Steep slopes

Last Saturday was the race up Kirkfell at the Wasdale Show, which climbs about 710 metres in 1.7km (ignoring the run across the field at the start). This, the steepest race in England, has got me thinking about where else we might have a brutally steep race. Let’s consider climbs of at least 600m, and start in England and Wales. Much of what I write below is the result of me gazing at maps; I have not done all these ascents myself.

Although there are Skyrunning races which involve serious scrambling, I will not consider such routes as suitable for a fell race; so the north ridge of Tryfan, 610m climbing in about 0.9km, is not considered suitable. But on the other side of the valley, the path up Pen yr Ole Wen has 670m climbing in 1.7km. Back in the Lake District, extending the Gategill race to the 851m spot height on the main Blencathra ridge (to satisfy my 600m+ criterion) would give about 700m climbing in 2.5km. Going up Helvellyn from the nearest point on the A591 by Thirlmere is 770m of climbing in about 2.1km.

Finally, just two examples in Scotland. Going up Ben More from the A85 just east of Crianlarich gives a neat Vertical Kilometre in just 2.4km. But Britain’s greatest slope of all must surely be the 1200m of climbing in just 2.2km from the road end in Glen Nevis to the top of Ben Nevis. Come on, Lochaber AC: it's time to organise The Real Ben Nevis Race.

A shame about your 600m limit as there are some great shorter climbs which are incredibly steep to be had. Pick virtually any Shropshire race for a start!

The western Aonach Eagach peak, Sgorr nam Fiannaidh, if tackled directly (as in the Glencoe Skyline race) is 880m in under 1.5km

Wansfell Pike race route is pretty steep - 300 metres of up/down from the kissing gate in 0.95 km. Or just under 1,000 feet in just under 0.6 miles.

When i was in Skye i did various routes direct from the road up the north slopes of Glamaig.

Whether they're any steeper i don't know... but they were pretty rough.

Moel Hebog is supposed to be beastly.

Hebog is wonderfully beastly but more for the massive boulder field rather than ultimate steepness, Cnicht is similarly beastly for the delightful gully full of vertical schist bedding planes...Its like running down a channel full of razor blades on edge looking up at you! God, I miss racing!

I have used Strava segment explore before to find steep slopes when wanting to do some hill reps. A quick look on the lakes comes up with plenty of really steep sections.

Kirk Fell - 0.93 miles / 43.1%
Seat Sandal - 0.68 miles / 34.4%
Halls Fell - 1.18 miles / 31.2%
High Stile - 0.94 miles / 29.4%
Carlside - 1.26 miles / 28.7%
Clough Head - 0.78 miles / 27.9%

I think Wainwright described the direct climb of Blease Fell as the longest continuous slope in the lakes. Doing it from the beck to the summit it might not be the longest or the steepest but it's possibly the most consistent. I used to use it combined with a direct ascent of Lonscale Fell as Jura training.

How about from the road at Crummock Water via Red Gill to the cairn at 740m on Grasmoor? 600m ascent in 1.2km (horizontal)

Thanks for all these comments. Sgorr nam Fiannaidh above Glencoe does indeed look impressive on the map. Glamaig would also be really brutal from the nearest point on the A87; the Glamaig Hill Race goes from Sligachan, so has a bit of gentler climbing before the really steep stuff. And the Grasmoor climb from Crummock Water must be among the best in the Lakes.

All this has reminded me that Autumn is when the steepest and most prestigious Vertical Kilometre races in the Alps take place. I have just been looking at some results, and I see that Christel Dewalle is continuing her one-woman campaign of lowering the VK World Record. After her 34:55 at Le Grand Serre in 2022, she did 34:14 a few weeks later at Fully, and has now lowered that to 34:12 at this year's VK at Fully. [Holly Page was 3rd woman, but more than 7 minutes slower.] As far as I am aware, no other woman has gone below 35 minutes at any Vertical Kilometre race. Among the men, no-one has come near Philip Götsch's 28:53, achieved in 2017 at Fully.

Grassmoor via Red Gill is indeed steep and long.... however in my view it would be too loose to be considered for a race.

Scafell from Wastwater via Green How is a long one by English standards. And i think the only place they've ever had a Vertical Kilometre in Wales is the Watkin Path, although doesn't strike me as incredibly steep.

Helvellyn from Thirlmere via the reverse of the Old County Tops descent is quite sustained, although perhaps not quite as steep as some of the others.

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Originally Posted by Travs

Grassmoor via Red Gill is indeed steep and long.... however in my view it would be too loose to be considered for a race.

Scafell from Wastwater via Green How is a long one by English standards. And i think the only place they've ever had a Vertical Kilometre in Wales is the Watkin Path, although doesn't strike me as incredibly steep.

Helvellyn from Thirlmere via the reverse of the Old County Tops descent is quite sustained, although perhaps not quite as steep as some of the others.

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That Vertical Kilometre race on Yr Wyddfa wasn't even as steep as going all the way up the Watkin path; it went up the South Ridge, via the col north of Yr Aran. A route up the Watkin path, taking all the possible shortcuts in the upper part, would be reasonably steep, but still not comparable to the ones I mentioned in the Alps.