you recovery,, pyms chair via jenkins chapel is just brutal it rears up right at the start and gets harder and harder with twists and turns it must be 28 pc in parts with no recovery spaces ive done it twice just to prove i could but think ile go up via the windgather way in future still a vry tough climb but more enjoyable.


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## PatrickPending (18 Jul 2014)

Ahhh the joys of blaze hill, the one after, Pym's chair then the slow climb along Goyt valley, and then up to the cat and fiddle.... a nice ride....I never see anyone doing it when I'm cycling up it, glad I'm not alone!
Last time I did it I didn't fancy Pym's chair, took a left and came across a 20% climb - I thought this route would be easy...I would have walked but there was someone behind me....mind you when I reached the top there wasn't....


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## marcello (21 Jul 2014)

nice that Patrick you are not alone i did that ride today though swerved blaze hill and wet up the brickyard left at macc rd down the storming decent up to kettleshulme then right up windgather to pym down the hill then that loveley ride through goyt up to the cat n fiddle then down the sweeping road towards macc but turn right int macc forrest past lamalode on the left up deadmans hill (tough 1 that) then go DOWN blaze hill brakes on as you can easy hit 40mph then back to cheadle via poynton nice litle 2 and half hour 30 mile ride for a 53 year old.


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## 400bhp (21 Jul 2014)

Masochists Delight. A real test of mental and physical strength.

http://www.strava.com/segments/2168257


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## marcello (22 Jul 2014)

cheers for that vet" will time myself on that this week, dont think ile ask ben g along though as ime not a fully fledged massacict yet ""


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## Hacienda71 (22 Jul 2014)

Hardest b


400bhp said:


> Masochists Delight. A real test of mental and physical strength.
> 
> http://www.strava.com/segments/2168257


The hardest bit of it, is the top of Pyms Chair.


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## marcello (22 Jul 2014)

yep i agree that is if you go up past the jenkin chapel,, and its a good job you then get the roaring decent down to the goyt as anoter climb say like dead mans hill on top of that would definetly see me off,, and then ide have sleepless nights  untill i go out and conquor my demons, and thre is nothing sweeter than being victorious over myself""


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