Toughest Climb in Ireland?

showry

BaBiT wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone has ever tried/heard of the Goats Path climb in Kilcrohane, West Cork?...Back in the earlier incarnation of my cycling career, 1986 to be precise, I tried climbing this and had to give up and to this day its the only climb I've ever had to turn around on...I started cycling again in 2006 and have been considering taking a trip down there sometime to see if its as tough as I remember..

I was down there for a week in the summer and there was some pretty tough climbing alright.
I'm not sure if any of these were the goat's path,
There's a road out the back of Kilcrohane with a few hairpins that brings you over the mountain to the Bantry bay side (there's a grotto at the top), not too long but very steep - almost felt like kissing the granny ring (oo er) at the top.
There's another nasty one on the way back over from the other side which brings you into Ahakista.
My one gripe was the state of some of the roads marked as part of the cycle route, some of the downhills were pretty scary - lots of gravel and potholes but not much gravel in potholes.

Edit: Actually is the goat's path the one that brings you to the send of the sheep's head itself?

BaBiT

Yep, thats the Goats Path, I remember the grotto at the top...Think I might take a trip down there some time soon for another go...22 years later and slightly (AHEM!!) heavier

csb1989

Sounds great! Any chance you could pinpoint where it is, so that I can give it a go next time I'm up there?

If you've just crossed the bridge onto Achill sound, continue on the R319 for 4.5kms, then take a left and continue for 1.4kms.

Then take a right onto a road which you can see going upwards. I think its signposted as a viewpoint aswell, but you will know it when you see it because you can see it going up the hill.

Hope this helps and enjoy :P

cantalach

csb1989 wrote: »

If you've just crossed the bridge onto Achill sound, continue on the R319 for 4.5kms, then take a left and continue for 1.4kms.

Then take a right onto a road which you can see going upwards. I think its signposted as a viewpoint aswell, but you will know it when you see it because you can see it going up the hill.

Thanks, I see it now. After that final right the road isn't marked on Google Maps but it's clearly visible if you switch to satellite view. The ridge that you end up on seems to be called Minaun Heights. I've plotted out the first 1.9 km on mapmyride and it looks like a stinker of a climb alright. Check out how close together those contours are!

Fion_McCool

Yes it sounds like the Minaun heights all right...with this view over Keel Beach and Achill Head to the west ?



It's used a lot by the hang gliding community.

scottreynolds

Walking up the steps of the church -- and up to the altar -- The effect of this one doesn't just last the evening ut a lifetime

tomc

Surely the mahon falls or Seskin hill must feature more prominently in this list?

TomC

stopped_clock

csb1989 wrote: »

If you've just crossed the bridge onto Achill sound, continue on the R319 for 4.5kms, then take a left and continue for 1.4kms.

Then take a right onto a road which you can see going upwards. I think its signposted as a viewpoint aswell, but you will know it when you see it because you can see it going up the hill.

Hope this helps and enjoy :P

Ooh, I'm going to have a crack at that too!

fignon03

cantalach wrote: »

Sounds great! Any chance you could pinpoint where it is, so that I can give it a go next time I'm up there?

its on google earth

fignon03

This is called glenisland booster station, you take the belmullet road leaving castlebar but head off at glenisland church towards the windy gap, ive done it ina car but ist more for MTB as the approach raods are gravel

Redmonda

My vote goes to the Puy de Lisselton in North Kerry.

ROK ON

I climbed Priests Leap this morning from the Kenmare side It is the toughest climb that I have climbed.
While the avg gradient is 9%, the road is often around 13-15%, and I saw a max of 22% on my Garmin. For most of these sections I was cycling at a mind boggling 5-6km/h, just struggling to turn pedals while fighting to stay upright.
At one stage I did a wheelie and ended up falling off and getting a bad cut. I got out of saddle and bike wheelied and I just went splat. You gain four hundred and fifty meters in about four and three qtr kms. The road is a boreen that is full of sheep s**t. You can't actually zig zag across the boreen due to grass middle and the gravel.
The descent is the scariest thing that I have ever done and I really like descending.

Road from top to Ballylickey is trecherous. I almost crashed into sheep several times.

Close to bottom was chased by 2 dogs.

It is however doable and I got up in one go apart from the fall. I was in the triple all of the way up. You get to this lookout point at four hundred and thirty meters and then actually descend before climbing to 466m.
Pretty happy in that my HOUR stayed in low 170's for most of the climb which made it more manageable than I thought.
Max HR was 192 as I 'sprinted' for what I thought was the peak.

