Robin Hood’s Bay – Simon Warren Cycling Climbs of Yorkshire
- SW Rating: 8/10
- Wheelygood Rating: Medium
- Length: 1.56 miles
- Avg. gradient: 7%
- Category: 3
- Strava Segment: https://www.strava.com/segments/19507861
- Route: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1121972
- Parking: Station car park, Robin Hood’s Bay
You’re down here, in Robin Hood’s Bay and the road goes to the top of the North York Moors. Not much choice, really, but to head up and find out what’s what. One word of caution: this is the main Southerly route in and out of Robin Hood’s Bay, so you might find it busy with traffic if you pick a nice day to ride this one!
Assuming you’re still up for it, then the climb starts before you even leave the village. You’ll get some momentum from the small declination beforehand so you’ll be half way up the first ramp before you really feel that you’re putting pressure on the pedals, but it does kick up pretty much immediately into the teens (17% was the highest I saw for this section).
As you round the first corner the road will flatten off completely for a short period and you can get your breath back before the next 15% ramp which will take you, finally, out of the village itself. Neither of these ramps are particularly vicious – in fact they feel pretty steady when you’re riding them.
This is just as well as it gets harder from here. You’ll now hit a false flat followed by the Main Pull where you’re straight up to 15% rising to a mere 22% as the 25% sign looms ever closer. It never quite reaches the magic 1-in-4, but it’s enough!
Somewhat ironically, as soon as you pass the gradient sign, the slope eases into another false flat, which allows you to catch your breath before the hairpin and next big ramp. This one kicks up quite severely around the bend, but then eases back into the mid-teens as the road straightens out. It’s at about this point that the tree cover starts to become more sparse and, if it’s windy, you’ll likely have that to deal with too for the rest of the way to the top and, if it’s anything like the day I filmed it, it will get stronger and stronger as you continue to climb.
And so it goes on. And on. Steeper ramp followed by false flat again and again, each one feeling just that little bit worse than the last. Keep on going – not too far now! Finally you’ll reach the last crest where, on a nice day, you’re rewarded with a view right across the Eastern Moors. I didn’t have a lot of opportunity, as you’ll see on the video, because the crosswind was so strong that I was struggling just to keep the bike upright and moving in just about the right direction! On a nice day (it does happen), it’s fabulous!
Brilliant effort for making it to the top!
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…
