Toughest Climb in Ireland?

mcgratheoin · 20-06-2011 9:02am

iregk wrote: »

No thats where I was thinking. It's a very tough climb especially the final section up Ballnascorney around the golf club to the right. I wouldn't have thought it was long enough to be a cat 2. I'd have said 3 at an absolute max.

Does the Bohernabreena climb include the section up left towards the Army range? If so it makes it a good bit harder than just straight up the road - can't see it being a 2 without this bit.
map here

Morrisseeee · 20-06-2011 9:07am

michaelm wrote: »

Is there any hill in the country greater than 27% max?

Yep, loads, it really just depends on the length of that section of road at 27-30%. So the Q is: where in Ireland is that longest section of road that is at ~30% ??!! In fact there are people's driveways that are probably at more than 30% around the country, but again would be just short sections.
Some climbs are tougher than others, because of headwind, switchbacks, changing gradients, etc, but most people think that a certain climb is tough because it has a section at 30% (for 50m) but what about that climb at 14% for 2.6km !!

iregk · 20-06-2011 9:13am

I think the main point is that we are in Ireland so lets rephrase the question. Are there are any sections of 30% of any decent length that are actually ridable. There are plenty of very difficult climbs where it turns into gravel like roads that you just can't do.

Morrisseeee · 20-06-2011 9:20am

No, the Q is valid, ie. what is considered to be the 'toughest' climb in Ireland, but it needn't be that short steep climb where 30% is mentioned, but it could be a not so steep climb with loads of gradients, or a long climb into the wind etc. As part of the answer we might find out what section of road has the longest section at 30% or greater!!
For me the toughest climb in Ireland is definitely that climb to the mast on Mt Leinster.

ednwireland · 20-06-2011 9:26am

michaelm wrote: »

Is there any hill in the country greater than 27% max?

clifs of moher/ sleive league

from the sea

ThisRegard · 20-06-2011 10:07am

iregk wrote: »

Another decent climb for anyone is go up the N81 and turn off at Hazel Grove golf club just before the Topaz garage at Citywest. Gets you off the N81 and is a nice long climb.

Used to do that regularly as kids on our mountain bikes, wouldn't think twice about it. I doubt I'd be so enthusiastic these days.

Special Red · 20-06-2011 10:43am

ROK ON wrote: »

Did Priest Leap yday in a head on gale.
Think I may have torn a hamstring. Still in agony today. Including stops took 57 mins. About 41 mins cycling the 5.5km says the Garmin.
Hits 27% once. Too many 15% + parts.
Half way up stopped at a flattish part dying for air. An eldest farmer asked was I lost. When I replied no and I was going to cycle up he said in finest west Cork that I was an awful fuc*in eegit. I cannot disagree with him.

I am more sore today than I have ever been on a bike ride.
Made it to top of Tourmalet, Hautacam, Aspin without stopping
Up Slieve Maan, Shay Eliot, Corabutt Gap, Conor Pass without putting a foot down.

I put the foot on the floor three times on the Leap.

Never ever ever never again for as long as I live.

Did it as well on Saturday ROK and I agree with your last statement. Never again! Got off 3 times also when I felt the hamstrings tightening. You try and draw positives from everything you do so I'll positively will not go up the Priest's Leap again

seve65 · 20-06-2011 7:16pm

iregk wrote: »

Bohernabreena. Where exactly are we talking here? If its where I think it is its never a cat 2 climb!

See Ryan Sherlocks KOM on Bohernabreena. 5.5Km average 6.6%, ascent 360m
http://app.strava.com/segments/652111

redmenace1 · 20-06-2011 9:24pm

Morrisseeee wrote: »

For me the toughest climb in Ireland is definitely that climb to the mast on Mt Leinster.

Yes I agree - its savage

FISMA · 21-06-2011 2:00am

michaelm wrote: »

Think you may mean what is locally know as "Step", mentioned a number of times in the early part of this thread, the ascent begins just a few hundred metres from the village of Silvermines. Tough one alright, especially when the dreaded wheelspin starts.

Perhaps, I am doing it backwards. When I descend the hill, at the end, at the stop, make a left for the center of town. If you make a right it takes you away from town and eventually by a nice farm house - the owner of Ryan Aer I believe? The left takes you towards the miner's statue.

I actually come in the Boher side, make a right, continue on a bit of a bóithrín, and eventually, make the left.

I never enter the town of Silvermines. Again, coming from the Boher side.

