Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

news

Just in: 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs

A ton of testing tarmac for the climbers among you

The nice chaps at Frances Lincoln publishing have just sent us a copy of their latest cycling tome, 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs. Touted as "a pocket-sized guide to the 100 greatest climbs in Britain, written by a cyclist for cyclists" It's certainly piqued our interest here at road.cc towers.

Split into sections by area (curiously, there's no East Anglia section...) the book wanders round Britain and offers insight into the many spectacular ways of bursting your lungs that our small island offers. For each climb you get a short write up, a nice little gradient graph with points of interest marked out, a factfile giving you location and stats, and a lovely pic of some tarmac snaking away into the distance.

You also get a rating out of 10, which has been the cause of much discussion around the office. Swain's lane as hard as Weston Hill? Not in our book. Not that we bothered to write a book, so Kudos to ex Cycling Weekly designer and dyed-in-the-wool roadie Simon Warren for taking the time to make one we can argue over. Not much arguing that Hardknott and Wrynose get a 10/10, and there's an 11/10 too; can you guess what that is?

Obviously when you're limited to 100 climbs and you're looking to cover the country fairly there's plenty that miss out. We were surprised to see that the Gospel Pass didn't make the grade, and wherever you live you'll be bemoaning at least one that got left out. But that's by the by: It's a great little guide to some excellent climbs, and there's an I-Spy-style section at the back where you can check them off as you do them.

100 Greatest Cycling Climbs is released on 3 June; for more info head to www.franceslincoln.com

Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.

Add new comment

30 comments

Avatar
dave atkinson | 13 years ago
0 likes

sounds like you need to write a 100 scottish climbs book. send us one  1

Avatar
mkirby | 13 years ago
0 likes

Having purchased this book from Blackwells in Edinburgh I found it to be rather disapointing from a Scottish perspective. Fourteen climbs in the south east of england, but only seven for the most mountainous region of the UK? Scotland is almost dismissed with the statement that 'the majority of Scotland's roads stick to the valleys as there's no need to cross the mountains'. In reality Scotland does have its share of mountain roads. Those of particular note are the Bealach Ratagain (335m in 3.4km), Bealach Maim (287m in 2.8km) and my own favorite, the Bealach Feith Nan Laogh aka Polloch Hill. Never heard of it? This monster climb lies on an unclassified road between the village of Strontian and the Hamlet of Polloch circa 30 miles from Fort-William. 313m in 2.6km put it up there with the two big ones in the Lakes. It would appear that many of the climbs were chosen for their proximity to large centres of population rather than being hills of any particular note.

Avatar
antonio | 13 years ago
0 likes

Great stuff, I just love climbing down.

Avatar
The Great Cornholio | 13 years ago
0 likes

My copy landed yesterday...already well thumbed....can tick off some already but did these over a decade ago so will just have to do them again....quite a few within riding distance of my base in the midlands...my riding buddies will love the challenges....  39

Avatar
Timbo13 | 13 years ago
0 likes

I bought this last week in Waterstones (Deansgate, Manchester) in an attempt to motivate myself into becoming a climber. A work colleague thinks my copy should be called 100 Greatest Cycling Walks.

So far, I can claim only the Cat & Fiddle, although both Winnats Pass and Mow Cop have claimed me.

I was all set to tick off Holmes Moss until I realised the book features the N to S ascent, whereas I've only done the S - N grind.

A good little book. Small enough to fit in a pocket. Great motivation comes in small packages.

Avatar
dave atkinson | 13 years ago
0 likes
Quote:

I live on the Blackdown Hills, some excellent short climbs

i don't remember blagdon feeling very short 65 miles into the exmouth  1

some steep old ones on the south side too as i recall.

talking of short climbs that are steep, we're pretty spoilt round here. this is our 'favourite':

http://tinyurl.com/verysteep

450m at an average of 20%, with the first 250m at an eye-watering 26%.

Avatar
vorsprung replied to dave atkinson | 13 years ago
0 likes

The only time I did the Exmouth Exodus I got lost in the lanely bit after crossing the A358 and climbed the Blackdowns from a different direction

A hill that seems long because of where it is in a ride is the A483/B4355 out of Newtown. That's during day two of the Bryan Chapman Memorial 600km. Goes up 300 metres in approx 8km

I think I'll commute home up Blagdon Hill tonight, haven't been that way for a while

Avatar
handlebarcam | 13 years ago
0 likes

Pre-order placed on the strength of this review, and its relatively low price (less than 10p per climb.) Thanks for the tip-off.

