United Kingdom Widecombe (SW #10)
Widecombe (SW #10) Bike Climb - PJAMM Cycling

4.7
PDI
0.9 mi
DISTANCE
520 ft
GAINED
11.6 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
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INTRO

Widecombe is Climb #10 of Simon Warren's 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs (Great Britain). This Southwestern England climb in Devon County is within the Dartmoor National Park (95,312 hectares / 235,520 acres) established in 1951 as a National Park of England.  

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CLIMB SUMMARY

Cycling Widecombe - white road sign saying "Widecombe in the Moor Please Drive Slowly" against green hedge, Simon Warren's 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs Logo #10 in corner

This climb is a beast - after a brief and modest beginning with a gradual grade (170m @ 7%) Widecombe takes off like a rocket -- 12.2% for the final 1.2 kilometers.  We are surrounded by low brush and shrubs for most of the climb, making the views to the front and side not much to speak of, but there are gorgeous views to our back, showing off the valley and farmland we climb away from.  Cycling Uphill calls the Widecombe Hill climb “a classic British hill climb”.

Cycling Widecombe - photo collage, sign for Dartmoor National Park, road sign noting 20% grade, keep in low gear, panoramic views of pastureland from above, church steeple, PJAMM cycling logo in corner

Widecombe hosted the British National Hill Climb Championships in 1990 (Chris Boardman wins the third of his four consecutive championships this year).  

Chris Boardman wins at Widcombe in 1990.

Photo: Cycling Weekly

Cycling Widecombe - road sign for 20% grade along one-lane road 

The calm before the storm.  Warning sign 100 meters before start of climb.

Cycling Widecombe - narrow, one-lane road surrounded in tall, thick hedges 

Not many great views along the first half of the climb.

Cycling Widecombe - view from top of climb looking back down over pastureland, straight, two-lane road, road sign for 20% grade 

Sweeping views leading back down the climb just after leaving the top.  

Cycling Widecombe - aerial view of two lane road with car park along side, wide open pastureland

Car park is the finish (center left);

The Haytor Vale climb is to the east of our finish.

 

Steepest ½ kilometer begins at 700 meters (13.3%).

This Southwestern England climb in Devon County is within the Dartmoor National Park (95,312 hectares / 235,520 acres), established in 1951 as a National Park of England:

“Dartmoor is an area of moorland in southern Devon, England. Protected by National Park status as Dartmoor National Park, it covers 954 km2 (368 sq mi).

The granite which forms the uplands dates from the Carboniferous Period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The highest point is High Willhays, 621 m (2,037 ft) above sea level. The entire area is rich in antiquities and archaeology.

Dartmoor is managed by the Dartmoor National Park Authority, whose 22 members are drawn from Devon County Council, local district councils and Government.

Parts of Dartmoor have been used as military firing ranges for over 200 years. The public is granted extensive land access rights on Dartmoor (including restricted access to the firing ranges) and it is a popular tourist destination”  (Dartmoor National Park).

100 Hills for George:

“Widecombe is a lovely village – if slightly confusing as there don’t appear to be any real houses here! There is a Church, there are teashops coming out of your ears, there is a National Trust property, there was a gift shop – and that was about it! . . .

The climb itself was pretty easy to find - there aren’t that many roads leading out of Widecombe on the Moor and only one that goes clearly straight up. You get a fantastic view of the road from the village – and as Simon says, you can see the summit as a target virtually the whole way up.”