There's an auld fella I always say hi to but can never stop for a chat. He's got a mad dog chompin at the bit. I've been tempted to ask him to let him off - for a bit of a sprint!

iregk · 21-06-2011 8:10am

seve65 wrote: »

See Ryan Sherlocks KOM on Bohernabreena. 5.5Km average 6.6%, ascent 360m
http://app.strava.com/segments/652111

Ah ok so when you veer off to the left up the military road as opposed to straight on through to Brittas. That road is in absolute bits mind you and pretty much unridable.

Lumen · 21-06-2011 9:03am

iregk wrote: »

Ah ok so when you veer off to the left up the military road as opposed to straight on through to Brittas. That road is in absolute bits mind you and pretty much unridable.

Well the thread title is toughest climb..., not steepest.

iregk · 21-06-2011 10:52am

Lumen wrote: »

Well the thread title is toughest climb..., not steepest.

Touché

ryan_sherlock · 21-06-2011 11:44am

iregk wrote: »

Ah ok so when you veer off to the left up the military road as opposed to straight on through to Brittas. That road is in absolute bits mind you and pretty much unridable.

The road in the Strava segment I think you mean is newly repaved - great quality road. There are other roads up there in bits, but this one is good.

cantalach · 21-06-2011 3:42pm

michaelm wrote: »

Is there any hill in the country greater than 27% max?

There's a boreen across the Dingle Peninsula running SSE from Camp Cross to the other side. It's known locally as Bóthar na gCloch (the 'road of stones' or 'stoney road' I guess). It starts off as a very handy climb but at around the 4.8km mark in the following map you come to a savage wall that takes you up onto the ridge. It's in the 25-30% range for about 250m. Not the toughest climb overall but probably the toughest 250m I've ever done!

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/488731

seve65 · 21-06-2011 8:33pm

2 Wheels Good wrote: »

Talking of hills, how's the training for the Etape going?

Flying...famous last words...that is until I hit the heat and the lengthy climbs in France:eek:! Winding down a bit now to recharge batteries and avoid injury, although getting a bit hooked into aiming for KOMs on Strava. Last Saturday went up the vee a few times, finished off with one of the aforementioned cat 2s Knockshanahullion. http://app.strava.com/rides/758805. Lets see if I can get onto the KOM '1st page' for Alpe D'huez....dream on....ah but what harm as long as I can get the mind right if things turn out a bit tougher....:eek::eek:

Back to this thread if we are talking about shorter steeper climbs, no doubt there are loads of those. A few toughies spring to mind like Temple Hill outside Ballingcollig, Coomanaspic from Portmagee, and a bit shorter again: Kingston Bridge by Araglin. The climb I found toughest was the service road up to Mullaghanish mast, never suicidally steep, just unrelentingly in the 10-17% gradient range for almost 3.5K. My legs/ibs were f***ed for 2 weeks afterwards, which was a good thing as I now do some basic stretches after each ride to try to avoid that. No doubt Priests leap and mt Leinster mast are tougher, have yet to sample those particular delicacies.

seve65 · 21-06-2011 8:52pm

Im counting 26 'bends' on the way up Mullaghanish !

Morrisseeee · 21-06-2011 9:55pm

^^ That's a savage amount of climbing Seve65, fair play, I reckon you'll be disappointed when you hit the Galibier/d'Huez, there won't be enough climbing for you

On topic-ish, yeah there are shiit loads of short sharp climbs (300m up-to 2km) around Araglin/Ballyduff, you would have to see it to believe it (in fact just use goooogle-maps to view them) !!

It's known locally as Bóthar na gCloch (the 'road of stones' or 'stoney road' I guess)

That's quite a descent, or ascent going the other way.

Off topic again: anyone doing the Co Cork Hill Climb in Cobh tomorrow evening, I'm guessing the climb is the one used at the end of the races last weekend ?!

Murph100 · 21-06-2011 11:06pm

Oh Sweet Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeesus ! That road would sh!te the life out of you in a car, let alone a bike !!!

Fair play for going up that, let alone coming down the other side in one piece !

Having said that I might give it a lash this weekend now that you reminded me

cantalach wrote: »

There's a boreen across the Dingle Peninsula running SSE from Camp Cross to the other side. It's known locally as Bóthar na gCloch (the 'road of stones' or 'stoney road' I guess). It starts off as a very handy climb but at around the 4.8km mark in the following map you come to a savage wall that takes you up onto the ridge. It's in the 25-30% range for about 250m. Not the toughest climb overall but probably the toughest 250m I've ever done!

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/488731

cantalach · 21-06-2011 11:16pm

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Off topic again: anyone doing the Co Cork Hill Climb in Cobh tomorrow evening, I'm guessing the climb is the one used at the end of the races last weekend ?!

