Ireland's steepest hill

Slideshowbob

Is it the one out of Naul

07Lapierre

That wold be something...Ireland's steepest hill in FLAT north county Dublin:). Mahon falls near Dungarvan is pretty steep..gets my vote

Caroline_ie

07Lapierre wrote: »

That wold be something...Ireland's steepest hill in FLAT north county Dublin:). Mahon falls near Dungarvan is pretty steep..gets my vote

Mahon falls? Nha!! did it from both side and it was fine.
Seskin hill has a 19% bit in it. Not sure it's the hardest hill, but it's pretty steep.
Steepest doesn mean hardest ...

quietobserver

Mamore Gap in Donegal hill, steep whatever its a killer

Near Carran in Co. Clare near cassidys pub (near the dolmen in all the burren photos) theres a hill 21% grass up the middle and straight run up it. Tis not easy

CDfm

patricks hill in cork is fairly steep

eVeNtInE

This post has been deleted.

CDfm

windmill lane in youghal also- but patricks seems

Húrin

Slideshowbob wrote: »

Is it the one out of Naul

No, even a total amateur like me did that one no problem two weekends ago. Surely the steepest is on an actual mountain?

flickerx

Húrin wrote: »

Surely the steepest is on an actual mountain?

probably, but lets talk about roads.

CDfm

are these roads or streets in towns

theres the hill in cobh called the deck of cards

cobh is all hills

blorg

Mahon Falls is nowhere near anything. The hill from Powerscourt up to the Djouce Road has the steepest sections that I have ever been on I reckon (I am claiming up to 25%, El Tonto admits at least 20%.)

brayblue24

blorg wrote: »

Mahon Falls is nowhere near anything. The hill from Powerscourt up to the Djouce Road has the steepest sections that I have ever been on I reckon (I am claiming up to 25%, El Tonto admits at least 20%.)

Tackled this one tihs morning for the first time. Not a great idea when you haven't been in the saddle for almost a month. That was tough.

There is a hill on the Wicklow Way between Tinahely and Shillelagh. I think it's called Boley. It's a bark to walk. Think it's supposed to be the steepest hill in Leinster.

skim

i would have 2 go with patrick hill in cork i never seen a road that steep

Colm R

skim wrote: »

i would have 2 go with patrick hill in cork i never seen a road that steep

I would have to go with Patricks Hill. It starts off steep and actually gets steeper towards the top. The old Nissan Classic Cycle race had a stage from Limerick to Cork and upon reaching Cork, they had to do a lap of the Northside 3 times including going up Patricks Hill. Unbelievable.


**By the way, I'm new on this particular forum. Hello***

blorg

Colm R wrote: »

I would have to go with Patricks Hill. It starts off steep and actually gets steeper towards the top. The old Nissan Classic Cycle race had a stage from Limerick to Cork and upon reaching Cork, they had to do a lap of the Northside 3 times including going up Patricks Hill. Unbelievable.

Welcome to the forum! The Tour of Ireland this year did four laps of the hill on the finishing circuit. Even the pros looked like they were having a hard time. Must try it some time although I believe it is generally one way in the wrong direction?

Raam

blorg wrote: »

Welcome to the forum! The Tour of Ireland this year did four laps of the hill on the finishing circuit. Even the pros looked like they were having a hard time. Must try it some time although I believe it is generally one way in the wrong direction?

Magnus looks like he is about to fall over in that!

paddyb

blorg wrote: »

Mahon Falls is nowhere near anything. The hill from Powerscourt up to the Djouce Road has the steepest sections that I have ever been on I reckon (I am claiming up to 25%, El Tonto admits at least 20%.)

Have to agree there, its the steepest ive done

penfold83

I've been around Cork a bit in the recent past and while St. Patrick's Hill is most certainly steep, there is a hill in Cobh which is definitely steeper. I know it as Library Hill, it leads away from the very centre of the town up towards the cathedral direction. Not sure if it's the same one mentioned earlier as The Deck of Cards?

**I'm new to the forum as well, hello everybody!**

Trojan

The gable end of my folks place. It's a killer on my fixie.

