Biggest continuous climb in UK?

On 10 May 2004 12:58:48 -0700, [email hidden] (Peter Headland)

Quoted message said:

I had a very pleasant ride up Mount Tamalpais (Marin
County, California) on Saturday. From near-as-dammit sea
level at Stinson Beach to the highest point on the road is
about 2,500' of continuous climbing (by no means the
biggest hill in the local area). That set me to wondering -
what is the biggest (vertical) continuous (no significant
level or downhill stretches) climb in the UK?

Two opinions on this:

Beallach na Ba (Applecross road) either east or west 5.5
miles sea level - 2060 feet ascent.

Mennock to Lowther Hill (Dumfries and Galloway) via
Wanlockhead 9.1 miles 1954 feet ascent (but higher finish -
2402 feet )

Regards! Stephen

Steve McGinty [email hidden] opined the
following...

Quoted message said:

Two opinions on this:

Beallach na Ba (Applecross road) either east or west 5.5
miles sea level - 2060 feet ascent.

My planned challenge for the summer.

Quoted message said:

Mennock to Lowther Hill (Dumfries and Galloway) via
Wanlockhead 9.1 miles 1954 feet ascent (but higher finish
- 2402 feet )

Didn't know about this one. Is it a road route? Does it
offer similar views to Beallach na Ba?

Jon

On 10 May 2004 12:58:48 -0700, [email hidden] (Peter Headland)

Quoted message said:

I had a very pleasant ride up Mount Tamalpais (Marin
County, California) on Saturday. From near-as-dammit sea
level at Stinson Beach to the highest point on the road is
about 2,500' of continuous climbing (by no means the
biggest hill in the local area). That set me to wondering -
what is the biggest (vertical) continuous (no significant
level or downhill stretches) climb in the UK?

4406 feet, Fort William to the summit of Ben Nevis. At low
tide you may be able to add a foot or two to the climb. The
first 50' climb might be considered level, in which case
start at the Youth Hostel. The climb is then 4356'. The land
survey height of the hostel is 62'. After the footbridge
walk your bike down to the river, about 12' below the road
if it is not in flood.

On Mon, 10 May 2004 21:36:48 +0100, Jon Senior

jon_AT_restlesslemon_DOTco_DOT_uk said:

Steve McGinty [email hidden] opined the
following...

Quoted message said:

Two opinions on this:

Beallach na Ba (Applecross road) either east or west 5.5
miles sea level - 2060 feet ascent.

My planned challenge for the summer.

Quoted message said:

Mennock to Lowther Hill (Dumfries and Galloway) via
Wanlockhead 9.1 miles 1954 feet ascent (but higher finish
- 2402 feet )

Didn't know about this one. Is it a road route? Does it
offer similar views to Beallach na Ba?

It's all tarmac to a road-end at a Mini Defence site, but
inland, so not the same views.

Regards! Stephen

Peter Headland said:

I had a very pleasant ride up Mount Tamalpais (Marin
County, California) on Saturday. From near-as-dammit sea
level at Stinson Beach to the highest point on the road is
about 2,500' of continuous climbing (by no means the
biggest hill in the local area). That set me to wondering
- what is the biggest (vertical) continuous (no
significant level or downhill stretches) climb in the UK?

Hope you kept below 15mph and avoided a speeding ticket from
the park rangers on the way down.

Tony

Gonzalez said:

On 10 May 2004 12:58:48 -0700, [email hidden]

(Peter Headland) said:

I had a very pleasant ride up Mount Tamalpais (Marin
County, California) on Saturday. From near-as-dammit sea
level at Stinson Beach to the highest point on the road is
about 2,500' of continuous climbing (by no means the
biggest hill in the local area). That set me to wondering
- what is the biggest (vertical) continuous (no
significant level or downhill stretches) climb in the UK?

4406 feet, Fort William to the summit of Ben Nevis. At low
tide you may be able to add a foot or two to the climb.
The first 50' climb might be considered level, in which
case start at the Youth Hostel. The climb is then 4356'.
The land survey height of the hostel is 62'. After the
footbridge walk your bike down to the river, about 12'
below the road if it is not in flood.

Could it be done on a touring recumbent or is it real mountain-
biking territory? (no, I'm serious)

AC

Peter Headland said:

I had a very pleasant ride up Mount Tamalpais (Marin
County, California) on Saturday. From near-as-dammit sea
level at Stinson Beach to the highest point on the road is
about 2,500' of continuous climbing (by no means the
biggest hill in the local area). That set me to wondering
- what is the biggest (vertical) continuous (no
significant level or downhill stretches) climb in the UK?

