Toughest Climb in Ireland?

CheGuedara · 01-04-2010 12:33pm

buzzingnoise wrote: »

Hi ROK, would you be able to suggest a serious climbing route of about 120-130km, starting in kenmare/killarney that might open the eyes of a few struggling Etapers?

Still looking for trouble after last weekend then!?

Well here's a CHALLENGING route if you can swing a Killarney start and a Kenmare finish

Killarney to Molls Gap (so flat run in to your first climb which will be a good long but not steep one), descend to Kenmare, out the Beara Peninsula, over Garranes, then down to Eyries turning right to take in the infamous-to-those-who-know-about-it, Chubbs Hill.

From here roll in to Castletownbere and turn left following the coast as far as Adrigole - from here you go over the Healy Pass and descend back to Kenmare following the road you initially headed out the peninsula on.

135km total length with 1407m of climbing

buzzingnoise · 01-04-2010 1:02pm

CheGuedara wrote: »

Still looking for trouble after last weekend then!?

Well here's a CHALLENGING route if you can swing a Killarney start and a Kenmare finish

Killarney to Molls Gap (so flat run in to your first climb which will be a good long but not steep one), descend to Kenmare, out the Beara Peninsula, over Garranes, then down to Eyries turning right to take in the infamous-to-those-who-know-about-it, Chubbs Hill.

From here roll in to Castletownbere and turn left following the coast as far as Adrigole - from here you go over the Healy Pass and descend back to Kenmare following the road you initially headed out the peninsula on.

135km total length with 1407m of climbing

nice one D!!
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/ie/killarney/362126989520429333how about this one? including molls, priests leap and caha....

CheGuedara · 01-04-2010 1:26pm

buzzingnoise wrote: »

nice one D!!
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/ie/killarney/362126989520429333how about this one? including molls, priests leap and caha....

Yeah, that looks like a decent route too - more extreme gradients on it with fewer climbs though. What would be more useful toward the end goal?

ROK ON · 01-04-2010 2:42pm

Che. That's not what the man needs for Etapem ;-)

I have a savage 180k route with 2000m oc ascent.

I wil put it up later.

CheGuedara · 01-04-2010 2:53pm

ROK ON wrote: »

I have a savage 180k route with 2000m oc ascent.

:eek:

ROK ON · 01-04-2010 3:05pm

buzzingnoise wrote: »

nice one D!!
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/ie/killarney/362126989520429333how about this one? including molls, priests leap and caha....

I would o the following.
Start Killarney and head over the GapofDunloe onto Black Valley and up to .Molls Gap.
Send to Kenmare and head for Bonane and over Priests Leap.
At Comholla Bridge had left and up over the Borlin Valley and down to Kilgarvan.
Turn right head for Morley Bridge and turn right.
Head over Top of Coom and down into Ballyvourney.
At Ballyvourney take the turn up to Mullaghanish. Go to the Rte transmitter mast (7km climb gaining 545m approx).
At the top congratulate yourself.
Option to get back to Killarney would b
1 head back to Ballyvournwy and take the main Cork Road over the Co Bounds hill or
2 from Mullaganish head for Millstreet Rathmore and Barraduf.

Let me know when you will do this. Busy next few weekends but I could be tempted.
In Priests Leap and Mullaghanish you will have 2 bastard climbs.

ROK ON · 01-04-2010 3:07pm

CheGuedara wrote: »

:eek:

Don't mind this phd lark. You need to get out on your bike more often :-)

buzzingnoise · 01-04-2010 3:18pm

What have I started??!!
I'd be up for that, in a couple of weeks. will map it later and put it up.
And Che, I was grand after last weekend!! The TT home was the killer...:eek:

Murph100 · 01-04-2010 7:51pm

Jaysus ROK are ya trying to kill him ?

Try this as a warm up :

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/ie/killarney/158127014749226877

Biggest probelm is the condition of the roads in the Black Valley & Priests Leap, you'd need a full sus in places

Che's route has probably the better road surfaces ... even if it is a big girls route

ROK ON · 01-04-2010 8:18pm

if I can haul my gt backside up these climbas then anyone can.
The man wantsto do the Etape ffs.

You are right about the roads. However the road from Killarney to Molls gap from tunnel to Ladies View is as bad a road as I have ever seen and it is an N road.
If its any consolation the road to Mullaghanish (public and private) is in excellent condition.

