Dowgang Hush – Simon Warren #184

• SW Rating: 7/10
• Wheelygood Rating: Hard
• Length: 0.84 miles
• Avg. gradient: 11%
• Category: 4
• Strava Segment: https://www.strava.com/segments/16401570
• Route: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1048600
• Parking: You can usually find a place to park around the streets of Nenthead…

Oh, dear. This is one of those where I’m happy to engage in that discussion between the relative difficulties of climbs. Personally, I think this one is a complete swine – and not just because of the additional entertainment of the headwind on the day I filmed it.

Nenthead: the scene of that classic Pennine ascent of Killhope Cross. And, perpendicular to this, is Dowgang Hush.

Once you’ve threaded your way through the back streets of Nenthead to get to the bottom of this one, it’s a simple turn straight into double digit gradients. There’s no messing about here and it just continues to get steeper and steeper until it hits its maximum of 27%. And, of course, you’ll have to keep going, because if you don’t, all of the people in the houses at the bottom will come out and laugh at you. And no-one wants that.

Assuming you survive the initial onslaught, you will be rewarded by a (temporary) lessening of gradient and what will feel like an ironically painted ‘SLOW’ sign on the road. Admittedly it’s for traffic coming down the hill, but, somehow, it feels like it’s been painted there just for you.

Having received your reward, back up to 18% you go on the next ramp. You may also have noticed the other ramps in the distance. This is because you’re only about 1/4 of the way to the top…

And so it goes on: ramp after ramp in the 15-18% range and the ‘rest’ sections seldom dropping below double digits. Oh, yes, and by this point you’ve probably also met up with the other factor on this climb: the prevailing wind. If you’re not familiar with the area, then let me explain. The North Pennines is one of the windier locations in the North of England and its prevailing direction is, in this case, is South-West or, on most days, pretty much ‘straight in your face’.

At least you’re now past the steepest section, but there are plenty more into the upper teens as you continue to climb. There’s even a false summit – it looks as though the climb finishes by the small wood on to the left of the road. In fact, this is an illusion designed to play with your mind. As you get there you realise the truth: there is no summit. Not here, anyway. There’s nothing for it, but to keep turning the pedals over and hope for some salvation a bit further up.

Salvation will come, but it’s not a bit further up. It’s quite a lot further up. You’ll know when you’ve reached it, because, weather permitting, an extraordinary vista will open up in front of you as you get to see right across the North Pennines. On a really good day, you should be able to see right across to one of the highest points (and the highest poaved road in England): Great Dun Fell. If you’ve not, then this is also very definitely worth checking out on the bike when the weather is good!

From here you have a choice: either drop back down into Nenthead down an … interesting … descent (see the second video) that involves gravel and much steepness, or you can continue straight on to the crossroads onto the Alston-Middleton-in-Teesdale road. It’s all great cycling country, but you’ll be given no favours anywhere – you’ll have to earn every yard, but it’s so worth it!

Congratulations for making it up here – I found it a brute of a climb and you deserve all the credit for making it too!

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…

Dowgang Hush - Simon Warren #184

Dowgang Hush Descent