High Green – Simon Warren Cycling Climbs of the North East
- SW Rating: 6/10
- Wheelygood Rating: Easy
- Length: 1.49 miles
- Avg. gradient: 6%
- Category: 4
- Strava Segment: https://www.strava.com/segments/19601882
- Parking: Find a quiet spot by the side of the road is the order of the day for this one!
A climb so anonymous that Mrs W, who hails from this part of Northumberland, had never heard of it.
It begins, as many things do, at the beginning. Specifically, in this case, at a cattle grid. This is always an interesting phenomenon, because it usually implies that, somewhere along the route, you could be accosted by something in Nature. I nearly was.
The climb itself is divided up into three main sections separated by flat, and even downhill, parts: a long initial pull, then a second, shorter, pull with a final assault up to the summit.
This particular climb never gets hugely steep (from the, admittedly quite specialised, view of someone who does a lot of steep hills), but it does drag on a bit. The initial ramp is in and around the 10% mark, but the surface is good and, with luck, you might even have a little bit of a tailwind. It is slightly deceptive in that the thing you think is the top of this ramp isn’t and you have to keep on climbing, but that shouldn’t come as much surprise if you’ve done any number of Simon Warren’s in the past (or have ever ridden in the Yorkshire Dales). As you reach the top of the ramp you may have to plan Dodge The Dog. It just barked at me, but you can’t be too careful with these situations.
The brief respite is followed by another, much shorter and shallower ramp. Suffice it to say that it’s quite dull and appears to exist only as a means of getting between the two more interesting parts…
The second respite is longer and serves as something of a calm before the storm. Enjoy the freewheel as it’s the last chance you’ll have until the summit! I’d also recommend dodging the sheep which may decide to have a wander into the road…
The final pull has a couple of steeper parts, one of which goes all the way up to 18% (the other’s not so bad around the 14% range). It’s bleak and exposed up here, so don’t be surprised if you’re pushed around by the wind a bit too. Keep your eyes on the prize and, eventually, you’ll get there!
Once at the top, have yourself a quick self-congratulation, but not for too long otherwise you will get cold…
If there are any other road climbs you’d like me to take on, the more ridiculous the better, then please send me a message on my FaceBook page https://www.facebook.com/wheelygoodcycling/ or email me on wheelygoodmail@gmail.com and let me know…