On the basis that Mullaghanish is a long and steep climb and there are very few of these in Ireland, then it would make great training ride for something like the Etape. Plus it is only 30k from Killarney.

buzzingnoise · 01-04-2010 8:38pm

ROK ON wrote: »

if I can haul my gt backside up these climbas then anyone can.
The man wantsto do the Etape ffs.

You are right about the roads. However the road from Killarney to Molls gap from tunnel to Ladies View is as bad a road as I have ever seen and it is an N road.
If its any consolation the road to Mullaghanish (public and private) is in excellent condition.

On the basis that Mullaghanish is a long and steep climb and there are very few of these in Ireland, then it would make great training ride for something like the Etape. Plus it is only 30k from Killarney.

Fair Play ROK and thanks for sticking up for me!
it looks brutal and i like it.
the road from the gap of dunloe down into the black valley in pince-flat-central, the road is horrible. the climb up to molls gap has a good surface though. i'll see if i can map that spin

buzzingnoise · 01-04-2010 9:03pm

ROK ON wrote: »

I would o the following.
Start Killarney and head over the GapofDunloe onto Black Valley and up to .Molls Gap.
Send to Kenmare and head for Bonane and over Priests Leap.
At Comholla Bridge had left and up over the Borlin Valley and down to Kilgarvan.
Turn right head for Morley Bridge and turn right.
Head over Top of Coom and down into Ballyvourney.
At Ballyvourney take the turn up to Mullaghanish. Go to the Rte transmitter mast (7km climb gaining 545m approx).
At the top congratulate yourself.
Option to get back to Killarney would b
1 head back to Ballyvournwy and take the main Cork Road over the Co Bounds hill or
2 from Mullaganish head for Millstreet Rathmore and Barraduf.

Let me know when you will do this. Busy next few weekends but I could be tempted.
In Priests Leap and Mullaghanish you will have 2 bastard climbs.

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/ie/dublin/184127015190970526
and home via main road...........
have i the right route? and is there some fence-climbing involved to get up to that rte mast in ballyvourney?

for comparison : http://www.climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Scanuppia---Malga-Palazzo&qryMountainID=3597 apparently the hardest climb in europe with a 45% section!!

ROK ON · 01-04-2010 9:21pm

About 3km outside ballyvourney on the road over Mullaghanish, on your right there is what looks like a very large farm gate. Next to this there is a turnstile for walkers etc to het thru. Dismount, throw your bike over a 3ft wall walk thru mount up and ket the suffering begin.
At that stage you will be at 285m.
In the next 3 and a bit kms you will gain 350m.

Views are stunning.
Even if you didn't do the road up to the mast, the main road (up to about 430m) is also a challenging climb - but not tough, more of good tempo climb.

I climbed this first to warm up then descended to tackle the climb to the mast.
You can't actually map the Private road to the rte mast on mapmyride.
However it is on www.climbbybike.com

Its a great climb but I found it very very tough but hugely rewarding.

lescol · 01-04-2010 10:11pm

Sounds like a....fun day out. If it's in a few weeks then I'd love to join the ride.

mcgratheoin · 07-04-2010 5:10pm

lukester wrote: »

I was up this on Sunday for the first time, gets my vote for one of the toughest climbs close to Dublin. By close I mean north of the Sally Gap.

+1
Just back from heading up it for the first time - lovely surface on the second half, but it's a killer of a climb - personally found it tougher than the Cruagh one (although mapmyride has them down as pretty similar). I think it's because by teh time you get to the top of Cruagh you've forgotten how hard it was at the bottom...

thebouldwhacker · 07-04-2010 9:12pm

ROK ON wrote: »

Let me know when you will do this. Busy next few weekends but I could be tempted.

post up if ye are meeting for such a cycle... I miss the hills, maybe not the leap so much:rolleyes:

Roadtoad · 07-04-2010 10:27pm

Anyone ever cycle up from the harbour? The postcard one with the sheep over from the Blaskets.
I thought I might try, but chickened even bringing the road bike down. A MTB job and younger legs.

buzzingnoise · 11-04-2010 11:39am

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

post up if ye are meeting for such a cycle... I miss the hills, maybe not the leap so much:rolleyes:

Whacker you missed nothing! This priests leap was horrific. Deceptively long and steep from bonnane side. Had to stand on pedals after the last bridge and never sat down again. My powermeter recorded a 16% kick at one stage. Really brutal stuff. Definately gets my vote for hardest climb in Ireland.