Capt'n Midnight

blorg wrote: »

Mahon Falls is nowhere near anything. The hill from Powerscourt up to the Djouce Road has the steepest sections that I have ever been on I reckon (I am claiming up to 25%, El Tonto admits at least 20%.)

the bit at the very bottom near the bridge is the steepest bit

devils elbow - between eniskerry and johnie foxes is bad too
devils glen - near tiglin hostel is a long one

achill island the hill right at the very end

Hermy

Glengeesh in Donegal is one of the steeper roads I've driven up.
Have any of you ever cycled it?

DirkVoodoo

There is something seedy about that site Hermy: "Meet cyclists", "Meet singles into cycling" were two of the banners that greeted me :eek:

joemc99

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

There is something seedy about that site Hermy: "Meet cyclists", "Meet singles into cycling" were two of the banners that greeted me :eek:

Lads, you gotta try to private roads to the VERY TOP of mt leinster and kippure....mtn leinster was savage, all the others do not have a patch on it.....but I hear there is one in donegal that is a monster.

We used to do a race every year from N11 (10 mtrs elevation) to top kippure via enniskerry & glencree, real hard.....best time was 49 minutes by Robin. Give it a go, you wont regret it, views are incredible.

Caroline_ie

joemc99 wrote: »

Lads, you gotta try to private roads to the VERY TOP of mt leinster and kippure....
We used to do a race every year from N11 (10 mtrs elevation) to top kippure via enniskerry & glencree, real hard.....best time was 49 minutes by Robin. Give it a go, you wont regret it, views are incredible.

Kippure is hard but I think the max gradient is only 17% near the top around the last bend, the rest is a steady 11/12% ( I think ). Obviously, you would cycle up it after going up Sally Gap.

luckat

What's that pass in Kerry - Connor Pass, is it? Only Walker's Brazil-nut-encrusted toffee and the water from a stream halfway up got me to the top. What a killer - but what a view! And what a wheeeee down on the other side!

luckat

What's that pass in Kerry - Connor Pass, is it? Only Walker's Brazil-nut-encrusted toffee and the water from a stream halfway up got me to the top. What a killer - but what a view! And what a wheeeee down on the other side!

RobFowl

I'd go for Mamore gap definately. On the Ras 2 years ago the ambulance didn't even make it over ! As for Naul !!! I'm a fat git and can get over that in the big ring !

Raam

Slideshowbob wrote:

Is it the one out of Naul

There is no climb out of Naul

Hermy

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

There is something seedy about that site Hermy: "Meet cyclists", "Meet singles into cycling" were two of the banners that greeted me :eek:

I'll never mention it again.:o:D

oobydooby

Hermy wrote: »

Glengeesh in Donegal is one of the steeper roads I've driven up.
Have any of you ever cycled it?

Yep, I like this one. First time I did it I had to dismount and walk. There was a van trying to get up it too and he was slipping backwards for a bit. Probably going from 2nd to 1st gear now that I drive myself... Great going down it, I got up a huge speed (when I was a bit younger and more immortal).

Here's one I recently had to dismount to get up. I didn't know the road and had slowed almost to a stop at the base of it. I reckon I could power up it but I haven't returned since. It's just around the corner from Lough Dan bringing you from Sally gap into Laragh without going by Glenmacneas.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=Unknown+road&hl=en&geocode=FfKIKQMdfUag_w%3BFbBzKQMd0kWg_w&mra=ls&sll=53.103825,-6.23062&sspn=0.185919,0.53009&ie=UTF8&ll=53.066698,-6.289501&spn=0.02326,0.066261&t=h&z=14

Funkyzeit

penfold83 wrote: »

I've been around Cork a bit in the recent past and while St. Patrick's Hill is most certainly steep, there is a hill in Cobh which is definitely steeper. I know it as Library Hill, it leads away from the very centre of the town up towards the cathedral direction. Not sure if it's the same one mentioned earlier as The Deck of Cards?

**I'm new to the forum as well, hello everybody!**

Welcome aswell !!
I unfortunatley know that hill from walking up and down it after the Cork-Cobh run a couple of weeks ago....steep alright...

