Limerick Hill Climb Challenge

martyc5674

Right lads gave Woodcock Hill Back Road a lash tonight!!

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/183126/87913.JPG

22:01 logged it as 5.77Km on my garmin avg HR 174.
I nearly turned back after about 100 yards (seriously!)...thought i was going to die....back wheel was spinning anytime i got out of the saddle, and the gears just weren't low enough!
Garmin connect is down @ the moment so cant see any more details,highest gradient i noticed was 13% and max HR i noticed was 184.

Going to give woodcock hill from cratloe a lash either tomorrow or saturday.
Marty.

Great to hear Marty,a good time too.I'll have to try and beat that now You'll find the climb from Cratloe much easier,it's not as steep and the surface is much better.Fair play for getting out there!

The Step
Distance: 2.6km
Climbing: 280m

Best Times:

1. Home:Ballyhoura 12:11
2. MCOS 14:58


Woodcock Hill From Cratloe
Distance: 5.45km
Climbing: 246m

Best Times:

1. Home:Ballyhoura 14:19
2. Inibaz 19:16


Woodcock Hill Back Road
Distance: 5.59km
Climbing: 246m

Best Times:

1. Inibaz 20:53
2. MartyC 22:01


Lower section of Woodcock Hill Back Road
Distance: 2.1km
Climbing: 151m
Average Gradient: 7.2%
Maximum Gradient: 10%

Best Times:

1. Home:Ballyhoura 06:45
2. Inibaz 10:46


Woodcock Hill From Meelick
Distance: 5.9km
Climbing: 261m
Average Gradient: 4.4%
Maximum Gradient: 7%

Best Times:

1. Home:Ballyhoura 16:38
2. Inibaz 23:52


Gallows Hill 20%
Distance: 1.05km
Climbing: 135m
Average Gradient: 13%
Maximum Gradient: 20%

Best Times:

1. Home:Ballyhoura: 06:18
2. Inibaz 07:47


The Kilbane Pass
Distance: 6.69km
Climbing: 246m

Best Times:


Tountinna
Distance: 6.9km
Climbing: 405m

Best Times:


Keeper Hill (MTB Climb)
Distance: 8.57km
Climbing: 495m

Best Times:

1. Inibaz 57:02


Shalee Climb (Silvermines, Tipperary)
Distance: 3.00km
Climbing: 153m

Best Times:

1. Home:Ballyhoura 09:13


Chapel Hill (Birdhill)
Distance: 270m
Climbing: 33m

Best Times:

1. Home:Ballyhoura 59 seconds

tsamba

Going to be some good climbers around!

There's a road in bunratty between jp clarks pub and bunratty shamrock hotel it is very steep but short about 1km/1.5km i dont have the mapping software to show it but it would be worth a look!

Esroh

tsamba wrote: »

Going to be some good climbers around!

There's a road in bunratty between jp clarks pub and bunratty shamrock hotel it is very steep but short about 1km/1.5km i dont have the mapping software to show it but it would be worth a look!

www.mapmyride.com and ya can map it for us:D

tsamba

as requested http://www.mapmyride.com/view_route?r=696125147955792524 not the hardest climb but worth a look!

Home:Ballyhoura

tsamba wrote: »

as requested http://www.mapmyride.com/view_route?r=696125147955792524 not the hardest climb but worth a look!

Thats quite steep alright, but only for a VERY short time (around 300m) and not really that steep at just over 10% gradient (route shown averages 4.3% only)! Still, it great to see others out there practicing their climbing skills!

Well done guys, now we've got a bit of competition. The more the better, so tell your cycling buddies about it! I'm gonna try and head off towards Killaloe or the Bridgetown/Broadford direction over the coming days to check out the Tountinna and Kilbane pass climbs. Then the last one on the list for me to conquer then would be the Keeper hill mtb climb, which could be a bit difficult for me as I can't drive yet and don't fancy cycling all the way out from Limerick on the MTB to do it! Haha Anyway, I'll get a lift out some day and give it a lash.

