Buttertubs - 17% descent. Breathtaking views, but you will need good brakes.
Apart from riding up hills, the next best thing in cycling is descending. I would say the ideal descent has the following qualities:
- Fast
- Scenic
- Long
- Unimpeded by slow moving cars and caravans
- Avoid need for excessive braking
- Smooth road surface
- Wide road with painted line.
Off the top of my head the first descent that springs to mind is off Fleet Moss towards Hawes in North Yorkshire. The road is straight and steep. You can really build up to 50mph quite easily. Because it’s quite fast you don’t have so much time to enjoy the scenery when descending, but it does look good from the top. Naturally, it’s quite a hard climb to get to the top. Fleet Moss is long and steep. You climb to 500 metres, there are sections of 20%.
Some of My Favourite Descents
Cheddar Gorge
Cheddar Gorge is another great descent. It makes a really nice loop to climb Burrington Combe, turn right and then descend down the Gorge. At the top of the climb, the descent is quite shallow. You can pedal really hard and sweep through the bends. As you get further down, the descent gets steeper and the corners sharper. You can suddenly pick up speed quite quickly and you need to take a careful line around the sharp hairpins. You do need to be careful at the bottom as the road narrows and you can be meeting cars on the other side of the road. I recommend visiting Cheddar Gorge outside peak visiting hours or earlier in the morning. At busy times, you can get slow moving traffic building up on the descent. Cheddar Gorge has excellent views.
Burrington Combe is a similar descent, but less twisty and steep, you are less likely to get blocked by cars.
Long Hill
I’ve put down Long Hill because I’ve descended quite a few times. But, it could equally be many other similar hills, which are quite common around that part of the world. The gradient is a constant and steady 3%, with long sweeping bends. The road doesn’t really get narrow so it all depends how fast you can cycle. Like many descents it depends very much on the wind direction. If it’s a headwind the shallow gradient will mean it can actually be hard work to get down.
Kirkstone Pass
There are three ways to descend Kirkstone Pass. All give absolutely stunning views. The most scenic is from Kirkstone Pass north towards Ullswater. It’s really something, however whenever I’ve done it I’ve soon got caught behind cars on the hairpin bends. It’s good for enjoying the scenery, but you might be frustrated if you want to go fast. The descent west towards Ambleside is not for the feint hearted. Near the bottom you have a sharp 20% drop around tight corners into the village of Ambleside. The descent south towards Windermere is perhaps most fun. It is quite a shallow gradient and has periods of uphill. It’s a great view of the valley and quite quick if wind is in right direction.
Sky’s Top Ten Descents
- Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh,
- Cheddar Gorge Somerset
- Holme Moss – Yorkshire
- Rest And Be Thankful road (A83) near Loch Lomond,
- Newlands Corner in Surrey
- Silver Street in Lyme Regis
- Blackstone Edge in West Yorkshire.
- Ham Common in Richmond.
- Ralph Allen Drive, Bath
- Hampshire’s Old Winchester Hill.
Really Difficult Descents
Park Rash descent into Kettlewell. Here it is a 20% descent. But, it get’s worse. With some 180 degree switchbacks at 25%. I didn’t get to stop and take a photo!
Descending Competitions
A reader may ask why are hill climbs so popular? why don’t you have a descending competition. Descend a hill and see how far you can get by freewheeling. Some clubs actually do this. Just find a suitable hill and see who can freewheel the most. It will be a combination of
- who weighs the most
- who can get the most aerodynamic shape.
What’s your favourite descent?
Related
I’m glad you like Cheddar gorge, it’s one of my favourite descents too. The decent is great but the Gorgeous Cafe at the bottom is even better!
The rider on Arthur’s Seat is going the wrong way on a one-way road and is about to go down the climb, rather than the descent!
Locally
Best descent:
Beeley Moor to Devonshire Arms approx 2.5 miles very little need to brake
plenty of time to enjoy superb views also favourite climb as not so steep & can still enjoy view instead of staring @ tarmac
Most difficult descent:
Riber Road 25% gradient just off top with tight hairpin bends & narrow road
also a pain to ascend as the steepest parts the last 3rd
Fastest Descent:
Slack Hill 14% gradient for a mile long smooth straight road topped out @ 61mph max
Beast of a climb :
Rosedale Chimney had to bail out on 30% section need a granny ring next time
Good Luck Sunday Tejvan
A foolhardy effort to climb the Honister Pass from the Seatoller side in strong winds (not to be recommended) turned into a bit of a disaster descending to Buttermere. I was blown over 3 times on the descent, and that despite the fact I was off and pushing! The same descent on a calm day still resulted in undue wear on the brake pads…
I had a near death experience on Burrington Combe, a car came past me just after the first corner after the first cattle grid, I thought nothing of it and carried on. As I came round one of the blind left handers the car that had just overtaken me was stopped in the road chatting to his mate who was coming up the hill, as I was doing about 60km/h I had no choice but to risk it and go through the middle of the two cars, as I did so the guy on the right was just about to stick his hand out the window gesturing to the other guy. I was very lucky that I was able to squeeze between the two cars, my only other options would have been to crash into the back of one of them or try my luck on the dangerous verges on the left…
But it’s still a great descent! I much prefer going up hills to be honest though.
hehe blackstone edge I go down there every week
and up cragvale *gulp*