Devil’s Staircase, Powys
Devil’s Staircase, Powys
The Devil’s Staircase is so called with good reason – a short but hellishly steep ascent in Powys, south Wales.
It welcomes riders with a modest gradient close to five per cent, but this is starter ahead of what is to come. The Devil’s Staircase then kicks up to an unrelenting gradient, with the climb a regular feature in the Milk Race in years gone by.
After passing a cattle grid the road ramps up painfully, with a gradient touching 25 per cent. Two tight bends kick up further to sap any energy remaining, before a gentler gradient to the summit comes as welcome relief to tired legs and lungs..
Vital statistics
Length: 1.3km
Elevation: 151m
Average gradient: 12 per cent
Maximum gradient: 25 per cent