From now on I'm gonna try training on the old heavy Trek to see if it helps improve the difficulty of these climbs (and therefore fitness) so that when I hop back up on the the race bike it will seem that bit easier, and hopefully I'll set blistering fast times! Haha, I wish....it's worth a try anyway. At least I won't be wrecking my nice new bike in the horrible winter weather! Good luck

tsamba

tsamba wrote:

as requested http://www.mapmyride.com/view_route?r=696125147955792524 not the hardest climb but worth a look!

Cheers,the more climbs the better I must give it a try when I'm out that way again.

Home:Ballyhoura wrote: »

Thats quite steep alright, but only for a VERY short time (around 300m) and not really that steep at just over 10% gradient (route shown averages 4.3% only)! Still, it great to see others out there practicing their climbing skills!

Well done guys, now we've got a bit of competition. The more the better, so tell your cycling buddies about it! I'm gonna try and head off towards Killaloe or the Bridgetown/Broadford direction over the coming days to check out the Tountinna and Kilbane pass climbs. Then the last one on the list for me to conquer then would be the Keeper hill mtb climb, which could be a bit difficult for me as I can't drive yet and don't fancy cycling all the way out from Limerick on the MTB to do it! Haha Anyway, I'll get a lift out some day and give it a lash.

From now on I'm gonna try training on the old heavy Trek to see if it helps improve the difficulty of these climbs (and therefore fitness) so that when I hop back up on the the race bike it will seem that bit easier, and hopefully I'll set blistering fast times! Haha, I wish....it's worth a try anyway. At least I won't be wrecking my nice new bike in the horrible winter weather! Good luck

You'll enjoy Tountinna,the road up to the aerial is an especially good climb! I'm nearly doing the same as you,I'm doing everything on my mtb or my hybrid,hopefully when I eventually buy a road bike there'll be at least a small improvement in my speed.

Anyway I tried out the 3 Woodcock Hill climbs again,I only did a 19:32 up the Cratloe way,this one will take me a while to improve I think.I did the back road climb in 20:53,had a very strong wind with me on the upper section.And I did the Meelick climb in 23:52,I didn't like this climb at all for some reason.Anyway over the next few weeks I'll try and work on it.

martyc5674

Just tried the cratloe to woodcock, 19:33...I found it tough!!
Avg HR 177 max 184.
Marty.

DJsail

Jst a quick question, was in Clare/Limerick over the weekend for a party, had the bike in the boot so tried what I think was gallows hill yesterday morning but need some confirmation as to where it actually was?

From the Bunratty direction I continued down the dual carriageway to Setwrights bar where I turned up towards Cratloe village then up the hill towards the Cratloe wood car park where there were a couple of bikes locked to a post and on again, came to two fairly steep hills before turning onto a private road which took me to an even steeper, mountain of a rise before eventually arriving on the radar installation for Shannon airport covered in mist and rain, the chart I have for the area has Gallows hill printed over all the hills this side of cratloe so can anyone confirm where Gallows hill actually is?

p.s. if it doesn't kill you on the way up then its well worth the climb for no other reason than the descent that follows on the way back

Jumpy

DJsail wrote: »

Jst a quick question, was in Clare/Limerick over the weekend for a party, had the bike in the boot so tried what I think was gallows hill yesterday morning but need some confirmation as to where it actually was?

From the Bunratty direction I continued down the dual carriageway to Setwrights bar where I turned up towards Cratloe village then up the hill towards the Cratloe wood car park where there were a couple of bikes locked to a post and on again, came to two fairly steep hills before turning onto a private road which took me to an even steeper, mountain of a rise before eventually arriving on the radar installation for Shannon airport covered in mist and rain, the chart I have for the area has Gallows hill printed over all the hills this side of cratloe so can anyone confirm where Gallows hill actually is?

p.s. if it doesn't kill you on the way up then its well worth the climb for no other reason than the descent that follows on the way back

If you went to the golf ball up that road then you passed gallows hill. THere is a wooden sign that you would have passed on the right. Hard to notice though when you are wrecked from the hills.

DJsail

Jumpy wrote: »

If you went to the golf ball up that road then you passed gallows hill. THere is a wooden sign that you would have passed on the right. Hard to notice though when you are wrecked from the hills.