72hundred

oobydooby wrote: »

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=Unknown+road&hl=en&geocode=FfKIKQMdfUag_w%3BFbBzKQMd0kWg_w&mra=ls&sll=53.103825,-6.23062&sspn=0.185919,0.53009&ie=UTF8&ll=53.066698,-6.289501&spn=0.02326,0.066261&t=h&z=14

You know you're in trouble when the webpage comes up as "Unknown Road to Unknown Road"!!!

blorg

oobydooby wrote: »

Here's one I recently had to dismount to get up. I didn't know the road and had slowed almost to a stop at the base of it. I reckon I could power up it but I haven't returned since. It's just around the corner from Lough Dan bringing you from Sally gap into Laragh without going by Glenmacneas.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=Unknown+road&hl=en&geocode=FfKIKQMdfUag_w%3BFbBzKQMd0kWg_w&mra=ls&sll=53.103825,-6.23062&sspn=0.185919,0.53009&ie=UTF8&ll=53.066698,-6.289501&spn=0.02326,0.066261&t=h&z=14

That's the one with "slow, slow, slower" painted on the descent, right? It's steep all right but not too bad if you know it's coming- not in the same league as Old Long Hill or Kippure certainly. TBH it is long enough that I don't know "powering up" is the best strategy- I make it 218m to 290m (+73m) over almost 1km exactly. 7.4% average but it certainly goes well above 10% in places. (The road up to Lough Dan there has a few steep bits in it too, although it is not quite as long.)

ryan_sherlock

I like a bit of the hill climbs so I'll throw in my 2c.

The Devils Elbow is a good one, super short but steep twisty climbing.

If you include offroading, from the base of Djouce Forest Park to the top of Djouce is pretty tough - a good 40 minute climb. Or for the extreme lot, bone shaker from the Gala Shop to the tip top. (Niall Davis in 18-19 minutes?)

On the road though, nothing beats the Mamore Gap - it held the National Hill Climb champs this year and to add to it all, there was a huge headwind and it was raining I wrote a report about my experience here.

A hill I climb a lot is from the bottom bridge to the middle bridge on the way up to Cruagh (Edmondstown Road). My best time somewhere around 3:50 - it's not particularly steep or hard, I just like it because the road surface is okay and it's a steady 8%.

Chips Lovell

ryan_sherlock wrote: »

A hill I climb a lot is from the bottom bridge to the middle bridge on the way up to Cruagh (Edmondstown Road). My best time somewhere around 3:50 - it's not particularly steep or hard, I just like it because the road surface is okay and it's a steady 8%.

+1 I like that one a lot. Nice testing one and isn't too far from town either.

bcmf

Going from Ardcath to Bellewstown.Very short and very steep.Will get measurements later and put them up.Prob not the steepest but I reckon it will come in at a savage gradient.

LDB

On the road though, nothing beats the Mamore Gap - it held the National Hill Climb champs this year and to add to it all, there was a huge headwind and it was raining I wrote a report about my experience here.

Ryan - would be interested to see the route. could you send it on google maps or something? looks like fun in a painful kinda way! Cool pic of you going up.

RobFowl

bcmf wrote: »

Going from Ardcath to Bellewstown.Very short and very steep.Will get measurements later and put them up.Prob not the steepest but I reckon it will come in at a savage gradient.

This is the one i've come closest to walking on in the past few years. Starts off not too bad but savage near the top !

idlebones

The Sight of Mark Cavendish, fresh from winning four stages of the tour de france this year, turn his bike around and quiting the race at the foot of St Patricks hill in Cork this year in the Tour of Ireland gives that hill my vote. Ok, so he's a sprinter, but he did manage the Alp D'heuz in July!

blorg

The Alpe d'Huez is a piece of piss, I did it 6am in the morning before breakfast last Tuesday St. Patrick's Hill 4 times is quite a different matter.

ryan_sherlock

LDB - a have it on google maps here.

bcmf

RobFowl wrote: »

This is the one i've come closest to walking on in the past few years. Starts off not too bad but savage near the top !

OK someone with a better understanding of Maths might be able to work out the grad for this.
I got the height from my sGarmin sat nav and the distance from my car.