ROK ON · 11-04-2010 2:11pm

buzzingnoise wrote: »

Whacker you missed nothing! This priests leap was horrific. Deceptively long and steep from bonnane side. Had to stand on pedals after the last bridge and never sat down again. My powermeter recorded a 16% kick at one stage. Really brutal stuff. Definately gets my vote for hardest climb in Ireland.

Well done. Sure now try Mullaghanish next week for comparison.

thebouldwhacker · 29-05-2010 12:44pm

buzzingnoise wrote: »

Definately gets my vote for hardest climb in Ireland.

Well done, its certainly an event, as in you know you have done something when you have this climb compleated. Which side did you climb, sounds like the Cork (the hard) side;).

sxt · 08-06-2010 12:03pm

Is getting out of the saddle condisered small cheating or something on a climb

whenever i see someone that nearing the end of a steep climb and they are struggling very hard to turn the pedals,they always remain seated, would it not be easier to stand up out of the saddle for a bit?

edit:
Found an easy to absorb article about this

http://www.thesportjournal.org/article/comparison-maximal-oxygen-consumption-between-seated-and-standing-leg-cycle-ergometry-practi

ballyharpat · 08-06-2010 5:18pm

This is a great thread, wow, I had no idea the amount of good cycling back in the old sod!

Lumen · 08-06-2010 5:22pm

sxt wrote: »

Found an easy to absorb article about this

http://www.thesportjournal.org/article/comparison-maximal-oxygen-consumption-between-seated-and-standing-leg-cycle-ergometry-practi

Interesting.

The recommendation seems to be: stay seated until you can take it no more, then stand up, then collapse into the ditch.

ROK ON · 08-06-2010 5:27pm

Lumen wrote: »

Interesting.

The recommendation seems to be: stay seated until you can take it no more, then stand up, then collapse into the ditch.

The problem with doing this on severe gradient is that it can lead to wheelies. Well it has for me, but the could be a weight issue.

Chips Lovell · 08-06-2010 5:28pm

ROK ON wrote: »

The problem with doing this on severe gradient is that it can lead to wheelies. Well it has for me, but the could be a weight issue.

The worst are the hills where you have to balance the risk of seated wheelies with the back wheel slipping when out of the saddle.

Lumen · 08-06-2010 5:33pm

ROK ON wrote: »

The problem with doing this on severe gradient is that it can lead to wheelies. Well it has for me, but the could be a weight issue.

Probably technique. You need to keep your weight forward a bit when you stand up.

el tonto wrote: »

The worst are the hills where you have to balance the risk of seated wheelies with the back wheel slipping when out of the saddle.

Indeed, Kippure is particularly nasty for this. The obvious solution is to apply force more evenly round the pedal cycle, but I suspect that requires more effort.

ROK ON · 08-06-2010 5:34pm

el tonto wrote: »

The worst are the hills where you have to balance the risk of seated wheelies with the back wheel slipping when out of the saddle.

Yep. The wheelies that have happened to me would probably have occurred anyway if seated as. I was losing vertical stability. Had to stand and try to get going with the risk of falling or stay seated and face the certainty of falling.
I say an article by dan martin recently where he spoke about having to pull up on the bars to generate momentum on steep climbs.
If I do that it is a certain wheelie.

ryan_sherlock · 08-06-2010 5:59pm

Lumen wrote: »

Indeed, Kippure is particularly nasty for this. The obvious solution is to apply force more evenly round the pedal cycle, but I suspect that requires more effort.

More mountain biking is needed - going up a 30% slope on lose dirt - that teaches you everything about traction and balance!

ballyharpat · 08-06-2010 6:07pm

el tonto wrote: »

The worst are the hills where you have to balance the risk of seated wheelies with the back wheel slipping when out of the saddle.

I have found that off-season training on the cx bike gives you really good handling and balancing skills to prevent this.

When doing base and early season hill intervals, I always stay seated, no matter the gradient. When race season comes around I have those muscles built up and getting out of the saddle builds my Vo2, which only takes a few weeks to tweak and maximize . If it's early in the race I stay seated and spin, conserving energy and using my heart as opposed to tiring out my muscles. As it gets later in the race I need my muscles more and have more energy to jump when needed to follow an attack or something. Having said that, I am much faster standing, but I know it uses more energy, so I try to save it for when I really need it.

