I'd only ridden Kingsdale once before, and that was in heavy mist so I hadn't really taken it all in on that occasion. Heading NNE up the dale, it is mainly a steady climb, with just a few steep little ramps. We got to a maximum elevation of about 475m (1,550 ft) and then the road just plunges down in the most stunning and scary fashion towards Deepdale. I don't know if any of the other riders stopped to take a picture of that view, but it is truly stunning.
The descent is frightening; I'm writing this as someone who is used to doing 50 mph on steep descents! The road drops away alarmingly and snakes about. And ... there are gates across the road!