I was going to do it - I know the climb well and I tend to go reasonably well on it. But months of cycling without a break have finally caught up with me and I'm on a voluntary week's break. I'm heading to Mallorca at the weekend and want fresh legs there

michaelm · 21-06-2011 11:30pm

FISMA wrote: »

Perhaps, I am doing it backwards. When I descend the hill, at the end, at the stop, make a left for the center of town. If you make a right it takes you away from town and eventually by a nice farm house - the owner of Ryan Aer I believe? The left takes you towards the miner's statue.

I actually come in the Boher side, make a right, continue on a bit of a bóithrín, and eventually, make the left.

I never enter the town of Silvermines. Again, coming from the Boher side.

There's an auld fella I always say hi to but can never stop for a chat. He's got a mad dog chompin at the bit. I've been tempted to ask him to let him off - for a bit of a sprint!

That's Step alright - all of the descriptions of it here are coming from the Silvermines side, the opposite to which you describe, but every bit as difficult I believe. The house in question was owned by Tony Ryan, where Michael O Leary and himself worked together to setup Ryanair. Presume you paid the appropriate surcharge for passing the gate!

FISMA · 22-06-2011 2:31am

michaelm wrote: »

That's Step alright - all of the descriptions of it here are coming from the Silvermines side, the opposite to which you describe, but every bit as difficult I believe. The house in question was owned by Tony Ryan, where Michael O Leary and himself worked together to setup Ryanair. Presume you paid the appropriate surcharge for passing the gate!

Nice pull - at least now I know what it is called. Usually, do it that way on my cycle to Toomevarra.

If you don't take Keeper's and keep on going there's a nice descent as well, at the end - go left and you'll head for the silvermines.

Didn't pay a surcharge, but was tempted to cycle in and say hi!

Phil2me · 22-06-2011 11:26am

ROK ON wrote: »

Did Priest Leap yday in a head on gale.
Think I may have torn a hamstring. Still in agony today. Including stops took 57 mins. About 41 mins cycling the 5.5km says the Garmin.
Hits 27% once. Too many 15% + parts.
Half way up stopped at a flattish part dying for air. An eldest farmer asked was I lost. When I replied no and I was going to cycle up he said in finest west Cork that I was an awful fuc*in eegit. I cannot disagree with him.

I am more sore today than I have ever been on a bike ride.
Made it to top of Tourmalet, Hautacam, Aspin without stopping
Up Slieve Maan, Shay Eliot, Corabutt Gap, Conor Pass without putting a foot down.

I put the foot on the floor three times on the Leap.

Never ever ever never again for as long as I live.

Yeah you will, sure you said you weren't going to do it this time and you did.
Anyway I found it alot easier than waiting for 25mins in the freezing rain at the food stop in Donore.

Phil2me · 22-06-2011 11:36am

cantalach wrote: »

There's a boreen across the Dingle Peninsula running SSE from Camp Cross to the other side. It's known locally as Bóthar na gCloch (the 'road of stones' or 'stoney road' I guess). It starts off as a very handy climb but at around the 4.8km mark in the following map you come to a savage wall that takes you up onto the ridge. It's in the 25-30% range for about 250m. Not the toughest climb overall but probably the toughest 250m I've ever done!

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/488731

That is one tough final 250mtrs, it beat me about 20mtrs from the top, where I came off the bike on the grass unable to zig zag anymore.I'm undefeated against the Priest(5times) but I have a score to settle with this one.

-K2- · 22-06-2011 12:52pm

cantalach wrote: »

There's a boreen across the Dingle Peninsula running SSE from Camp Cross to the other side. It's known locally as Bóthar na gCloch (the 'road of stones' or 'stoney road' I guess). It starts off as a very handy climb but at around the 4.8km mark in the following map you come to a savage wall that takes you up onto the ridge. It's in the 25-30% range for about 250m. Not the toughest climb overall but probably the toughest 250m I've ever done!

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/488731

I've been in a car with my father driving over that road. Always a white-knuckle ride.

califano · 22-06-2011 12:55pm

Howth d'Huez from the pier side is a beast.

Morrisseeee · 22-06-2011 12:57pm

So here's a spin I must try sometime ahem cough yikes, although I've most of the climbs done bar Glen Of Aherlow & Tikincor.
The route starts in Mitchelstown, swings by the Galtees enroute to the Glen Of Aherlow, then winds it way to Clogheen and up Knockshanahullion, then a few climbs near Araglin/Ballyduff (note: some of these roads are rough), then over to the Vee, then over to Clonmel and finish going up the Tikincor climb, it should be a Spring classic :pac: (4583m of climbing!!).