Morrisseeee · 10-11-2010 3:16pm

I was looking/browsing for something else but came upon this thread, I found it interesting, some of those climbs that are mentioned look very tough, especially when using Goooogle Maps to virtually 'see' them, favs being that route up in Donegal (ouch), that road up from Portmagee, the 'small mountain' route, Priests Leap, and the views from the Conor Pass are amazing. So........with all that in mind, I found a little hidden gem: it would make a 'nice' little hill climb, it looks painful on Goooogle Maps anyway !!, RWGPS has it at 21.9% max, OSI have it at 60M in 400M travelled (avg 15%): so here's a few pics from GM: note: it could be incorporated into a 'long' climb/route if taken from Clogheen > Ballyduff (last pic).

ryan_sherlock · 16-12-2010 5:12pm

I mentioned it in another thread - but posting on this one as it is a little relevant. The Strava website has a built in mechanism for giving ratings to particular climbs. I think they use something similar to what Dan writes about here: http://djconnel.blogspot.com/2010/07/rating-climbs-summary.html

Basically, since I have started using it, the only HC climb I have done is in the US - a 30km monster.

The Climb from Cruagh to the Top which I often use for testing is only a Cat 2: http://app.strava.com/segments/631100

Seems inline with what it would be in the Tour...

Other climbs I have added in the Dublin area: http://app.strava.com/segments/search?keywords=&cat=%3E%3D4&location=Dublin%2C+Ireland

I'll keep adding in more as I get around to it. (My times added are not that quick, so go out and grab some KOMs [or QOMs])

lukester · 16-12-2010 7:51pm

Stats heaven, I like it.

smacl · 17-12-2010 10:04am

ryan_sherlock wrote: »

The Climb from Cruagh to the Top which I often use for testing is only a Cat 2: http://app.strava.com/segments/631100

Seems inline with what it would be in the Tour...

Other climbs I have added in the Dublin area: http://app.strava.com/segments/search?keywords=&cat=%3E%3D4&location=Dublin%2C+Ireland

I'll keep adding in more as I get around to it. (My times added are not that quick, so go out and grab some KOMs [or QOMs])

Great post. Here's a few more ramps in the general vicinity that have left me needing an oxygen tent by the time I made the top. Military road from Cunard, and Old long hill from Powerscourt waterfall. Short sharp shocks, both of them. A great spin is Cruagh / Sallygap / right down towards blessington / Seefin / Seahan / briefly onto boharnabreena, then back into the dodder / Cunard / Grassamucky and military road / Kilakee home.
Note the Seefin / Seehan road has some potholes you could lose a lorry in, and IMO benefits from wider tyres. If you can get across fire roads, the link from Kilmashogue to ticknock includes a pretty severe climb.

ryan_sherlock · 17-12-2010 12:37pm

smacl wrote: »

Here's a few more ramps in the general vicinity that have left me needing an oxygen tent by the time I made the top.

Nice looking climbs - do you have a GPS? get them entered in. It would be cool to have a big repository of climbs... A feature I want from Strava is then that they can push a tcx/gpx etc... to my device so I can try the ride... Maybe have the "ghost rider" as the KOM? or your PB?

smacl · 17-12-2010 3:10pm

The GPS I have is a quite old Garmin GPSmap 76CS, designed more for hikers than cyclists with pretty poor background maps. I use it in conjunction with (again old) OSI trailmaster software, from which I can upload routes and download tracks. I just checked and I can also import and export GPX from this software, which means I could either ride a route and save it as a GPX or sketch a route and save it as a GPX (see sample attached). The areas that I have 3d OSi data for are also limited, so sketched data outside those areas will be 2d. The OSi height data tends to be quite a bit better than most free web data as it is based on OS aerial survey data as opposed to the freely available SRTM model used for base data in most free systems. My GPS has a barometric altimeter, so relative heights tend to be quite good.

I've no problem posting GPX files of any routes that I've got or am planning. If you're planning on building up a collection of routes, it might be worth putting together a decent naming convention at the outset. Something simple like <Starting county>-<Starting description>-[Mid point description]-[Ending description], e.g Wicklow-Enniskerry-Glencree-Laragh-Enniskerry.GPX

on_the_nickel · 31-05-2011 8:42pm

Can anyone explain what the story is with the Challenge BIG website? Just a means of logging which of the 1000 climbs you've done, or is there something more to it than that?

seve65 · 19-06-2011 9:34pm

Just in answer to other thread about cat 1 climbs in Ireland, there arent any. Here are the cat 2 climbs, as detected so far by Strava:

Bohernabreena
Conor Pass N-S
Conor Pass S-N
Cruagh Bridge
Knockshannahullion
Mt Leinster
Mullaghanish Service Road
Priests Leap
SlieveMane West
Tickincor to Powers
Wicklow Gap west

ROK ON · 19-06-2011 9:45pm

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.