Its in East Anglia believe it or not. You can spend all day
there cycling uphill into the wind. I'm sure Helen will
confirm this.

Tony

in message <[email hidden]>, Steve McGinty

(') said:

On 10 May 2004 12:58:48 -0700, [email hidden]

(Peter Headland) said:

I had a very pleasant ride up Mount Tamalpais (Marin
County, California) on Saturday. From near-as-dammit sea
level at Stinson Beach to the highest point on the road is
about 2,500' of continuous climbing (by no means the
biggest hill in the local area). That set me to wondering
- what is the biggest (vertical) continuous (no
significant level or downhill stretches) climb in the UK?

Two opinions on this:

Beallach na Ba (Applecross road) either east or west 5.5
miles sea level - 2060 feet ascent.

Mennock to Lowther Hill (Dumfries and Galloway) via
Wanlockhead 9.1 miles 1954 feet ascent (but higher finish
- 2402 feet )

Dumfrieshire, please. Neither Mennock nor Lowther is in
Galloway. Here in Galloway you could do Glentrool (50m) to
the Merrick (843m) for 793 metres or 2601 feet of climb. Not
suitable for a road bike, but I've done it on a rigid, and
it wasn't technically difficult.

And please, with the exception of the A75 and the River
Nith, nothing is in Dumfries *and* Galloway. Things are in
Dumfries *or* Galloway.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke)
jasmine.org.uk~simonOpen ↗ Das Internet is nicht fuer
gefingerclicken und giffengrabben... Ist nicht fuer gewerken
bei das dumpkopfen. Das mausklicken sichtseeren keepen das
bandwit-spewin hans in das pockets muss; relaxen und watchen
das cursorblinken. -- quoted from the jargon file

"kit" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Gonzalez said:

On 10 May 2004 12:58:48 -0700, [email hidden]

(Peter Headland) said:

I had a very pleasant ride up Mount Tamalpais (Marin
County, California) on Saturday. From near-as-dammit sea
level at Stinson Beach to the highest point on the road
is about 2,500' of continuous climbing (by no means the
biggest hill in the local area). That set me to
wondering - what is the biggest (vertical) continuous
(no significant level or downhill stretches) climb in
the UK?

4406 feet, Fort William to the summit of Ben Nevis. At
low tide you may be able to add a foot or two to the
climb. The first 50' climb might be considered level, in
which case start at the Youth Hostel. The climb is then
4356'. The land survey height of the hostel is 62'.
After the footbridge walk your bike down to the river,
about 12' below the road if it is not in flood.

Could it be done on a touring recumbent or is it real mountain-
biking territory? (no, I'm serious)

giggle. It's a walk. The hill is steep and covered in loose
stone. I did see one guy carry his mtb up the hill and then
try to ride down it with varying degrees of success.

(although I believe more than one car has made it to the
top)

cheers, clive

On Tue, 11 May 2004 10:19:41 +0100, Clive George

Quoted message said:

"kit" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Gonzalez said:

4406 feet, Fort William to the summit of Ben Nevis. At
low tide you

Could it be done on a touring recumbent or is it real mountain-
biking territory? (no, I'm serious)

giggle. It's a walk.

And a run. It is one of the premier Scottish hill races.
And to bring it half way back to cycling, it was won in
2003 by Rob Jebb, winner of the Fred Whitton Challenge,
winner of the the Three Peaks Cyclocross, and all round fit
[censored]. He ran to the top and back down again, to New Town
Park, in 1:29:33

bennevisrace.co.uk2003 race.htmOpen ↗

Colin

Clive George said:

(although I believe more than one car has made it to
the top)

IIRC it's been done on three or four occasions, but the last
time was in the 1920's.

--

Dave Larrington - legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uklegslarry.beerdrinkers.co.ukOpen ↗
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
bhpc.org.ukbhpc.org.ukOpen ↗
===========================================================

Colin Blackburn said:

Rob Jebb

Is there no end to this [censored]'s talents?

Apparently not.

"Dave Larrington" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Clive George said:

(although I believe more than one car has made it to
the top)

IIRC it's been done on three or four occasions, but the
last time was in the 1920's.