Ye all should try it once. There are no climbs in wicklow like it IMHO.
The climb is manageable for me, however the descent is sheer lunacy.

johnnyc

ah just wondering what would be the gradient of the healy pass between Adrigole in Co. Cork and Lauragh in Co. Kerry?

ednwireland

ROK ON wrote: »

For most of these sections I was cycling at a mind boggling 5-6km/h, just struggling to turn pedals while fighting to stay upright.

i find all climbs like this at the moment :mad:

i let you know after i do glengesh

johnnyc

ROK ON wrote: »

I climbed Priests Leap this morning from the Kenmare side It is the toughest climb that I have climbed.
While the avg gradient is 9%, the road is often around 13-15%, and I saw a max of 22% on my Garmin. For most of these sections I was cycling at a mind boggling 5-6km/h, just struggling to turn pedals while fighting to stay upright.
At one stage I did a wheelie and ended up falling off and getting a bad cut. I got out of saddle and bike wheelied and I just went splat. You gain four hundred and fifty meters in about four and three qtr kms. The road is a boreen that is full of sheep s**t. You can't actually zig zag across the boreen due to grass middle and the gravel.
The descent is the scariest thing that I have ever done and I really like descending.

Road from top to Ballylickey is trecherous. I almost crashed into sheep several times.

Close to bottom was chased by 2 dogs.

It is however doable and I got up in one go apart from the fall. I was in the triple all of the way up. You get to this lookout point at four hundred and thirty meters and then actually descend before climbing to 466m.
Pretty happy in that my HOUR stayed in low 170's for most of the climb which made it more manageable than I thought.
Max HR was 192 as I 'sprinted' for what I thought was the peak.

Ye all should try it once. There are no climbs in wicklow like it IMHO.
The climb is manageable for me, however the descent is sheer lunacy.

That road is between killgarvan and Ballylickey am i right thats a tough climb...drove up it theres barely room for 2 cars.

ROK ON

Just under 4% from Adrigole and 4.5% from Laragh.

johnnyc wrote: »

ah just wondering what would be the gradient of the healy pass between Adrigole in Co. Cork and Lauragh in Co. Kerry?

michaelm

Just a thought! Why not get a plan going to rate and sign say the top 10 climbs in Ireland. From a previous project I was involved in I found Fáilte Ireland, local county councils and Cycling Ireland quite open to projects such as this. All it would involve is putting a sign at the bottom of each hill with the name, average and max gradient and total length. All of the climbs on the Tour of Flanders have this and as such are widely renowned as a result. This could be of benefit to local tourism as people would want to travel to take on some of the challenges. They may, in time, form the basis of some charity challenges ("four peaks" etc).

By the way, as previously posted, my own nomination is one near where I live. Known as "Step" it is situated near the village of Silvermines, approx 10Km from Nenagh in Tipp. It featured on the Tour of Ireland Sportive for the last two years so will be familiar to come of you here.

ROK ON

@ Michaelm - great idea.

@johnnyc.the road from Kilgarvan to Ballylicky is Borlin Valley. It joins the Priest Leap road at the bottom at Coomholla Bridge.

blorg

michaelm wrote: »

By the way, as previously posted, my own nomination is one near where I live. Known as "Step" it is situated near the village of Silvermines, approx 10Km from Nenagh in Tipp. It featured on the Tour of Ireland Sportive for the last two years so will be familiar to come of you here.

Haha, they actually took it out this year because it was considered just too horrible and broke up the groups entirely... I had heard about and been worried about it all day and only realised once the day was done that we weren't actually going over it.

biker_joe

For those of you on a north county training spins there is at short sharp shocker that goes over Bellewstown race course 14% ..... from Dunleek head out the R160 east, and take the right turn over the bridge, brings you up to race course at bellewstown, it is a sucker punch !!!

thebouldwhacker

ROK ON wrote: »

I climbed Priests Leap this morning The descent is the scariest thing that I have ever done and I really like descending.

Well done ROK, slap on the back... thats a hard climb make no mistake!

I did it from the Cork side a few weeks back, The descent on the Kerry side is no better, between the fear of over shooting a bend, hitting a pothole or a sheep it was brakes all the way own for me. I'm gonna hit it again next week or the week after, havent made it in one go yet but I use a double, thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it:D.

Sorry to hear about the fall hope you and bike are ok, I'm sure it was worth it!

Well done again!!

Raam

biker_joe wrote: »

For those of you on a north county training spins there is at short sharp shocker that goes over Bellewstown race course 14% ..... from Dunleek head out the R160 east, and take the right turn over the bridge, brings you up to race course at bellewstown, it is a sucker punch !!!

