Start: On the A38 at Cowslip Green GR481616
Finish: Northern Bristol Airport Roundabout GR513654
Horizontal Distance: 5.0km Height Gain: 155m
The road surface on the A38, north from Churchill lights, is rough and jarring so in may ways slowing down for the hill itself comes as a blessing. As the road has been laid out with an overtaking lane almost all the way up the hill the ever present fast moving traffic isn't too much of an issue - though it does provide a collection of pretty noxious gases to breathe in as you go. Perhaps I was unwise to choose a Monday morning.
Crossing the bridge over the Congresbury Yeo you can see the scale of the hill in front of you. You can't see the road, but you can see the crest of the hill and it's flat up there with an airport on the top so that's where you're going. The first kilometre or so is easy enough, just a gentle grind, but a short steeper section near the right turn for Lye Hole (and the Butcombe brewery) lets you know this isn't going to die easily. This is a short section though and the road again settles into a more affable gradient for 200m or so before you start on the hill proper and settle in to gain 90m in the next kilometre. The gradient does remain pretty constant through this part so can you settle into a rhythm and work on up. Keep your concentration though as the biggest issue is avoiding getting flattened by a speeding vehicle (most were doing over the allowed 50mph this morning according to the speed camera - I wasn't!) as you pick a line that avoids the potholes in the road.
Once through the small village of Redhill the gradient eases back considerably leaving you to finish the pull to the mixed sounds of aircraft and passing traffic. I must say I wish I'd made a 'no busy A roads' rule when selecting the 25 routes! Still - it's an obvious local hill and one that I guess most local cyclists will have done at some point.
Rating: Would be a really nice climb if the surface were better and the traffic was removed from the road. I suggest taking it on about 2am just after someone gets round to re-surfacing it. In the meanwhile, I suggest the recently described route from Wrington to Redhill and then up the lane the other side of the airport as a far more peaceful and less dangerous alternative that runs broadly parallel to this one.
DP
Finish: Northern Bristol Airport Roundabout GR513654
Horizontal Distance: 5.0km Height Gain: 155m
The road surface on the A38, north from Churchill lights, is rough and jarring so in may ways slowing down for the hill itself comes as a blessing. As the road has been laid out with an overtaking lane almost all the way up the hill the ever present fast moving traffic isn't too much of an issue - though it does provide a collection of pretty noxious gases to breathe in as you go. Perhaps I was unwise to choose a Monday morning.
Once through the small village of Redhill the gradient eases back considerably leaving you to finish the pull to the mixed sounds of aircraft and passing traffic. I must say I wish I'd made a 'no busy A roads' rule when selecting the 25 routes! Still - it's an obvious local hill and one that I guess most local cyclists will have done at some point.
DP
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