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One of the things many of us love about cycling is challenging ourselves. What started with simply trying to get up a hill without having to get off, can easily progress to feats of epic suffering (if you're so inclined)! The idea of the challenges on this page is that you just go off and have a go, record the ride or segment on Strava, and earn your bragging rights! The leader boards are based on our members-only Strava club. Please let Phil know if any need updating!
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The 'SUCK it up Princess' loop
This is a nice, straightforward, can't-get-lost, whatever-the-weather loop from Wadebridge to Camelford and back. It's undulating, but nothing too steep and it's all on main roads. (If you want to know why it's so called, come to the pub after a club ride and ask!)
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Anticlockwise Princess
47km/29 miles Head out of Wadebridge towards Bodmin on the A389 and pass through Washaway. Just before the road drops down to Dunmere take the sharp left to Camelford on the B3266. Follow this road all the way to Valley Truckle where you turn right onto the A39 for a few hundred yards and then left following the B3266 towards Tintagel. At the crossroads with the B3314 turn left towards Delabole and stay on that road all the way back to Wadebridge. |
Club members:
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Clockwise Princess
47km/29 miles Head out of Wadebridge towards Polzeath on the B3314 and stay on that road all the way up until you've passed through Delabole. At the crossroads with the B3266 near Slaughterbridge turn right towards Camelford. When you come to the A39 turn right and then left after the garage back onto the B3266. Follow this road all the way to where it meets the A389 near Washaway, where you turn sharp right and head back to Wadebridge. |
The Camel Bridges Challenge
If you want a gentle ride up and down the beautiful Camel Valley, you can of course cycle along the Camel Trail cycle path. However, the river Camel gets its name from an old Cornish word meaning 'crooked', so here's a slightly twisted alternative for you - the Camel Bridges Challenge. The idea of the route is to cross all 17 of the river Camel's proper road bridges (not counting farm tracks, dead ends etc.). There are plenty of steep hills and very minor roads (some occasionally gated), so please be careful - many of the descents are as challenging as the climbs. All routes start and end on Wadebridge old bridge.
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Upstream Bridges
100km/63 miles, 1900m/6200ft climbing Heading towards Bodmin on the main road you soon veer off to start your slalom up and down the sides of the Camel valley. You won't go through Bodmin, but there's a quick detour to the Borough Arms and back to make sure the Dunmere bridge isn't missed out. From Washaway you take the Camelford road with regular detours down into the valley on your right, over the Camel, up to the edge of Bodmin Moor, back down to cross the river and up again etc - until you reach Camelford. Then you loop up to the source of the Camel before a swift blast back via Delabole to your final bridge, the Wadebridge bypass flyover for a great view of the old bridge where you started. |
The Coasters Challenge
The coastal scenery either side of the Camel Estuary is absolutely stunning, and provides some pretty challenging riding too. This route hugs the coast as close as the roads allow. Please be particularly careful when riding these routes during the holiday season, as some of the coastal towns and villages do get busy.
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Northern Coast (Rock-Widemouth-Rock)
100km/62 miles, 2500m/8200 climbing Starting by the beach at Rock (where the ferry usually lands) you head up the coast, mostly along the coast road. Be warned: this ride includes some tough climbs, including Millook (see below) and Port Isaac's Church Hill. And of course you do them in both directions, so there are some hairy descents too. |
Of course, if you're slightly deranged, you could try doing both routes in one go, utilising the Padstow/Rock ferry service (£8 return for adult plus bike).
Wadebridge exit Ramps
You can't ride a road out of Wadebridge without going up a hill. But do you prefer short and steep, or long(ish) and gentle(r)? Here are five options, in clockwise order:
Here are a few more of our club members' favourite challenges:
Bishop's Wood Hill (aka 'Hustyns Hill')
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Situated near Burlawn just outside Wadebridge, Simon Warren awards this climb 9/10 in 'Another 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs':
Start as you cross the stream, round the bend, pass the first 28% warning sign and then keep left at the fork. If you can climb this next stretch of road you'll pretty much be able to climb anything. Viciously steep, strewn with gravel and debris, punctuated by momentum-sapping ridges it's a perfect storm of obstacles. A large lump in the tarmac marks the end of the steepest stretch. It's still very hard after this, 20% easing back, then 20% again. But it does eventually abate and after numerous kinks right and left, you'll eventually reach the summit of Cornwall's hidden beast. |
Fastest club members:
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SHell Woods
Millook ClimbS
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A bit further afield but still within Coasters' range is Millook, a beautiful seaside hamlet nestled between two horrific 30% inclines. The climb heading south gets 9/10 in 'Another 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs'. To quote Simon Warren again:
Bending left away from the bridge at the base you're almost instantly faced with a 30% corner - but what follows is worse. You are delivered into a remorseless stretch of 20% climbing, you'll beat your maximum and need to recover but it's just not possible.On and on, steeper still in the corners. It is now just about survival. Although easing slightly in places,the final rise will take everything you've got. Keep your focus on the brow, reach this and although it's not quite the top, you're safe and can relax. |
Fastest club members:
Fastest club members:
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CHurch Hill
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Port Isaac is not just the location of the Coasters' TV debut, but also one of our 'favourite' challenges. Church hill is everything a Cornish climb should be: a narrow, winding, relentlessly steep climb starting in a tourist hotspot. Actually it's such a hot tourist spot, you might want to avoid Port Isaac 'in season'.
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Fastest club members:
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