Cheers, was trying to follow the old Nissan Classic route, does that mean I went up Gallows Hill on the way to the Radar Golf ball? If so savage but it came at a price as took an age to recover enough to get back on the bike for the spin back

martyc5674

DJsail
You took the "cratloe to woodcock hill" route that is referred to in this thread.
Dont suppose you timed yourself?
Cheers,
Marty.

martyc5674

Actually just re read your thread DJ and maybe you didnt take that exact route...but you definitely went up gallows/woodcock hill.
Rgds,
Marty.

MCOS

Hi

I was up Gallows also yesterday. Is it called Gallows or Woodcock, I know it as Gallows? Anyway I usually take the side road up it (the start is just under the bridge on the way to sixmilebridge) and I thought that was the Cratloe-Woodcock route... aha no. I was coming from sixmilebridge via the Silvermines and Broadford (we were 2 hours into the spin) and we decided 'go up Gallows'. So I took a look at the clock and left my mate behind to chase a time up the hill into the heavy mist. I followed the mountain road to the big Mast which I'm sure is the highest point. Did it in 16'37" and it was tough for sure. Conditions didn't help as once into the mist visibility was very poor... made for an interesting descent though :eek: Maybe with fresher legs and a dryer day I'll go quicker. No HR data but I know it was 165-171 ish the whole way. Not as agressive as the Step but longer and bloody hard work! I'll post a time for both Keeper and Shalee soon as they are both local. I'll also give the Step a go on the road bike when I'm feeling over energetic... not for a while though.

DJsail

martyc5674 wrote: »

Actually just re read your thread DJ and maybe you didnt take that exact route...but you definitely went up gallows/woodcock hill.
Rgds,
Marty.

Cheers Marty, afraid didn't have it timed as was more concerned with keeping my breakfast down, fantastic route all the same and will chance it next time I'm down with the speedo attached to measure it properly including the incline which seemed severe in places. The road was surprisingly good or at least better than I was expecting and although the center was full of debris, either side proved a good climbing surface even in the wet with very liitle holes despite being a local access mountain route.

Dave

Home:Ballyhoura

Hi guys, today I just went to do one climb with the sole intention of setting a good time up it! I didn't try anything else only the Gallows Hill 20% back road climb as I have the Limerick County TT Champs tomorrow and am trying to stay fresh. I actually did it on my old heavy Trek 1.5 with the terrible Bontrager wheels as my good bike was still in the shop for repair, but even so I knocked over a minute off my time from the last time (just shows you how much the other climb took out of me the last day and how much of an advantage it is to know the climb in advance of doing it!). I just cant wait to see what time I get once I try it on the 2kg lighter bike with much lighter wheels (the area of weight savings which counts most especially on climbs - they say that saving rotating weight gives you three times the advantage of the same weight savings in other parts of the bike - not wheels).

Gallows Hill 20%
Distance: 1.05km
Climbing: 135m
Average Gradient: 13%
Maximum Gradient: 20%

Best Times:

1. Home:Ballyhoura: 06:18 5:10
2. Inibaz 07:47

Deleted User wrote: »

Cheers,the more climbs the better I must give it a try when I'm out that way again.



You'll enjoy Tountinna....

Anyway I tried out the 3 Woodcock Hill climbs again.... over the next few weeks I'll try and work on it.

Hopefully I will, will be heading out there over the coming days if I can! I'll let you know how I get on (would you recomend one over the other? Which is better...in terms of how difficult it is! ). Keep up the good work on improving your times...what I find is not to over do it in any one day on the hills because you will just drive yourself into the ground - overtraining. I was told to cruise out to whatever climb I was going to do, absolutely kill myself on it and cruise back home. There is no point on time trialling it home or anything, as all you are working on is your climbing and thats not going to improve it!

martyc5674 wrote: »

Just tried the cratloe to woodcock, 19:33...I found it tough!!
Avg HR 177 max 184.
Marty.

Well done, hopefully we'll get the times sheet updated to get your name in there! Keep working on that time, all you can do is improve it!

