All the cycling data and info you'll need to climb The Road to Hell (SW #89)

Cycling the Road to Hell, Wales.

Of the Top 100 British Climbs, this had the best cloud formations.

We wondered why this climb is coined “The Road to Hell” -- and frankly, we still aren’t quite sure.  There are no signs nor any indication of lucifer, hell, an inferno, underworld activity, spirits or otherwise - nothing.  The name is really quite a head scratcher, as the climb is quite wonderful.  

From our internet research, as best we can tell, this climb was named The Road to Hell by the organizers of the Dave Lloyd Challenge (an event apparently run several times between 2000 and 2010, but no longer).  The closest Simon Warren comes to explaining the name is at the end of his climb summary where he writes, “bending gently right, just one more strength-sapping push delivers you into the hands of the Devil.”  (100 Greatest Cycling Climbs, Britain, p. 152, emphasis added).

We can attest that it is as windy as hell at the top . . . perhaps that explains it?

. . . the wind farm at the top of the climb.

This is one of the longest of the 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs, Britain at 11 km (the longest climb on that list is 11.3 km). The 11 km of this climb average only 3.2%, with the steepest stretch being 570 meters at 14.4% -- but even that is mitigated by a 1.5 km -4.1% descent immediately following it.

Ranches on the route in addition to the wind farm.

The first segment of roadway is quite narrow, but it widens about five km up the road.

The climb finishes near the northern tip of Lyn Brenig Reservoir, which used to control the flow of the River Dee.

We encountered some amazing cloud formations along this climb (consistent with other Top 100’s we completed in Wales).  

Steepest kilometer begins at km 2.4 (11.4%).

Views along the climb (bottom left and right are drone photos).