Toughest Climb in Ireland?

Another poster (can't recall who) created this map, which is fairly comprehensive for Wicklow.

If you want to know elevations and gradients etc. you'll have to map the road out in bikeroutetoaster or mapmyride. Tedious though.

probably nothing compared to some of the hills you lads are mentioning, but i used to do Devil's Glen in Wicklow twice a year when i was 10-14 and found it an absolute killer. I literally had to cycle sideways just to keep moving at some parts.

cantalach wrote: »

I'm almost certain that the ToI climb was the Step rather than Keeper Hill. They're very close to each other. From the top of the Step you can see Keeper Hill just across the valley to the SW. There's just a private service road to the top (like Kippure in Wickla or Mullaghanish in Cork).

Could well be. I'll have to check the DVD at home cos they defo gave the hill a fair bit of air time. They are bound to have mentioned the name.

MCOS wrote: »

Lads I don't think road bikes went up Keeper Hill. I ran up it last week, fireroads up to 2km befopre top then its strictly mtb territory i'd imagine. Can't wait to get my mtb and give it a go!

As stated earlier I live quite near here and I have never heard of road bikes going up Keeper. Members of the local cycling club, North Tipp Wheelers, generally agreee that Step is the toughest climb in this region and that they rarely experience anything as difficult anywhewre else.

The Tour of Ireland sportive definitely went up here last year but I can't say for certain about this year.

Just a word of warning to anyone trying this for the first time - when you get to the carpark and the viewing point - you are only half ways there!

Anyway back to my original question - do people generally feel it would be a good project to convince the relevant authorities to map and sign the toughest climbs in Ireland? If there is sufficient support for this I would be happy to put in some work but would need help in particular in the area of deciding on criteria and picking the climbs.

michaelm wrote: »

Anyway back to my original question - do people generally feel it would be a good project to convince the relevant authorities to map and sign the toughest climbs in Ireland? If there is sufficient support for this I would be happy to put in some work but would need help in particular in the area of deciding on criteria and picking the climbs.

I think it's an excellent idea, but I think it will stand more chance of being successful if it isn't just the toughest climbs in Ireland - toughness should probably be one criterion among a few others, like the attractiveness of the view when you get up there. Not every cyclist is into grunting up a 20% grade but I think most of us enjoy the view from the top.

Greyspoke wrote: »

Yes, I agree, that climb south from Portmagee is savagely steep. If you ride towards it from Knightstown on Valentia you see the line of the road in the distance cutting a very intimidating diagonal up the hill - it looks too steep to be a road but it is!

Sweet, i'm heading for Valentia for a few days tomorrow so i'll add this to the climb list. Any others of note in that area worth a gander?

MCOS wrote: »

I found this hill 2 weeks ago as I was looking around the Silvermines for a decent climb to prep me for The Lost Sheeop Tri in Kenmare.

Its about 2.7km to the peak from Sivermines village and about 300m climb so averages about 11%. Saying that though there are sections on it that are 18%. I had to drive up it in 2nd gear. Lovely view from the top. I haven't cycled it yet. There is another one beside Shalee thats 3km and about 6% average with 10% max which I did a few repeats of last week. The 'Step' is my graduation hill, I'm going to give it a lash next week. Climbing it will be one thing but descending could be extremely scary as it twists sharply. Maybe I'll do it on a mtb first

Lads I don't think road bikes went up Keeper Hill. I ran up it last week, fireroads up to 2km befopre top then its strictly mtb territory i'd imagine. Can't wait to get my mtb and give it a go!

Is the Step tougher than Woodcock Hill?

I, like many people around here have been reading this (quite old now) thread and thinking, jeez I must try that one some day! Well, the one I picked to do today was the "Step" climb in the Tipperary Silvermines as part of a lovely 80km sunny trip. Just so others can see all the conversation relating to this climb in this thread, I have quoted many of them below for you to see. If you ask me, it was talked about more than any other climb which lead (and still leads) me to believe that it is certainly one of the toughest climbs in Ireland.