DJsail wrote: »

I turned up towards Cratloe village then up the hill towards the Cratloe wood car park where there were a couple of bikes locked to a post and on again, came to two fairly steep hills before turning onto a private road which took me to an even steeper, mountain of a rise before eventually arriving on the radar installation

Well done, did you get a time for the climb itself? I'm pretty sure that what you did was indeed the Woodcock hill from Cratloe route...have a look and see if you think it matches up. Note the crossroads half way up: I believe this is the top of Gallows hill where you took a so called private road. I'm not so sure it's private, unless you took a different road to the one we usually do, although I doubt it. From there up to the radar is what is called Woodcock hill! I can actually see the hill from my house across the river...even the radar dome at the top. Yesterday it was like a cloud was stuck on it!!! Fair play, I couldn't even see the hill whatsoever so your visibility must have been poor. Fair play for descending in those condidions, I hope you took it easy! What way did you come down it? Was it the same way you came up?

martyc5674 wrote: »

DJsail
You took the "cratloe to woodcock hill" route that is referred to in this thread.
Dont suppose you timed yourself?
Cheers,
Marty.

Yeah me too, I'd say that's wht he did alright!...and same question about the time from me too!

MCOS wrote: »

Is it called Gallows or Woodcock, I know it as Gallows? Anyway I usually take the side road up it (the start is just under the bridge on the way to sixmilebridge) and I thought that was the Cratloe-Woodcock route... aha no. I was coming from sixmilebridge via the Silvermines and Broadford ... to chase a time up the hill into the heavy mist. I followed the mountain road to the big Mast which I'm sure is the highest point. Did it in 16'37" and it was tough for sure. Conditions didn't help as once into the mist visibility was very poor... made for an interesting descent though :eek:

As I said already to DJsail, fair play for heading up there in those conditions! I'm not sure what route you took, sounds like the road you take to go around the back to do the 20% section, although I couldn't be sure because you said you were coming from the Broadford/Silvermines direction! Any chance you could map the climb you did on MapMyRide if you don't mind! It would be great to add aother climb to our already expanding list!

Right so, it would be great to see an updated climb results sheet with all the new names! It's fantastic to see so many people participating! Thanks again.

P.S. I seem to have lost/accidentally left behind the head nozzle of my CO2 pump one of the days I was out that direction (Gallows/Woodcock) of Cratloe. It was either when I stopped at the bottom of the Cratloe to Woodcock Route (in the wide entrance of the housing estate directly opposite the turn off to head up by the woods) to get out my phone to time myself...could have fallen out of the saddle bag. Either that or when I actually had to use it for a puncture towards the top (as you head down towards Meelick, after the junction from the road that goes up to the radar...just a couple of hundred meters down on the left). I don't expect people to have a look out for this, I'm basically just outlining the possible areas where I lost it incase someone on here picked it up. I don't think many other people would know what the top nozzle part (as seen here would actually be, so if I was so lucky as to find the person who finds/found it (probably a cycle) it would be absolutely amazing. I seriously doubt it will happen, I'm not actually expecting anything to come of this but I just thought I'd chance my arm and see what happens. It's not that valuable or anything, about a tenner or so, so I'm not that worried! Sure let me know if you know anything or see it! Cheers

DJsail

Cheers Ballyhoura, Thanks for that, that was the route, came to that cross at the top and took the road which had the sign ''Private Road'' posted but also doubt it is actually private, left my polar in Dublin so didn't have it timed and from the palpitations can only presume my HR was around the 170 mark but around twenty minutes from the village to what I now know to be gallows and another ten or so to the golf ball thereafter but don't quote me on this as could very well have been longer. Came back the same way and bloody hell what a buzz loved every second of that descent despite the wet

The area does seem popular as met a mountainbiker about to chance it back in the village and there was a few bikes locked outside the wood carpark asking for a theft, well worth the journey though

martyc5674

DJ,
I know the road you are on about (well at least i think know the sign!)
At the crossroads,instead of veering to the right and down slightly you veered left and up a little hill a few yards?...to your right the sign said private road (this road isnt on the map, and i have not gone down it)
How far down that road did you get??...it would appear to be parallel to the one you should have taken for another 1 or 2 km maybe to the golf balls.
Marty.