1E7EA41D68274B179554F58FEBF69AEC-0000318644-0002389954-00800L-A380741211664EAF9543FA91FEDA82B9.jpg

1E7EA41D68274B179554F58FEBF69AEC-0000318644-0002389954-00800L-A380741211664EAF9543FA91FEDA82B9.jpg

Hermy · 22-06-2011 3:00pm

rounders123 wrote: »

Howth d'Huez from the pier side is a beast.

Ah, it's not that bad.

califano · 24-06-2011 10:21am

Hermy wrote: »

Ah, it's not that bad.

It was from me but it was on a Trek 7.2 hybred. I have the video with captions but its too big got youtube or vimeo. And im sure as much an ordeal watching it than cycling it!.

Hermy · 24-06-2011 11:10am

rounders123 wrote: »

It was from me but it was on a Trek 7.2 hybred. I have the video with captions but its too big got youtube or vimeo. And im sure as much an ordeal watching it than cycling it!.

I'm from that area so I've climbed that hill many, many times. I used to hate it but it does get easier. The worst stretch is just after the church.
I'm on the south side now and get to play with the likes of Stocking Lane, Edmondstown/ Cruagh Road, Kilmashogue Lane and Ticknock Road. Howth doesn't seem so bad in comparison.:eek:

seve65 · 08-10-2011 6:31pm

Morrisseeee wrote: »

... yeah there are shiit loads of short sharp climbs (300m up-to 2km) around Araglin/Ballyduff, you would have to see it to believe it (in fact just use goooogle-maps to view them) !!...

Tried out some of those Ballyduff/Cappoquin climbs today...
http://app.strava.com/rides/1899774#

Some of them are wicked indeed

Check out the gradients on the first 1K of these segments !:eek:

Outside Cappoquin,
http://app.strava.com/rides/1899774#31000400
http://app.strava.com/rides/1899774#31000402

From BallyDuff
http://app.strava.com/rides/1899774#31000405
http://app.strava.com/rides/1899774#31000407

Morrisseeee · 08-10-2011 7:04pm

Well done seve65, they're unreal, aren't they, especially those 2 at Ballyduff. You're out of the saddle and thinking "ok this is steep" but then it just goes on & on, like 300/400m @ 20%. Next try Araglin, there's a few you can do in a loop, but unfortunately the road surface is quite poor, I tried one of them last week (last on map below) but after multiple wheel spins (due to slippy moss) I had to dismount, I then had to take off my shoes & walk down !!

Zorba · 09-10-2011 11:40pm

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 !!!

Don't mean to be anal here but that climb is more like 19 -20 % in the steepest part.

Zorba · 09-10-2011 11:50pm

Ladymoore Road from duleek to bellewstown is pretty rough 19% in places, goes up and down in 3 sections over only 2.7km, short but sharp. I'd go so far as to say it's harder than bellewstown up through the race course.

neris · 10-10-2011 9:08am

Zorba wrote: »

Ladymoore Road from duleek to bellewstown is pretty rough 19% in places, goes up and down in 3 sections over only 2.7km, short but sharp. I'd go so far as to say it's harder than bellewstown up through the race course.

Is that the climb up to quarry? Thats a short tough one. Also someone painted the bleedin obvious on the road by writing "steep" and slightly further on "very steep" not very motivational when your busting a lung

cycle43 · 10-10-2011 9:48am

neris wrote: »

Is that the climb up to quarry? Thats a short tough one. Also someone painted the bleedin obvious on the road by writing "steep" and slightly further on "very steep" not very motivational when your busting a lung

I think they were put there by Swords CC for 130km Sportive 2 weeks ago. Smiled at first message but by the time I got to the 2nd one I wasn't a happy man. Thats a right tough one all right.

Raam · 10-10-2011 9:50am

cycle43 wrote: »

I think they were put there by Swords CC for 130km Sportive 2 weeks ago. Smiled at first message but by the time I got to the 2nd one I wasn't a happy man. Thats a right tough one all right.

The same person painted a big smiley on the Bogberg

cycle43 · 10-10-2011 10:17am

Raam wrote: »

The same person painted a big smiley on the Bogberg

True, but by then I had given up on living. Very tough event, fairly new to cycling, did Wicklow 200 this year for the first time but found the Swords 130km Sportive a killer. Amazing what 2-3 weeks easy weeks can do to your legs.