While checking my statement I came across this page:

austinchamp.comaustinchamp.comOpen ↗
theregister/FV1801/7000_8000/7900-8000/7998.htm

(1962)

cheers, clive

Simonb said:

Colin Blackburn said:

Rob Jebb

Is there no end to this [censored]'s talents?

No. He is worringly young too, most fell runners don't come
into their own until they are older. Though I wish the age
effect was instant rather than something to be worked at :-(

Quoted message said:

Apparently not.

I don't know if he can swim! Maybew the triathletes are
safe then.

Colin

Dumfries and Galloway are exclusive.. You are in one or the
other... The Lowthers are more Dumfries and Lanark.

What about the Eden to the top of Great Dun Fell,
Cumberland. That must be a good 700m or so.

Longest drag on the public highway is Bealach na Bo, both
starts are sealevel.

Richard Webb

On Tue, 11 May 2004 09:05:03 GMT, Simon Brooke <[email hidden]>
wrote (more or less):

Quoted message said:

in message <[email hidden]>,

Steve McGinty (') said:

On 10 May 2004 12:58:48 -0700, [email hidden]

(Peter Headland) said:

I had a very pleasant ride up Mount Tamalpais (Marin
County, California) on Saturday. From near-as-dammit sea
level at Stinson Beach to the highest point on the road
is about 2,500' of continuous climbing (by no means the
biggest hill in the local area). That set me to wondering
- what is the biggest (vertical) continuous (no
significant level or downhill stretches) climb in the UK?

Two opinions on this:

Beallach na Ba (Applecross road) either east or west 5.5
miles sea level - 2060 feet ascent.

Mennock to Lowther Hill (Dumfries and Galloway) via
Wanlockhead 9.1 miles 1954 feet ascent (but higher finish
- 2402 feet )

Dumfrieshire, please.

Or Dumfriesshire?

Quoted message said:

Neither Mennock nor Lowther is in Galloway. Here in
Galloway you could do Glentrool (50m) to the Merrick (843m)
for 793 metres or 2601 feet of climb. Not suitable for a
road bike, but I've done it on a rigid, and it wasn't
technically difficult.

And please, with the exception of the A75 and the River
Nith, nothing is in Dumfries *and* Galloway. Things are in
Dumfries *or* Galloway.

Until the counties were done away with in the 70's... (or
was it early 80s?)

Of course, some of them are back now, in an 'ish' sortofa
way, (like North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire), or
would have been if their boundaries hadn't been gerrymadered
to preserve safe Coservative voting patterns when the Tories
swapped back from the Regional Councils to County-ish
Unitary Authorities.

--
Cheers, Euan Gawnsoft: gawnsoft.co.srgawnsoft.co.srOpen ↗
Symbian/Epoc wiki: html.dnsalias.nethtml.dnsalias.netOpen ↗ Smalltalk
links (harvested from comp.lang.smalltalk)
html.dnsalias.netsmalltalkOpen ↗

Gawnsoft said:

Of course, some of them are back now, in an 'ish' sortofa
way, (like North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire), or
would have been if their boundaries hadn't been
gerrymadered to preserve safe Coservative voting patterns
when the Tories swapped back from the Regional Councils to
County-ish Unitary Authorities.

The 1974 Local Government Act was a Work of Stan. Many a
house in the village wherein I was
imprisoned^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Heducated had a poster in the
window announcing "We live in EAST YORKSHIRE"

<ob_cycling> Here:
<http://www.companyofcyclists.com/bikeculture.htm>
</ob_cycling>

--

Dave Larrington - legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uklegslarry.beerdrinkers.co.ukOpen ↗
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
bhpc.org.ukbhpc.org.ukOpen ↗
===========================================================

Quoted message said:

Until the counties were done away with in the 70's... (or
was it early 80s?)

Just the councils...

As far as I remember, Herefordshire was still around after
1974 and did not reappear Brig o'Doon style in 1998

In Scotland, the counties survived in popular culture and
are still used widely in the media...

Richard Webb

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

The 1974 Local Government Act was a Work of Stan. Many a
house in the village wherein I was
imprisoned^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Heducated had a poster in the
window announcing "We live in EAST YORKSHIRE"

My dad still rants about this one. "Yorkshire consists of
the THREE ridings!". I believe that they were East, West and
North. With what is now South Yorks, made up of the East and
West ridings.

Jon