Edit
If you look here
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=woodcock+hill+clare+ireland&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=39.099308,79.013672&ie=UTF8&ll=52.721621,-8.733487&spn=0.007317,0.01929&t=h&z=16

You would have come up the road that says cratloe woods on the map.
Im guessing you went left and immediately right down by a few houses??(i saw that sign the first day i went up in the car)...road seems to go for a bit alright but im guessing you didnt get any closer than say 100 yards from the golf balls??...but you would have certainly reached the summit :-) so well done!!
You should have veered to the right and then kept left at the Y junction

Home:Ballyhoura

martyc5674 wrote: »

DJ,
I know the road you are on about (well at least i think know the sign!)
At the crossroads,instead of veering to the right and down slightly you veered left and up a little hill a few yards?...to your right the sign said private road (this road isnt on the map, and i have not gone down it)
How far down that road did you get??...it would appear to be parallel to the one you should have taken for another 1 or 2 km maybe to the golf balls.
Marty.

I know the one now, although it actually doesn't go far! I'd say you saw the sign alright but probably took the other one because it definitely doesn't go to the golf ball looking radar at the top...it's actually somebodys 1km driveway and appears to turn into a dirt/gravel track after about 500m...see the road I am talking about here (turn it onto satellite map, as due to it's "private" nature it is not shown as a road in steet view!)

martyc5674

You beat me ballyhoura...check out my previous post edit!!
Best of luck tomorrow
Marty

The Step
Distance: 2.6km
Climbing: 280m

Best Times:

1. Home:Ballyhoura 12:11
2. MCOS 14:58


Woodcock Hill From Cratloe
Distance: 5.45km
Climbing: 246m

Best Times:

1. Home:Ballyhoura 14:19
2. MCOS 16:37
3. Inibaz 19:16
4. MartyC 19:33


Woodcock Hill Back Road
Distance: 5.59km
Climbing: 246m

Best Times:

1. Inibaz 20:53
2. MartyC 22:01


Lower section of Woodcock Hill Back Road
Distance: 2.1km
Climbing: 151m
Average Gradient: 7.2%
Maximum Gradient: 10%

Best Times:

1. Home:Ballyhoura 06:45
2. Inibaz 10:46


Woodcock Hill From Meelick
Distance: 5.9km
Climbing: 261m
Average Gradient: 4.4%
Maximum Gradient: 7%

Best Times:

1. Home:Ballyhoura: 16:38
2. Inibaz 21:27


Gallows Hill 20%
Distance: 1.05km
Climbing: 135m
Average Gradient: 13%
Maximum Gradient: 20%

Best Times:

1. Home:Ballyhoura: 05:10
2. Inibaz 07:47


The Kilbane Pass
Distance: 6.69km
Climbing: 246m

Best Times:


Tountinna
Distance: 6.9km
Climbing: 405m

Best Times:


Keeper Hill (MTB Climb)
Distance: 8.57km
Climbing: 495m

Best Times:

1. Inibaz 57:02


Shalee Climb (Silvermines, Tipperary)
Distance: 3.00km
Climbing: 153m

Best Times:

1. Home:Ballyhoura: 09:13


Chapel Hill (Birdhill)
Distance: 270m
Climbing: 33m

Best Times:

1. Home:Ballyhoura: 59 seconds

Ok times updated above.I tried the Meelick climb again and shaved 2 mins+ off it(21:27)there's still a bit of room for improvement though.

I'm a bit confused about the route aswell MCOS The Cratloe-Woodcock one doesn't go to the radar domes,it goes as far as the highest point of the road just after the turn off for them.And the bridge you mentioned is over on the side of the 20% climb.Maybe I'm just tired and not reading it right!

I'll have a look out for the nozzle Ballyhoura,I didn't notice anything when I was descending the Meelick side but it would probably be impossible to see it cycling by.Well done on the 5:10 by the way,that's quite astounding for that climb! Good luck with the TT aswell.

MCOS

Deleted User wrote: »

Ok times updated above.I tried the Meelick climb again and shaved 2 mins+ off it(21:27)there's still a bit of room for improvement though.

I'm a bit confused about the route aswell MCOS The Cratloe-Woodcock one doesn't go to the radar domes,it goes as far as the highest point of the road just after the turn off for them.And the bridge you mentioned is over on the side of the 20% climb.Maybe I'm just tired and not reading it right!

