Bwlch-y-Groes (Hellfire Pass), Gwynedd
Bwlch-y-Groes (Hellfire Pass), Gwynedd
Known in English as Hellfire Pass, the Bwlch-y-Groes is every bit as devilish as it sounds.
Both the length and the gradient of the climb make the highest pass in Wales stand out as one of Britain’s toughest.
The climbing starts immediately, with several nasty pitches at the bottom – approaching 25 per cent gradient – before a long, brutal straight with no place to hide.
Covering a total of 3.5km, making it one of the longer of Britain’s steep climbs, the ascent is a true leg burner with the gradient rarely dropping below double digits.
Vital statistics
Length: 3.5km
Elevation: 385m
Average gradient: 11 per cent
Maximum gradient: 25 per cent