I am definitely a climber myself, and always trying to test myself that bit further. Well today this climb pushed me right to the limit, and for the first time ever the idea of stopping to get off the bike went through my head (but I didn't and thats all that matters ). It is bloody steep alright, averaging 11% with about two sections of 18%. It is quite sheltered compared to other climbs I have done but matters were not helped when I was hit with a blast of a headwind about halfway up. I have no data for the climb itself because I forgot to hit the lap button on the Polar computer at the top! Next time. The bloody descent is fairly sketchy alright, I felt like I would be more at home on a down hill mtb with hydraulic disc brakes. You go up it all the way in your smallest gear (39x25 in my case) and come down it almost all the way on the brakes. My €40 Swisstop pads are definitely ready for replacement now! I'm just glad it wasn't wet and on my carbon rims, because I just wouldn't be comfortable at all in my ability to stop and control speeds effectively.

I felt like I would need a sat nav for the trip but I managed perfectly OK without it (would have been nice though). For anyone thinking of doing it, just coming into the town of Silvermines from the direction of Nenagh/Birdhill take the right turn up the road where the church will be facing you. Almost immediately you veer off left and on the ground you will see a TOI marking. At the T junction ahead take the right turn and you will soon feel pain, believe me! It hurts

cantalach wrote: »

I'm almost certain that the ToI climb was the Step rather than Keeper Hill. They're very close to each other. From the top of the Step you can see Keeper Hill just across the valley to the SW.

Yes, twas the "Step" they did alright because the road markings are still visable!

MCOS wrote: »

I found this hill 2 weeks ago as I was looking around the Silvermines for a decent climb to prep me for The Lost Sheeop Tri in Kenmare.

Its about 2.7km to the peak from Sivermines village and about 300m climb so averages about 11%. Saying that though there are sections on it that are 18%. I had to drive up it in 2nd gear. Lovely view from the top. I haven't cycled it yet. There is another one beside Shalee thats 3km and about 6% average with 10% max which I did a few repeats of last week. The 'Step' is my graduation hill, I'm going to give it a lash next week. Climbing it will be one thing but descending could be extremely scary as it twists sharply. Maybe I'll do it on a mtb first

Lads I don't think road bikes went up Keeper Hill. I ran up it last week, fireroads up to 2km befopre top then its strictly mtb territory i'd imagine. Can't wait to get my mtb and give it a go!

michaelm wrote: »

As stated earlier I live quite near here and I have never heard of road bikes going up Keeper. Members of the local cycling club, North Tipp Wheelers, generally agreee that Step is the toughest climb in this region and that they rarely experience anything as difficult anywhewre else.

The Tour of Ireland sportive definitely went up here last year but I can't say for certain about this year.

Just a word of warning to anyone trying this for the first time - when you get to the carpark and the viewing point - you are only half ways there!

Anyway back to my original question - do people generally feel it would be a good project to convince the relevant authorities to map and sign the toughest climbs in Ireland? If there is sufficient support for this I would be happy to put in some work but would need help in particular in the area of deciding on criteria and picking the climbs.

michaelm wrote: »

Are you sure? - there are markings on the road for the Tour of Ireland (only appeared in early May) and they have nothing to do with last week's race as it was going in the other direction.

cantalach wrote: »

Head south from Silvermines village - see partial GPS trace below.

michaelm wrote: »

In my own area (North Tipp) the hardest climb is believed to be what is locally known as "Step" - this is located just outside the village of Silvermines about 6 miles from Nenagh. This is where Paul Kimmage, when making a lone break in one of the Nissan Classics , famously got off his bike and was about to abandon but for the encouragement of a few locals who helped him on his way. This year it was looked at as part of the TOI route but they regarded the descent on the other side as too dangerous.

Hope this inspires others to give it a go at some time! Although it is short, the altitude you achieve is just amazing and gives a lovely view. Next time I'll take a photo, never even stopped today. Good luck

EDIT: I just thought I would post a link to the route including some of the gradients and profile! See below:

[url=https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/183126/87915.JPG[/url] including route profile.
[url=https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/183126/87953.jpg[/url]
[url=https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/183126/87954.jpg[/url]

oh easy,
havin 9 pints in the summit inn howth ,thinking thats grand ill cycle home. Then forgetting your house keys and having to cycle back up. Now thats HARD!

MCOS wrote: »

In Fact the Shalee hill in the same vicinity as the Step is even tougher gradient than Gallows but shorter (3km avg 6% incline with a 10% section

Whereabouts is that climb of Shalee hill? I think its nice to combine a couple of climbs into the one trip (I prefer it to just doing hill repeats, not that I think I could have got up the Step again anytime that day!) especially seeing as its like 40kms from my house to that area! Could you point it out to me somehow on a map? Cheers