Avatar
dave atkinson | 13 years ago
0 likes

Devil's staircase: 9/10
Bwlch y Groes: 10/10  4

Avatar
vorsprung | 13 years ago
0 likes

Is the Devils Staircase on the mountain road to Tregaron in there? This is about the only climb I have a problem with. It's too steep!

Bwlch y Groes from the Lake Vyrnwy direction up a little lane was also quite taxing.

I live on the Blackdown Hills, some excellent short climbs (200 meter-ish). Riding in Wales is more fun though. The climbs are less generally steep and longer.

Did the A40 out of Llandovery in the direction of Brecon a few weeks ago. It's only a few percent but goes on and on for quite a distance...had a bit of a race up it with another rider

Avatar
dave atkinson | 13 years ago
0 likes

I'll throw in some energy bars too, to make up for the disappointment  1

Avatar
adscrim | 13 years ago
0 likes

Oh, I thought the prize was a my choice of the Cube Litening or the Felt AR3! I do love stickers though.

Avatar
dave atkinson | 13 years ago
0 likes
Quote:

I imagine burrington combe, cheddar and virtually anything around here misses out

Cheddar's in, it only scores a 3/10 but it is a fairly easy climb except for the bit right near the bottom

Avatar
Jon Burrage replied to dave atkinson | 13 years ago
0 likes
dave_atkinson wrote:
Quote:

I imagine burrington combe, cheddar and virtually anything around here misses out

Cheddar's in, it only scores a 3/10 but it is a fairly easy climb except for the bit right near the bottom

No arguments there, one turn thats slightly steep doesnt make it difficult. Was just wondering what round here would get close to qualifying.

Avatar
dave atkinson | 13 years ago
0 likes

...and you are. congratulations! you win, erm, kudos. and some stickers. bung us your address and we'll throw 'em in the post... http://road.cc/content/contact-us

Avatar
adscrim | 13 years ago
0 likes

Bealach na Ba?

Avatar
cat1commuter replied to adscrim | 13 years ago
0 likes
adscrim wrote:

Bealach na Ba?

Oh yes. You must be right.

Avatar
Jon Burrage | 13 years ago
0 likes

I imagine burrington combe, cheddar and virtually anything around here misses out. How about the pass over the hills in Wales, I forget the name but it is on the Welshpool-Barmouth road.

Avatar
Simon_MacMichael | 13 years ago
0 likes

Been looking at OS map for new rides ahead of house move on Thursday - I imagine something that goes by the name of Steepness Hill pretty much does what it says on the tin.

Certainly from the map it looks like a short but very sharp kick - at a rough guess from the contours, one section has a 40m gain in something under 200m.

Might not have made the book, but it could become my personal challenge. Once I'm a bit fitter  39

Avatar
jobysp | 13 years ago
0 likes

I could cheat as I have the book in front of me, but it kinda spoils it  3

Avatar
dave6779 | 13 years ago
0 likes

Ben Nevis? :p

Avatar
Tony Farrelly replied to dave6779 | 13 years ago
0 likes
dave6779 wrote:

Ben Nevis? :p

You're getting warmer…

Avatar
cat1commuter replied to Tony Farrelly | 13 years ago
0 likes
tony_farrelly wrote:
dave6779 wrote:

Ben Nevis? :p

You're getting warmer…

Glencoe?

Avatar
Fringe | 13 years ago
0 likes

Porlock Hill?

Avatar
dave atkinson replied to Fringe | 13 years ago
0 likes
Fringe wrote:

Porlock Hill?

Porlock 9/10
Dunkery (from Luccombe) 10/10

Avatar
dave atkinson | 13 years ago
0 likes

not great dun fell... anyone else want a go?

Avatar
mrchrispy | 13 years ago
0 likes

11/10 has gotta be Great Dun Fell.
If you endup at Centreparcs with the family then Great Dun Fell is only about 10 miles away....you know it'd be rude not too.

Unfortunatly I ran outta time and only made it 1/2 way up but christ what a climb. cant wait to hit it again with a little more time.

Avatar
James Warrener | 13 years ago
0 likes

I might have to get that book, and loads of diesel for the car before leaving the fens to find them all...

Avatar
bazzargh | 13 years ago
0 likes

11/10 - Great Dun Fell?

Avatar
jobysp | 13 years ago
0 likes

This has just been delivered to my house from Amazon.. Itching to find out the killer hills round my end.

Latest Comments