Your Least Favourite Hill Climb of 2019

[roubaixtuesday]

Tales and pictures of blood, gore, vomit, broken chains etc please.

Mine is quite tame. Most unwisely attempted a century through the peaks the day after my first ever 25 mile TT and decided to turn for home early, totally knackered.

Climbed out of Longnor up to the A523 into a stiff headwind. It's not steep, but it's a long way, maybe as much as 5 miles and very exposed. Death would have been most welcome by the end.

Appropriately, the very last climb of the day was, indeed, "Dead Man's Hill", which I can't seem to find a link to.

 

[DCLane]

The 2019 National hillclimb up Haytor - really cold, walkers on the road and cars. Too busy to race.

 

[Edwardoka]

Nothing spectacular, I've not been strong enough this year to attempt any hill-based suffering. On my most recent outing I cracked badly and got somewhat lost, when trying to re-find the route I ended up pointlessly riding up a farm road after missing the NCN access gate. Only 215 ft of gain at ~6% but I was already feeling very sorry for myself, especially when I realised I'd done it for nothing.

Earlier in the year Glen Fruin from the east was a long drag for a horribly unfit fellow like myself but it was a nice day and I got a magnificent view and descent out of it.

 

[Tenkaykev]

Nothing to match the derring-do of the people on this forum but trying to cycle all the way up the hill that leads to the Vine at Pamphill Wimborne on my Brompton.

Had to get off and push at every attempt despite my best efforts.

After fitting a 44 tooth chainring I finally managed to reach the pub so I rewarded myself with a pint. 🍻

 

[ChrisPAmbulance]

I think I'd have to nominate Tixall Bank in Stafford.

It's not that I don't like it, it's a good climb in a nice bit of countryside. But it is usually the last big climb of most of my rides and I know that's nearly it for the week.

 

[oldwheels]

The last couple of hundred yards to my house are a killer as far as I am concerned. Never tried to work out the gradient but it looks pretty steep with a right angle bend which is the worst bit. Aggravating thing is I have to go downhill to reach the start of this.

 

[johnblack]

Don't exactly remember the name of it, but it was a climb in to the Blackdown Hills in Devon, about 150 miles in to a ride to Exeter, I knew it was coming but the approach was a false flat of top dressed road in a full headwind followed by 4 miles of steep narrow country road, which, after you crested went downhill to a junction followed by a main road climb to reach about the same height again. Probably only 6 or 7 miles in total but horrible.

 

[Twilkes]

Nothing particularly terrible, but every hill after the last food stop on Pedal For Scotland's 100 mile route, after making it up Carmichael hill and everyone at the food stop saying it was downhill all the way to Edinburgh. It wisnae.

 

[Donger]

For me it has to be Cam Pitch near Dursley, Glos. When I'm on my own it is okay. Nothing remotely remarkable about it . Just a steady slog between three suburban roundabouts, with no real views and no sense of achievement to be derived from it. But whenever I do it with our club I always come last as I'm forced to drop down through the gears. I get the dispiriting sight of everyone else sliding ever so slowly out of view over the horizon as I start to sound like a Puffing Billy steam engine trying to keep up. So, not good news that it gets included in 5 to 10 club rides every year. Give me a tougher climb but one with views any day ... I much prefer to be able to look down during a climb at what I've achieved so far. That is what inspires me to keep climbing.

 

[tallliman]

Easily the Weaver Hills west of Ashbourne, boiling day, no wind. Just kept climbing and climbing for a mile and a bit, too tired to do it but needed to get to food. Ran out of water on the way up too!!

 

[13 rider]

For me it was Wood lane near Loddington on the Leicestershire Rutland boarder came at about 65 miles into a rather lumpy 100 miler ride as the terrain on the boarder is constantly rolling . Came round the corner and there's a wall in front of you a short section hit 30% . The climb wasnt helped by the fact we had ridden past are cafe stop without knowing so wasnt fuelled correctly . That said I did set a pr up it only because I have only ever done once before and probally never again

 

[Globalti]

The west side of Malham Tarn. Done it several times before and didn't mind it but last summer I went out to The Dales having only eaten a bowl of Bran Flakes and bonked at the top of the hill, which was horrible. Blagged a gel off a passing cyclist and managed to get to a pub in Littondale where a pint and a hearty sandwich began to restore me.

 

[mudsticks]

Climbed a 1in 1 (felt like) country track a few km out of Montenedo (Northern Spain) - it didn't feel right - stopped to check paper map before I had to pass a very angry farm dog - it wasn't right - dumb @rse sat nav - the dog was clearly trying to tell me something - all that effort for nowt.

Ah well, tis doubtless good for the soul to be humbled like that now and again

 

[Dogtrousers]

Specifically of 2019 it was a short stretch, not terribly steep but with an awful road surface, near the end of a ride in which I'd overdone the climbing, become utterly knackered, got very cold and been out much longer than expected so I was ambushed by darkness. I remember riding up it, mentally prepared for the ride to be finished, thinking "I really don't need this right now".

 

[rivers]

All of them?