Bwlch Y Groes [now with pics]

[huwsparky]

Anyone here ever climbed the above?

Going on holiday near there next week and obviously intend on taking the bike and tackling the beast!

Does anyone have any advice of routes etc I could take or other places locally I could cycle as well?

Any input and local knowledge appreciated.

To anyone never heard of it, the climb is listed in the top 10 toughest in Britain.

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/jul/20/britains-top-10-toughest-cycle-climbs

Thanks.

 

[DCLane]

I've ridden it on the Dragon Ride Gran Fondo. Apart from it being steep and needing my lowest gear (34x28) that's all I can remember

Oh, and I didn't stop/walk

 

[huwsparky]

I've ridden it on the Dragon Ride Gran Fondo. Apart from it being steep and needing my lowest gear (34x28) that's all I can remember

Oh, and I didn't stop/walk

I've got the right gearing, but don't fancy my chances of making it! Will give it my best go though!

Think I'll decide on my route and start around 10 miles before to warm up and see how it goes

 

[wam68]

Let us know how it went.

 

[ColinJ]

Let's hope it gets gritted!

 

[Doyleyburger]

Brave man to tackle that one Huw.
Grant

 

[huwsparky]

Brave man to tackle that one Huw.
Grant

Gonna give it a go mate!

Got a 35 odd mile round trip that I'm trying to put on the Garmin at the moment but seem to be failing at getting the file on ATM!

 

[huwsparky]

Let's hope it gets gritted!

Let's hope no ones around to see me pushing the bike up!

 

[booze and cake]

The views (assuming you can see anything and its not engulfed in mist and rain) will make going slow no hardship., even if you end up walking

Lovely cycling all around there but you are brave indeed tackling it in January. Above photo I took while going up from the lake Vyrnwy side last August. The descent down to Bala is brilliant, sheep and sheep pooh to dodge, uneven surfaces, cattle grids, winding, fast and you'd be unlucky to encounter any traffic, what more could you want If you go right at the end of Bala lake then you can hang a right and can go up and over the Berwyns which is another pretty epic hill climb, not steep but long, TDF style hairpain on ascent and wide open moorland at the top, followed by a contrasting fast straight smooth road down the other side. Here's the route I did last August to give you more of a look. If you dont fancy any of the epic hills cycling around lake Vyrnwy is flat and very pretty. Enjoy.
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/3187387

 

[ColinJ]

Ooh, I fancy riding up that!











Only not in January!

 

[huwsparky]

@booze and cake thanks very much for that. That route does indeed look like a very nice one. May well go back up for that one in the summer at it looks like it would be uber scenic. I'll be glad to a chance to get my 35miler done this time of year.

If I can figure out how I'll post my planned route up after work tonight.

Cheers.

 

[djb1971]

I ride it every month. It's very steep at the bottom which ruins your legs for the steep stuff in the middle and the steep stuff at the top

The drop down to Bala is fast but not as good as the drop down to Vyrnwy, this also makes a very good climb in reverse. The road out of Vyrnwy at Rhiwargor is an excellent and overlooked climb. There's a very steep section in the first mile, then it just climbs on steady but not as steep, again the drop down to Bala on this road is amazing, and super fast!

The road out of the east side of Vyrnwy drops down to Hirnant and then is a long but easier climb up with a nice ride into Bala, it's much busier though.




I always have a brew at the top

 

[ColinJ]

I ride it every month. It's very steep at the bottom which ruins your legs for the steep stuff in the middle and the steep stuff at the top

The drop down to Bala is fast but not as good as the drop down to Vyrnwy, this also makes a very good climb in reverse. The road out of Vyrnwy at Rhiwargor is an excellent and overlooked climb. There's a very steep section in the first mile, then it just climbs on steady but not as steep, again the drop down to Bala on this road is amazing, and super fast!

The road out of the east side of Vyrnwy drops down to Hirnant and then is a long but easier climb up with a nice ride into Bala, it's much busier though.




I always have a brew at the top

I like a lot of your photos on Flickr, including the ones above!

 

[djb1971]

I like a lot of your photos on Flickr, including the ones above!

Thanks Colin

They don't turn out too bad for an iPhone, usually in the dark and wet

 

[huwsparky]

@djb1971 Thanks for taking your time to post the pictures. I'll do my best to take a few of my own and I'll post them here after my ride.