I'll have a look out for the nozzle Ballyhoura,I didn't notice anything when I was descending the Meelick side but it would probably be impossible to see it cycling by.Well done on the 5:10 by the way,that's quite astounding for that climb! Good luck with the TT aswell.

Hey I double checked yesterday and definitely went to the highest point of that hill. Maybe I was unclear about my details. I compared with the Cratloe-Woodcock route you guys have mapped out and yep I did it in 16'37" so you can mark me down there. I'll try and map the other route.

Ballyhoura thats savage climbing alright! Good luck in the TT tonight, I'll be out to watch as bike is in the shop, I have to pick up my prize for the Spring league anyway

DJsail

Cheers to everyone, those maps/sat images were extremely useful could even pick out the b7b I was staying at, I didn't take the area marked as heathmount as it seemed to be in the opposite direction from where I wanted to head but did stop just 50 metres or so down from that at an abandoned bungalow to get my bearings on the right hand side and then continued down through that junction now known to me as Gallows Hill parallel to what's charted in that link, Then up the mountain which was the rise to the misty domes, the private notice would have been before turning onto the road which takes you to the Radar installation and this access road was not marked on the chart I was using.

Out of curiosity could I have bypassed the domes and continue down that road to take me to Limerick City and if so what is that road like, i.e. through the area marked as glenagross

MCOS

Hi Ballyhoura, attached the other climb. Its 7.5km long gradual one. Quite gentle compared to the others. It finishes a couple of hundred meters before where the descent of the Cratloe-Woodcock climb exits to the main road. Maybe its not steep enough to include on this list of climbs?!

Had to save it as a word doc as the image was too big

MCOS

[quote=DJsail;Out of curiosity could I have bypassed the domes and continue down that road to take me to Limerick City and if so what is that road like, i.e. through the area marked as glenagross[/quote]

Yep, the road is good. Just one S bend you have to watch out for as you will be at a decent speed getting to it

MCOS

MCOS wrote: »

Hey I double checked yesterday and definitely went to the highest point of that hill. Maybe I was unclear about my details. I compared with the Cratloe-Woodcock route you guys have mapped out and yep I did it in 16'37" so you can mark me down there. I'll try and map the other route.

Cheers,nice time,just edited the above post there,sorry for the confusion!

Home:Ballyhoura

Deleted User wrote: »

Chapel Hill (Birdhill)
Distance: 270m
Climbing: 33m

Best Times:

1. Home:Ballyhoura: 59 seconds

Now it's 45seconds and I even did it on the old heavy Trek...you can get up this climb in one sharp effort out of the saddle, kind of like a long sprint! Did it during a lovely cycle to Killaloe and back which I had never done before! I really enjoyed it, nice to do a different route for a change and can't wait to take down the Kilbane Pass/Tountinna climbs out that direction in the near futute! Hehe (I saw my two outdoor thermometers showing between 11-13 degrees Celsius when heading out at 3:30PM...thats the lowest I've seen it showing in a while so I took the opportunity to try out my new Giordana winter jacket (discussed in another thread somewhere else) which I am very happy with indeed!)

Home:Ballyhoura

So...not much activity on this thread recently? What have ye all being doing instead? The weather is supposed to be good from now until the weekend (and today was proof that for once they are actually right in saying this) so there is no better time to set your new PB with the gentle winds too.

Is anyone thinking of doing the Munster Hill Climb Championships? As seen on Irish Cycling too, it takes place near Newcastlewest starting near the Old Mill pub. Today I did a quick recce of the route to get my bearings and to know what to expect when the big day on Saturday comes. It's actually not that bad a climb, 4.4kms with an average gradient of 4.4%. Very gradual and not that tough at all, no bad sections to be seen. Did it today in 11min flat which is exactly a 24km/h average speed...that just shows you that it is not that bad. Hopefully, come race day the time I get will be closer to 10min (with proper warm up, lighter bike and adrenalin etc). I would love to see what the times were like for last year, does anyone know? Just so I could know what to expect and to aim for! And does it start just at the T junction or what?

IT LOOKS SOMETHING LIKE THIS I THINK!

Home:Ballyhoura

So, did anyone do the Munster hill climb championships tonight? I did it and I must say it was very enjoyable (bloody tough though), got on well too which was nice!