Best UK Everesting Climb?

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Marchaugh

Well-Known Member
So basically I've completed a V Everesting during lockdown but also wanted to complete a real everesting.
I want to do it in the shortest time possible, hopefully sub 12, maybe less, so I'm in search of the perfect climb for the ride.
The requirements for a perfect segment are:
- Steep, ideally an average of 10% or more
- The longer the better
- Within driving distance of home so it can be done in a day with no overnight stays. I live in Coventry.
- Fast descent, a descent that is as quick as possible with few turns as possible.

I was thinking of doing it up Edge Hill https://www.strava.com/segments/781198 but it's not very long and a steeper one would be more ideal.
So would be grateful of anyones suggestions of good hills to Everest within reasonable distance of coventry.
Thanks
 

Hicky

Guru
A guy has just completed one up here on Blackstone edge rd. The writeup is on cycleaddicts fb page. All for charity, kudos to the lad!
 

nickyboy

Norven Mankey
The received wisdom for everesting is steeper the better. Plus it needs to be quiet with an easy descent. Finally you need a climb with a reliable tailwind so, unless you can really pick your days, W to E climbs are better

I don't know if you consider the Peak District too far but there are two excellent hills that have had some seriously fast everesting done

Up for a challenge? Give this segment a go! https://strava.app.link/r534u0Rp76

This is steep and quiet. Only problem is the direction so you'd need to be able to pick your days. A local guy did a 9 hour Everest on this one

Up for a challenge? Give this segment a go! https://strava.app.link/THu4VH3p76

I think this one is perfect. A straight mile at 10%. It's a very quiet road and it's W to E so easy to get a tailwind up it. Also when you get to the bottom of the descent it's flat before the junction so there's room to brake and turn around
 

nickyboy

Norven Mankey
It depends on what you consider to be within a 'reasonable distance of Coventry' - Adam Kenway (Vitus Pro Cycling, and a lovely chap) set the UK record on Sir William Hill in Grindleford last weekend:
https://www.strava.com/segments/3969293
Not the complete effort, but it gives you an idea what's required:
https://www.strava.com/activities/3537258855
That's a really good, steep climb. It's quiet too (although not as quiet as Peaslows that I recommend). Counting against it is the fact you need a E tailwind and the turnround at the bottom of the descent is a junction with a fairly busy road. There are also quite a lot of houses near the bottom of the descent so cars may be an issue. Peaslows hasn't got any houses at all if I remember correctly...I'm usually suffering too much to notice tbh
 
Good effort! @Littgull's son Matthew did one on the same climb in 2018.
An excellent effort. Yes, my son Matthew completed his Everesting feat on that climb. He lives in Hertfordshire but there are not many suitable hills in that region to be viable from a time perspective. So he took my recommend that the Blackstone Edge climb would be ideal with the added bonus that the road climb begins in Littleborough just a few hundred yards from our house which also meant he was very familiar with it. He 'tailored' the climb so that he started it a fair way up Halifax Road (just below Lightowlers Lane, IIRC) and then turned around for the descent roughly halfway between the White House pub at the top and the junction a bit further on for Cragg Vale (Turvin Road). This was in order to maximise the steepest overall section. His overall stats were Total Time 18 hours 5 minutes, Total Mileage (which includes descents) =176 miles, Total ascent = 29,219 ft and Average mph = 9.7 (includes descents). I rode with him as support for a few hours in the middle and the final few hours until up until his finish which was at 1.46 am. It was great quietly 'celebrating' with him together in the dark and quiet White House car park. I chose to ride Mrs Littgull's e-bike for my two support stints! I must have ridden that climb hundreds of times over the years on my usual non e-bikes but never more than a couple of times on the same day! Unfortunately, age and an increasingly arthritic left knee would put such an extreme challenge way beyond my then and current capabilities.

It's a great climb for everesting though, as the gradient is almost perfect (not too steep and not too shallow). Also never boring as it's both scenic as you climb and when you descend. Particularly when descending from the top on a clear night (which it was) as you can see a huge vista encompassing Rochdale, Greater Manchester and beyond.

The wind was favourable too, as it was a light to moderate SW tailwind.
 

DiddlyDodds

Random Resident
Location
Littleborough
A guy has just completed one up here on Blackstone edge rd. The writeup is on cycleaddicts fb page. All for charity, kudos to the lad!
I see he used the Old Road up the first half from the Rake Pub, i bet that hurt after the first few turnarounds at the bottom.
 

Hicky

Guru
I see he used the Old Road up the first half from the Rake Pub, i bet that hurt after the first few turnarounds at the bottom.
I must admit I’ve never used that road so I couldn’t say however the piece does say he chose the steeper route. 🤓
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I see he used the Old Road up the first half from the Rake Pub, i bet that hurt after the first few turnarounds at the bottom.
I must admit I’ve never used that road so I couldn’t say however the piece does say he chose the steeper route. 🤓
That struck me as being very odd! He would have a steep climb followed by a short descent and a shallow climb, and then he would have to turn right up the A58 every time across any traffic. There is only a 30 metre saving in distance which I am sure would be more than swamped by the increased difficulty.

Compare the two... (I have drawn the line of the road on the A58 variant - the mapping software elevation plot shows the underlying terrain where Lydgate Clough goes under the road. The road itself just carries on going up. I had been using that road for 30 years before I spotted the discrepancy on the profile. Only then did I actually look over the fence and see the reason...)

528091


Lydgate Clough below A58...
528092


I do sometimes ride up and down the Old Rd on casual rides but for the tough Everesting Challenge I would much rather stick to the A58!
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
What a wally for not taking a bit of care on verifying the height difference between the lowest point and the highest point other than relying on Strava. Kudos for a (fast) 'long' half-everesting. PPPPPP
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
What a wally for not taking a bit of care on verifying the height difference between the lowest point and the highest point other than relying on Strava. Kudos for a (fast) 'long' half-everesting. PPPPPP
Indeed - for something that hard, I would triple-check and then do an extra ascent on top to make absolutely sure!

Hells 500 are going to pre-vet future record attempts to prevent this happening again.
 
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