HobbyMan · 19-06-2011 9:58pm

I did a hilly cycle today and thought that I would test myself towards the end of my cycle and rode the hill on the right between EMC and the Farran Golf Club turn off ( opposite Casey's Road ) on the main road West ( N22 ).

Not that I am a good cyclist, far from it, but I stopped, panting in the heat, three times before I turned back.

I have a 53/39 - 26/12 set up but I just couldn't cycle up it without stopping. Maybe when the legs are fresher.

Does anyone have any info on the hill ( ie gradient etc ) ?

Edit: When I turned around to go back down I was a bit scared that I'd end up going over the handlebars. Pretty steep indeed.

vistafinder · 19-06-2011 10:11pm

ROK ON Its tough enough on a calm day not to mind the wind that was there yesterday it is unreal tough climb. Every time i go up there i think why the feck did i take up cycling but i think it more of a constant grade from the Kerry side and there is less dips so no time to recover but the next time i go up from the cork side i will probably think that side is worse. I know the feeling:pac:

cantalach · 20-06-2011 12:20am

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.

Ah but deep down you love the pain and misery.

Despite my best ever performances on the Priest's Leap yesterday, I was still denied the Strava KOM by one of the young lads who outclimbed me by 15 seconds. Next time...

2 Wheels Good · 20-06-2011 1:19am

seve65 wrote: »

Just in answer to other thread about cat 1 climbs in Ireland, there arent any. Here are the cat 2 climbs, as detected so far by Strava:

Bohernabreena
Conor Pass N-S
Conor Pass S-N
Cruagh Bridge
Knockshannahullion
Mt Leinster
Mullaghanish Service Road
Priests Leap
SlieveMane West
Tickincor to Powers
Wicklow Gap west

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

sy · 20-06-2011 1:24am

ROK ON wrote: »

Did Priest Leap yday in a head on gale................
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.
..............

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

Pure poetry

love it.
As for the last statement, I don't believe you.... you will want to ride it without a 'foot down'

What gear were you using. Climbed Mamore Gap 2 weeks ago (after an epic 226kms into a headwind the previous day) Steepest climb I've ever ridden here. Loved to have tried it 20 years ago :pac:
That Priest's Leap sounds savage, will have to try it sometime

Hope the hamstring ok

FISMA · 20-06-2011 3:52am

+1 for Keeper's Hill by the Silvermines in Tip.

At the beginning it is pretty nicely overgrown with trees covering the road. There's a nice switch back that when wet, which is almost always the case, is really tough to cycle out of the saddle and keep traction.

This hill is particularly nasty because it just doesn't seem to want to lock into a grade. The changes in slope just keep coming - breaking up your rhythm.

Then the descent back towards the town is fun.

michaelm · 20-06-2011 7:04am

ROK ON wrote: »

Hits 27% once.

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

michaelm · 20-06-2011 7:08am

FISMA wrote: »

+1 for Keeper's Hill by the Silvermines in Tip.

At the beginning it is pretty nicely overgrown with trees covering the road. There's a nice switch back that when wet, which is almost always the case, is really tough to cycle out of the saddle and keep traction.

This hill is particularly nasty because it just doesn't seem to want to lock into a grade. The changes in slope just keep coming - breaking up your rhythm.

Then the descent back towards the town is fun.

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.

iregk · 20-06-2011 8:23am

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

ROK ON · 20-06-2011 8:38am

iregk wrote: »

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

The side coming out of Tallaght is in fairness a tough climb and a great descent.
If you're thinking of the road from Brittas up then yep it's more of an undulating drag.

iregk · 20-06-2011 8:52am

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.

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.

cantalach · 20-06-2011 8:56am

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.

Yes, the Step is completely different to Keeper Hill. Here's the Google streetview having just gone over the top of the Step heading away from Silvermines village. The big hill straight ahead is Keeper Hill.

http://maps.google.com/?ll=52.775485,-8.230648&spn=0,0.066047&t=p&z=15&layer=c&cbll=52.774717,-8.231015&panoid=_PSVKxkilqpmr7HSXA-lXg&cbp=12,220.12,,0,3.27

Toughest Climb in Ireland?

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