Wicklow Hills, which is the toughest?

Tales Of Topogr

......like hill climbing.
Did Devils Glen three times one week, pre Wicklow 200, training obviously. Love it, sh1te hard. Love the bit of plateau in the middle before the going gets tough again before the top.
Sally, from Glencree is good but you have to do Lug after it to get a kick.
Wickla Gap, nice in the middle.
Never did Glenmalure, but did "Little GM" (golf course?) a few weeks ago. Short, tight.
Did the 200 three times so know Slieve Mann, hey, you know what to expect there after a few miles!!!!!
Like the run up to Johnny Foxes from Kiltiernan, second turn after Kilt. Again, tight.

Any other good slopes lads?


ps. Actually, did the Mount Leinster Challenge last May. Try it. The 150k jobbie. Corabutt Gap.............suck it and see. Wanted to get off on that one..........but didn't. Just about.
Do it next May. Cracker. It's the way ye tell 'em!

Harkev

I like that climb up to Jonny Foxes..
Up past the Djouce car park on the way to Ruondwood is pretty damn steep..

Where exactly is the Devils Glen by the way? I'd like to give it a shot!

da_deadman

Harkev wrote:

Up past the Djouce car park on the way to Ruondwood

Is this the road from Kilmacanogue on the way to Roundwood?

Last Sunday week (before the bank holiday) I cycled from Dublin (Sandymount) to Carlow. As this was the first time for me to do a ‘long’ distance I worked out a route to avoid the main climbs of the Wicklow Mountains so I went down through Kilmacanogue, Roundwood, Laragh, Aughrim, Tinahely, Shillelagh, Tullow and into Carlow. At almost 120kms it was a big step up from the 50/55kms I had been doing for the previous number of Sundays. Despite the constant rain that day, it was a great spin and I’m looking forward to doing it again – although next time I’ll definitely put some extra climbing into the route.

The only real climb on this route was the road up from Kilmacanogue, by the Great Sugar Loaf, on the way to Roundwood. It was a nice slog up it – not easy but not too tough. The only annoying thing about it was after you reach the top and the road flattens out and you ride towards Roundwood on a nice long section of road recently covered in loose chippings! And I hate loose chippings so very very much! :mad:

HusseinSarhan

Yeah, Djouce to Roundwood is pretty steep but pretty short. For a long winding climb on good roads try starting at The Yellow House in Rathfarnham, or anywhere along the Ballyboden Road, and climb the road due south up to the hills you get a pretty relentless climb that lasts ages. there is one dip after Rockbrook Park School but it's 90% up at least. Continue on up to Cruagh wood. Stick to the right all the way and you'll get there, at the forks in the road I mean. It's steep enoguh at times and one of the better places to practise a long climb in Dublin/Wicklow that I know of, if that is your thing. You can always extend it up to Kilakee bog on out towards Sally Gap, but the gradient eases off a bit so I would not really consider it a "climb" to Sally Gap.

GlennaMaddy

There are two good ones between Laragh and Aghavannagh, the first is Glenmalure (admittedly its easier from the Laragh side) and the second is Brown mountain (I think)

Capt'n Midnight

wicklow gap from laragh side, not very steep but you should be able to cruise up it

devils elbow - if you leave johnny fox's and turn left at the crossroads , it's much worse from the eniskerry side

can't remember the name but it's from the bottom of "powerscourt" valley going up the south side and on to the road to roundwood

HusseinSarhan

It's called Crone.

Tales Of Topogr

Just rolled around in the car today.
Sugarloaf comes in at 2.5 miles, Devil's Glen at 0.8 miles (still a bitch) and actually resurfaced recently.
Vico Road.......1.5, up to the arch.
Johnny Foxes, from Kiltiernan, second turn after, my favourite............only 0.8 miles.
I think Wicklow Gap is the baby then at about? 4miles.

RainyDay

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

devils elbow - if you leave johnny fox's and turn left at the crossroads , it's much worse from the eniskerry side

Oh yeah - That's a great run. Just came across this interesting profile of that route. I love the run out to Fox's via Barnaculla too, past the Blue Light pub. I can well remember the white-faced look on my hungover buddy's face as he crawled up the hills at Barnaculla.

Tales Of Topogr

Then again, I've been training for the IVCA Hill Climb TT, Sept, 24th. Doing circuits of The Sugarloaf as in, going back down by the turn, about a 100 metres past the top, on the left, and going down to , it comes out at Sexton's Garden Centre, ish.....

Anyone ever do the reverse climb, looks sh1te hard..........
The start of it looks like sh1te, as in tough.
Looks a lot harder than the Loaf itself. Then again, good training.
Coming down there last week, full brakes on, back wheel was slipping..........