Yeah that's a nice one! Very intimidating as you approach it.

oheilis

blorg wrote: »

Haha, they actually took it out this year because it was considered just too horrible and broke up the groups entirely... I had heard about and been worried about it all day and only realised once the day was done that we weren't actually going over it.

Didn't do TOI this year, but did it the previous two years. Have 'fond' memories of that climb alright. I'd class it as one of the toughest I've ever done in Ireland.

Tough choice between that and the time myself and a few friends went down to follow the Mt. Leinster Challenge route, but on the 2nd ascent of Mt. Leinster decided we'd go up to the tv transmitter. That was rough going, didn't have a fancy computer at the time, but I remember unintentionally pulling wheelies on several occasions, which doesn't happen too often.

cantalach

ROK ON wrote: »

I climbed Priests Leap this morning from the Kenmare side It is the toughest climb that I have climbed.

Haha, this thread just doesn't want to die. Glad you agree with my take on the Priest's Leap. One of our gang refers to it a category C climb. This is not a term you'll hear used by the Eurosport commentary team (the 'C' stands for a very rude word).

I've never actually climbed it from the Kenmare side though. It seems to have a more constant gradient from that side, lacking the vicious pitches you get from the Coomhola Bridge side. I suppose you can see this as a positive if you're the type who prefers to find a rhythm or a negative if you like an occasional flat section on which to catch your breath.

FrankGrimes

@michaelm - that's a great idea, wonder what would be required to get that off the ground? Could probably get a consensus on here about a draft list of the Top 10 and the selection criteria to be included with the proposal. Wouldn't cost an arm and a leg but then again I can't see there being much spare budget in many places at the moment.

rottenhat

Well, here's the list from the Challenge BIG website:

Ireland
53 Gap of Mamore
54 Grianan of Aileach
55 Glengesh Pass
56 Cliffs of Moher
57 Connor Pass
58 Coomakesta Pass
59 Ballaghasheen Pass
60 Ballaghbeama Gap
61 Healy Pass
62 Mullaghanish
63 Slieve Bloom Mountain
64 Sally Gap
65 Wicklow Gap

You could use that as a starting point for discussion.

Of course those climbs aren't selected solely on the basis of difficulty e.g. there's nothing very hard about Healy Pass, but it is stunningly beautiful when you get up there.

michaelm

Thanks for the positive reaction. I believe the cost of this would be miniscule in relation to the benefits. I would also imagine it would be split three ways: Fáilte Ireland, the relevant county council and perhaps another group such as the Irish Sports Council or Cycling Ireland. The most difficult part of the project would be deciding what criteria should be used for selecting the climbs and then making the final decision. From my previous project I found most progress was made when I approacehd the relevant agencies with most of the work already done. I believe the same would work here. What do others think?

alfalad

biker_joe wrote: »

For those of you on a north county training spins there is at short sharp shocker that goes over Bellewstown race course 14% ..... from Dunleek head out the R160 east, and take the right turn over the bridge, brings you up to race course at bellewstown, it is a sucker punch !!!

My bro lives near there and it is quite a climb. When i was a kid I was going to play a football match and the bus couldn't get up it even with the run up, had to turn at a gate and go a diff way!

To show my agri roots i also have gone up it in a tractor and it's not fun, i would have walked up quicker!

ROK ON

rottenhat wrote: »

Well, here's the list from the Challenge BIG website:



You could use that as a starting point for discussion.

Of course those climbs aren't selected solely on the basis of difficulty e.g. there's nothing very hard about Healy Pass, but it is stunningly beautiful when you get up there.

Of those, Ballaghbeama and Ballaghasheen are short but tough.
Coomakkista has stunning scenery, but is pretty easy.
I live on the road to Molls Gap - its a nice climb from Killarney or Gap of Dunloe, but is a more of a drag from Kenmare.

Slieve Blooms are great - Glendine Pass in particular is very tough and stunning.

The more I think about it, Edmondstown road up to Kilakee is a significantly tougher climb than Sally Gap IMO. Close to Sally Gap, the climb overlooking Lough Tay (Lugalla) is a nemisis of mine.
Wicklow Gap - tougher than Sally Gap, but very very doable - surprised not to see Slieve Maan - that is tough tough tough.

blorg

ROK ON wrote: »

Wicklow Gap - tougher than Sally Gap, but very very doable - surprised not to see Slieve Maan - that is tough tough tough.

Slieve Maan from the Laragh side is the worst in Wicklow IMHO. But Sally Gap is definitely worse than the Wicklow Gap, unless you are counting Sally Gap as starting in Glencree or the base of Lugalla (e.g. half way up it...)

Wicklow Gap is actually extraordinarily easy the more you do it, you just have to get used to it a bit. Coming from Laragh, there is a small steep bit in the middle, before that bit it is around 2-3% and after the steep bit it is around 4-5%. Easy. The other side hardly registers as a climb.

Raam

blorg wrote: »

Wicklow Gap is actually extraordinarily easy the more you do it, you just have to get used to it a bit. Coming from Laragh, there is a small steep bit in the middle, before that bit it is around 2-3% and after the steep bit it is around 4-5%. Easy. The other side hardly registers as a climb.

The Wicklow Gap is uphill???

blorg

Raam wrote: »

The Wicklow Gap is uphill???

There is a small uphill section in the middle, beside the carpark

Raam

blorg wrote: »

There is a small uphill section in the middle, beside the carpark

I always thought that was a speed bump

ROK ON

blorg wrote: »

Slieve Maan from the Laragh side is the worst in Wicklow IMHO. But Sally Gap is definitely worse than the Wicklow Gap, unless you are counting Sally Gap as starting in Glencree or the base of Lugalla (e.g. half way up it...)

Fair point, but where does it start?
Its reasonably easy from Kilbride.
From Laragh, its a climb for a coule of KMs around the Waterfall, from Dublin, the climb is actually to Kilakee.

But yes, from Eniiskerry (either direction out), it is a tougher climb than Wicklow Gap.
PS also agree that Wicklow Gap aint much of a climb from Hollywood.

(I actually can't believe that I am commenting at all on climbs, but sure thats life).

lukester

blorg wrote: »

Slieve Maan from the Laragh side is the worst in Wicklow IMHO. .

Raam wrote: »

The Wicklow Gap is uphill???

Did either of you TOI participants encounter anything on it that's tougher than Slieve Maan from Laragh?

DirkVoodoo

I was disappointed with the Wicklow gap. After it bested me on the W200 in 2008 and forced my retirement, I had recurring nightmares about doing it again. That week before the 09 W200 when we did it in the sweltering heat, I was quite unimpressed. Granted I was going pretty slow and chatting to Lumen and Raam for most of it, it feels more like a drag than a climb.

Raam

lukester wrote: »

Did either of you TOI participants encounter anything on it that's tougher than Slieve Maan from Laragh?

Keeper Hill, which I think is the one Blorg referred to earlier?
It was on the route in 2008, which is the year I did the TOI.

rottenhat

well, the Challenge BIG listing would consider Roundwood or Ballyboden Road to be the foot of Sally Gap for the appropriate sides so it would incorporate Lugalla or Edmondstown Rd accordingly. In which case I think you'd agree Sallly Gap is markedly tougher than Wicklow Gap. I'd certainly sub Slieve Maan in over Wicklow Gap which doesn't really have much to recommend it.

Nietzschean

rottenhat wrote: »

I'd certainly sub Slieve Maan in over Wicklow Gap which doesn't really have much to recommend it.

Descending it has to be recommended, nothing much about the climb though, other than blorg getting to ensure he was first down for coffee on sat!

bosra

Hi
Is there any Irish site that maps out these climbs like slieve Maan..and gives stats on the routes..like distance and elevation you reach etc. I see some routes are posted in a sticky in FAQs..but there is no info on route..maybe i missed it..thanks

niceonetom

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.

Home:Ballyhoura

fignon03 wrote: »

towards the windy gap

That climb is in the Junior Tour on the Time Trial and another stage where it goes up it twice. It's not long but bloody steep after 100+kms of racing (and for 5 or 6 days consecutively)! Haha

Kannon

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

Raam wrote: »

Keeper Hill, which I think is the one Blorg referred to earlier?
It was on the route in 2008, which is the year I did the TOI.

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).

Raam

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

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).

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!

mossym

not a road cyclist, but i have driven this..and it is steep..
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=51.857305,-10.364485&spn=0.024385,0.055189&t=p&z=14

it's past port mageee in kerry heading down the coast..looks about 200m climb in less than a Km..20%?

we drove it a few times going scuba diving and always remember it was very steep

Greyspoke

mossym wrote: »

not a road cyclist, but i have driven this..and it is steep..
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=51.857305,-10.364485&spn=0.024385,0.055189&t=p&z=14

it's past port mageee in kerry heading down the coast..looks about 200m climb in less than a Km..20%?

we drove it a few times going scuba diving and always remember it was very steep

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!

michaelm

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.

blorg

michaelm wrote: »

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

It was skipped in 2009 as it broke the field up too much in 2008- I had been dreading it all day, only realised we were not going over it towards the end of the day.