In total the Hill is 1.3miles long.At the bottom I got a reading of 61mtrs (ie 61mtrs above sea level) and at the top 150mtrs
BUT
from O miles to 0.6 miles it goes from 61mtrs to 92mtrs
AND
from 0.6 miles to 1.3 miles it goes from 92mtrs to 150mtrs

Lumen

bcmf wrote: »

from O miles to 0.6 miles it goes from 61mtrs to 92mtrs

3.2% grade.

bcmf wrote: »

from 0.6 miles to 1.3 miles it goes from 92mtrs to 150mtrs

5.15% grade.

"The climb up Alpe d'Huez is 13.8 km at an average gradient of 7.9%"

LDB

ryan_sherlock wrote: »

LDB - a have it on google maps here.

Thanks for that.

blorg

Lumen wrote: »

3.2% grade. ... 5.15% grade. ... "The climb up Alpe d'Huez is 13.8 km at an average gradient of 7.9%"

I still maintain it is a piece of piss, did it before breakfast last Tuesday on one cereal bar, remained aerobic all the way Racing it would of course be a different matter. On a slightly more serious note though, there are climbs in Ireland that while short are a hell of a lot steeper than the sort of thing they put in the tour.

penfold83

I've been around Cork a bit in the recent past and while St. Patrick's Hill is most certainly steep, there is a hill in Cobh which is definitely steeper. I know it as Library Hill, it leads away from the very centre of the town up towards the cathedral direction. Not sure if it's the same one mentioned earlier as The Deck of Cards?

It's cobbled as well.....!

snack_ie

Where is the Devil's Elbow?

Is that the short sharp one - which say you go up and over the fairybeds and then down through Glencree, past Cloon forest and before you reach Enniskerry you swing a left that heads over to Johny Foxes pub?
Cause there is a real pincher there which switches back on itself too? Not sure what its called? Is this the Devils Elbow?

blorg

snack_ie wrote: »

Where is the Devil's Elbow?

Is that the short sharp one - which say you go up and over the fairybeds and then down through Glencree, past Cloon forest and before you reach Enniskerry you swing a left that heads over to Johny Foxes pub?
Cause there is a real pincher there which switches back on itself too? Not sure what its called? Is this the Devils Elbow?

Yes, that's the one AFAIK.

Zorba

bcmf wrote: »

Going from Ardcath to Bellewstown.Very short and very steep.Will get measurements later and put them up.Prob not the steepest but I reckon it will come in at a savage gradient.

Which hill is it ? There's lots of steep hill around that area, is it the carns your on about maybe ?

there's also the hill from the duleek to julianstown road up to bellewstown (brings u up into the middle of the racecourse) which is an absolute bitch !

bcmf

Zorba wrote: »

Which hill is it ? There's lots of steep hill around that area, is it the carns your on about maybe ?

there's also the hill from the duleek to julianstown road up to bellewstown (brings u up into the middle of the racecourse) which is an absolute bitch !

Coming from Ardcath (away from Garristown in direction of Navan if ya know what I mean) take the 2nd Right Hand turn (1st leads to the bottom of the far side of snowtown,the hill that was mentioned by op).Then take the 1st Right Hand turn that road will lead you to the hill I am on aboutand onto the racecourse.
The hill at the pub on the corner is fairly steep as well.V short but v Steep.
Suppose when you think about it the racecourse is fairly high up so Hills everywhere.

thebouldwhacker

Paddys Hill is so steep that the first few times i tried to cycle up it the front of the bike kept lifting and I fell off backwards:o The only way I managed it was to go side to side:mad:
That hill really is the hardest hill to go up, however going down is fairly nerveracking too. I was going out with a girl who used to live at the top (fairly fit during that relationship:D) cycling down it at 6:30am on a frosty/snowy morning would wake you up quicker than pure caffine administerd intravenously:eek::eek:
Its the hill they used for the reb bull soap box race but they only started half way up cos the gradient is to severe for the last 40%...
I'd highly recommend ye all give it a go at some stage, the view from up there is pretty cool too...

wicked:D:D