Bwlch - y - Groes - Dinas

Oh lord.It should be named Blwch it''s Gross.Toughest climb I''ve done in these isles.Probaby steady on a triple maybe but on a standard 39x25 double it''s brutal.The section where it throws a 27% ramp at you is rancid, especially if the wind whips up.And that tempting right hander where you can throw in the towel is a real kick in the guts when you then look ahead at a steady 12 to 15% 250m to go.One trip over there has me descending it after riding up from Bala and seeing the hilarious sight of three cyclists, two still cycling and one walking his bike faster than the two were pedalling.

My personal climb rating:

Ive done this climb on four seperate occasions now and it is, without doubt, the toughest climb Ive ever done.

I`ve climbed the Tourmalet and the Aubisque in France and Wrynose (both ways) plus numerous other famous climbs in the UK but this beast beats them hands down.

It`s almost 2 miles to the top with an average gradient of just under 14%, but that doesn`t give the full story.

The first mile is the "easier" section with a steady gradient of 10 to 15% but then the climb ramps up to between 20 and 25%! This section is murderous. Try to put power down sat in the saddle and you risk having the front wheel lift off the ground! You ride towards a false summit on a left hand bend but as you turn the corner you are met with the awful sight of the road still heading for the sky and the surreal image of a large wooden cross planted by the side of the road, from which the pass gets it''s name.

By this point, if you are still on the bike, you will be praying for the suffering to end but you still have 300 to 400yds of steep gradient to go before reaching the car park at the summit.

If you are a climber then this is one climb you simply must do.

My personal climb rating:

A real toughie, probably in the top ten in Britain, certainly top 20. It often catches the wind to add more interest.

My personal climb rating:

Clives (otherwise accurate) account relates to the Llanddwyn ascent and I think the reason it says the gradient is 4% is because the mapped route includes the long flat section around Lake Vyrnwy.

My personal climb rating:

I climbed Bwlch y Groes while on holiday from the lake Vyrnwy side.This is the easier side so they say,so I am a little surprised that the average gradient is only just over 4%.Even tho there are a few flat sections,my altimeter was showing double figures for a lot of the way up,maxing out at 17% on a few occasions.Dont be fooled in thinking that just because the average gradient shows 4 and a bit percent this is an easy climb,it isnt.I have climbed a lot of mountains in Wales and would like to think of myself as being reasonably fit,but without a triple ring on the front I do not think I could have made it to the top.Dont let me put you off,as the view at the top is breathtaking.

My personal climb rating: