I have a hankering for climbing mountains on a road bike - location suggestions please?

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Dan Lotus

Über Member
Afternoon all,

having returned fairly recently from an incredible family holiday in Tuscany, with some road cycling thrown in, I'm totally smitten with long ascents in the region of 10-20km, and also love the descents.

I live however, in Berkshire, and aside from insanely steep and short climbs, there seems to be naff all around here that will satisfy my hunger.

I'm not very familiar with cycling locations/attractions elsewhere around this country, or in northern France come to that, so am wondering if anyone has suggestions for places in the UK I could potentially drive to to complete an interesting climb on a decent route, and or even into northern France, if I made a weekend of it, or took a day off or something.

I have a basic van, and have a single mattress thing, so could likely kip in that with my bike for company, but above all else am really looking for some location ideas, as currently just going out and riding the terrain around here is not inspiring me :-(
*I'll probably un-pause my Rouvy membership shortly, but it's not the same sensations (I don't currently have a device to lift the front of the bike either, though could add one to my kickr move), all be it a similar amount of work.

This is the kind of thing I am looking for, though I am ready to grudgingly accept that I may indeed be living in the wrong country.
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Any experience, suggestions, gratefully received.
 

Animo

Well-Known Member
Many of the biggest road climbs in England are in my neck of the woods - Durham Dales/North Pennines.

Great Dun Fell, Hartside, Yad Moss, Chapel Fell etc etc.

Can't pretend they're all that similar to European cols but you can have a great day out if you get the weather.
 

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Senior Member
Location
Hampshire, UK
I can't offer you any 12000 feet climbs in the UK.

I'm afraid the western South Downs hills will be a damp squib, lots of 250-650 feet climbs, mostly lower half of that range, besides a few ways up to Warren Corner north of Petersfield.

Mendips has a number of ~700+ feet climbs, obvious one is Cheddar Gorge, but Draycott's New Rd and Eborr Gorge are another two of at least a selection of ~8+.

The lanes mainly to west of Longleat Center Parcs has ~10 climbs approx 265-600 feet. When I was fitter, I cycled from Warminster train station to the Mendips for a ~75 mile loop on my 29ered fatbike, on first day of a CP holiday.

Not done these, but I think there's a few 1000+ feet climbs north of Taunton (eg. Angel Falls to top of Elworthy) up to around Porlock till road.

North Wales is brilliant when the weather is good!
From Prestatyn you have the infamous Hillside 33% climb; The Shelf; Penbarra; Road To Hell; maybe squeeze Horseshoe Pass in etc.
From Bala you have Hirnant Pass; Lake Vernwy; three ways up Bwlch Y Groes (from south ~20% stretch like Draycott); Horsehoe Pass closer.
Others worth mentioning that I can remember include Stwlan Dam (private ribbon road 10%); Ffordd Pen Llech (you can keep climbing after the record breaking super steep one way hill by turning left at the T-junction iirc); Arthog climbs to Craegannan Lake.

The above list is barely scratching the surface even in the areas mentioned.
 
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vickster

Squire
If you're in Berkshire, the Chilterns although not like a European mountain range, have some pretty challenging climbs and are on your doorstep, as do the Downs in Surrey & Sussex
 

Once a Wheeler

…always a wheeler
I know the problem. My south of England solution is to take the road that runs along the foot of the scarps and repeatedly turn off it up the scarp climbs, then down on the next slope, up on the following slope and so on. Not the same as the Gallibier, but if you work out the routes you can get in 2,000m of climbing in a day. And when you do get to the Gallibier, you certainly appreciate the training.
 

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler
If France, without straying too far from the ports you could head to "la Suisse Normande". Literally Norman Switzerland but often referred to as Swiss Normandy. Either way it's lovely with some challenging climbs. But they ain't real mountains.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Switzerland

Only about 60km from Caen-Ouistreham ferry port.
 
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13 rider

Guru
Location
leicester
Have a look at the Dragon ride route in the Brecan Beacons ,The Bwylch and Rhigos are long steady climbs
 

Animo

Well-Known Member
If you're anywhere near an airport that flies to Lourdes, the easiest way to get to some proper mountains is probably to fly there, taxi to Argeles Gazost or the Pyrenees Cycling Lodge for a couple of nights.

Then you've got Hautacam, Tourmalet, Aubisque, Luz Ardiden and others to go at.
 
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