Long climbs, UK

[Ball]

2 long ones that come to mind are;

Cuckoo- 12.5 km 490m (only 40m descent) av. gradient 4%. 1st 3rd 2% 2nd 3rd 4% 3rd 3rd 6.2% with 4 ramps 15%+

Talybont- Nant-y Moch- 8.5 km 403m no descent or flat av. gradient 4.8% 8 ramps 10% +

Ridden both of these in races, they re both tough. Like both though.

These sound awesome. Where are they? Is there any information about them in books or online? I searched them both but couldn't really find anything.

 

[jarushby]

I know that one too, Talybont is further south. I like it, as it climbs from the coast up through woods then, opens out with the rest of the climb before you. 90 degree turn and you can see the road traversing the mountain. Stunning.

Sounds fantastic. Thinking of doing Lon Las next spring. Maybe I will take a small diversion and include this climb.

 

[jarushby]

These sound awesome. Where are they? Is there any information about them in books or online? I searched them both but couldn't really find anything.

You should be able to use google earth to see the scenery and the climbs.

Cuckoo (I think) is between Llangadog and Brynamman. [west of Brecon Beacons]

[I'm sure Lukesdad will correct me on this one, I have guessed this. If it isnt this, there seems to be a pretty impressive climb between Llangadog to Brynamman )

Talybont is a little north of Aberystwyth, The Nant Y Moch reservoir is to the east.

Machynlleth is a little further north of Aberystwth. Llanidloes is South East of Machynlleth.

 

[eck]

If anyone fancies a day of climbing fun next year, may I put in an unashamed plug for the Snow Roads 300k audax, on 14 May. Starting from Kirriemuir in Angus, it has 4,800m of climbing fun including the mouth-watering attractions of the Cairn 0'Mount, Cabrach, Lecht and Cairnwell.
There's a map of the route here: http://gb.mapometer....ute_844993.html

Mr Scoosh of the parish did a storming ride here for his first 300k last year, and there will be cake, beer and bridies at the finish.


Anyone?

EDIT: If you've done the Kinross Sportive just a few weeks before, you should be nicely warmed up for this.

 

[jimboalee]

Has anyone found a long climb in the UK yet?

 

[ColinJ]

Has anyone found a long climb in the UK yet?

The  one I hope to be riding on Sunday is steep and about 40 km long. Fortunately, it includes about another 40 km of downhill and 20 kms of flat mixed in with it! 

 

[MrRidley]

If anyone fancies a day of climbing fun next year, may I put in an unashamed plug for the Snow Roads 300k audax, on 14 May. Starting from Kirriemuir in Angus, it has 4,800m of climbing fun including the mouth-watering attractions of the Cairn 0'Mount, Cabrach, Lecht and Cairnwell.
There's a map of the route here: http://gb.mapometer....ute_844993.html

Mr Scoosh of the parish did a storming ride here for his first 300k last year, and there will be cake, beer and bridies at the finish.


Anyone?

EDIT: If you've done the Kinross Sportive just a few weeks before, you should be nicely warmed up for this.

Aye and he's not shut up about since seriously though, he's also been trying to talk me into doing it, he mentioned it quite a few times on the 3 Glens we done together recently, but i think i'd like to try a 200 first, then decide after that.

 

[graham56]

As a kid living in Newcastle this was one of our climbs, short but steep.

 

[jarushby]

As a kid living in Newcastle this was one of our climbs, short but steep.

No coincidence all the cars are parked pointing downhill

 

[jimboalee]

The one I hope to be riding on Sunday is steep and about 40 km long. Fortunately, it includes about 40 km of downhill and 20 kms of flat!

I'm riding the British Heart Foundation Coventry 50 miler on Sunday.

If I wasn't, you might have seen a bloke on a BSA 20 shopping bike.

 

[lukesdad]

You should be able to use google earth to see the scenery and the climbs.

Cuckoo (I think) is between Llangadog and Brynamman. [west of Brecon Beacons]

[I'm sure Lukesdad will correct me on this one, I have guessed this. If it isnt this, there seems to be a pretty impressive climb between Llangadog to Brynamman )

Talybont is a little north of Aberystwyth, The Nant Y Moch reservoir is to the east.

Machynlleth is a little further north of Aberystwth. Llanidloes is South East of Machynlleth.

Correct on both counts. Cuckoo dissects the black mountain

 

[Philip Whiteman]

In terms of the south eastern question, a nice climb is out from Pett Level to Fairlight near Hastings, otherwise known as Battery Hill.

Some good Welsh climbs include:

1. 'The Mountain Road' out of Machynlleth to Llanidloes. http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=182446

2. And on the way back home after Bwychl-y-groes, there is the B road out of Bala heading over the Berwyns to Llangynog: http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=182449

My favourite in Scotland is (including the Lecht already mentioned above):

3. Spittal of Glenshee to Grantown over the Cairngorms. http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=182455

 

[jimboalee]

In terms of the south eastern question, a nice climb is out from Pett Level to Fairlight near Hastings, otherwise known as Battery Hill.

Some good Welsh climbs include:

1. 'The Mountain Road' out of Machynlleth to Llanidloes. http://bikeroutetoas...x?course=182446

2. And on the way back home after Bwychl-y-groes, there is the B road out of Bala heading over the Berwyns to Llangynog: http://bikeroutetoas...x?course=182449

My favourite in Scotland is (including the Lecht already mentioned above):

3. Spittal of Glenshee to Grantown over the Cairngorms. http://bikeroutetoas...x?course=182455

I don't take that road on the southern route to Tywyn. I go the A489. I'll have to give it a go next spring.

 

[Foghat]

No coincidence all the cars are parked pointing downhill

Or that some of the cars are pointing at the kerb because they don't trust the handbrake or leaving in-gear.

 

[Foghat]

A pretty brutal climb that not many people know about is the access road to Marchlyn Mawr reservoir, behind Elidir Fawr near Llanberis. 400m elevation gain in 4km - although the lower section isn't too tough, the upper section is mainly much steeper than 1:10. Spectacular setting too. But watch out for sheep on the descent (50+mph is very easy here) and rocks in the road, and remember the gate at the bottom of the private road section!

This is the high-altitude reservoir that provides the pumped-storage hydro-electric head for Dinorwig Power Station (aka Electric Mountain).

And when you get to the top, near the dam, if you're cunning like me, you notice that with a bit of unauthorised jiggery-pokery the security chain to the hydro scheme's main upper tunnel entrance gates, when carelessly tethered around the wrong bars, might just allow enough separation of the gates (if you raise the chain right to the top) for a lanky racing cyclist to get through the gap with assistance from a co-conspirator. This gives you access into the long tunnel that extends deep into the mountain and terminates at a massive man-made cavern that houses some very interesting super-heavy machinery. Sadly this bit of the scheme is not part of the (equally fascinating) public tours that show visitors around the lower business-end of the power station down at Llanberis. Of course, if you get caught, you ain't seen me, right? (The gates may have been improved since my little escapade).