Zorba · 10-10-2011 11:35am

neris wrote: »

Is that the climb up to quarry? Thats a short tough one. Also someone painted the bleedin obvious on the road by writing "steep" and slightly further on "very steep" not very motivational when your busting a lung

No that's Hilltown Little apparently, that's steep at the start but the second part isn't as bad, it's here

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/758366

The one i'm on about is here

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/758365

Morrisseeee · 17-08-2012 1:48pm

damnedunited wrote: »

Barley Lake as pointed out by turbine is a tough climb. I clocked it as 1.5 miles from turn off but the first half mile is a mixture of up and down. It really kicks off at the white house where the warning sign is and i would love to know the gradient of the first piece as it is very steep. It’s a bit over a mile from there and I would estimate an average gradient in the high teens. The descent is one of does ones where you have the breaks pulled full and you’re still doing 5-10 miles an hour. Again as turbine pointed out the ascent from the bottom up to the tunnel rock is another good challenge. I calculated the average to be near 15% for 1.1% miles. Turbine has the max at 25% and I would well believe it as its levels off a bit at the top. Hard climbs

I think this is the climb, from talking about it on Strava, I remembered I had taken a (zoomed) photo of it from the Caha Pass side, stunning looking climb.

Strava climb.

-K2- · 17-08-2012 2:09pm

Morrisseeee wrote: »

3D pic of it.

That's an awesome website. There goes the rest of Friday afternoon...

harringtonp · 17-08-2012 2:43pm

In the Clare Hill TT series last night we went on to Gallows hill via "the wall". Very wet, maintaining traction was a problem.

Did some strava analysis, the first 1km had an average gradient of 12.7%, there was a 300m stretch in that with an average gradient of 17.0% and the max gradient was 20.6%.

longshank · 17-08-2012 7:45pm

Morrisseeee wrote: »

damnedunited wrote: »

Barley Lake as pointed out by turbine is a tough climb. I clocked it as 1.5 miles from turn off but the first half mile is a mixture of up and down. It really kicks off at the white house where the warning sign is and i would love to know the gradient of the first piece as it is very steep. It’s a bit over a mile from there and I would estimate an average gradient in the high teens. The descent is one of does ones where you have the breaks pulled full and you’re still doing 5-10 miles an hour. Again as turbine pointed out the ascent from the bottom up to the tunnel rock is another good challenge. I calculated the average to be near 15% for 1.1% miles. Turbine has the max at 25% and I would well believe it as its levels off a bit at the top. Hard climbs

I think this is the climb, from talking about it on Strava, I remembered I had taken a (zoomed) photo of it from the Caha Pass side, stunning looking climb.

Strava climb.
3D pic of it.

Thats the easy side!!!

seve65 · 17-08-2012 8:32pm

-K2- wrote: »

That's an awesome website. There goes the rest of Friday afternoon...

That was the link to Tickincor i.e. the wrong 3d profile

this is Barley Lake :eek:
http://www.hobart10000.com/segment-gradient.php?SegmentID=730731&xStep=1000&yStep=50&f=2.3&FitGradient=true&Angle=10

and this by eck is....da da daaa is the Glengariff forest climb :eek::eek::
http://www.hobart10000.com/segment-gradient.php?SegmentID=935296&xStep=1000&yStep=50&f=2.3&FitGradient=true&Angle=10

woah horse, nasty or what !

and priests leap, kerry side :eek:
http://www.hobart10000.com/segment-gradient.php?SegmentID=706360&xStep=1000&yStep=50&f=2.3&FitGradient=true&Angle=10

Speedmerchant · 17-08-2012 10:14pm

havent sifted through this long thread but has this climb been raised?
i know sally gap was in the original post but this variation is a little tougher...
http://app.strava.com/segments/1476764

Morrisseeee · 18-08-2012 6:57pm

Ooops sorry about the bad 3D link, got lost in translation

This is 'probably' the hardest climb in Ireland, it has length & gradient:

7.2km @ 9.3%

3D linky

I reckon that's enough to make it a Cat 1 in any Grand Tour.

mistermatthew · 11-09-2012 7:35pm

Think mamore is considered one of the toughest. In the RAS it even scared the continentals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtkvDobeh-M

Cat one climb too.

http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/IrishCyclingRas/Route/Stage+5/

Daroxtar · 26-12-2013 9:27pm

Apologies for bumping such an old thread but I was just wondering what would be the longest climb we have as opposed to the steepest, is there anything about 15 km at 5% or so?

Raam · 26-12-2013 9:29pm

Daroxtar wrote: »

Apologies for bumping such an old thread but I was just wondering what would be the longest climb we have as opposed to the steepest, is there anything about 15 km at 5% or so?

Laragh to Sally Gap is about 20km. Not a consistent gradient but not super steep.

Plastik · 26-12-2013 11:20pm

15km at 4% avg according to Strava www.strava.com/segments/1476764?filter=overall

Again though, varying gradient throughout.

Toughest Climb in Ireland?

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