Steeps › Britain's steepest streets, ranked
Britain's steepest streets, ranked
A ranking of the steepest streets and hills we could document, with the length, average gradient and maximum gradient each source gives.
The table
BikeRadar's ranking of UK climbs, which we opened, gives these figures. Gradients are given as a percentage.
| Climb | Where | Length | Average | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bamford Clough | Peak District | 664 m | 21% | 36.5% |
| Afon Ddu | Conwy Valley | 691 m | 22% | 34.5% |
| Rosedale Chimney | North York Moors | 1,340 m | 14% | 33% |
| Hardknott Pass | Lake District | 2,203 m | 13% | 33% |
| Ffordd Pen Llech | Harlech | 335 m | 20% | 28.6% |
| Trooper Lane | Halifax | 769 m | 14.8% | 27.7% |
| Vale Street | Bristol | 100 m | 22.9% | 25.6% |
Why the rankings change
Sort the table by average gradient and Vale Street, Afon Ddu and Bamford Clough lead. Sort by maximum and Bamford Clough comes top. Sort by length and Hardknott is the longest of the group. There is no single right answer, which is why different publications name different "steepest" roads. Wikipedia, for example, gives Ffordd Pen Llech's steepest section a tangent gradient of 1:2.73, or about 36.6%, which is the figure behind the 40% warning sign at the top, while Guinness uses the 28.6% centreline measurement.
Vale Street, Bristol
Two sources describe Vale Street, in Bristol, differently. BikeRadar gives 100 metres with an average of 22.9% and a maximum of 25.6%. Road Cycling UK gives 0.2 km, a rise of 17 metres, an average of 25% and a maximum of 33%. Road Cycling UK describes it as the steepest residential street in Britain, and the differing figures make it a good example of why figures differ by survey method. We treat the exact figure as unsettled.
Steep but not in the top group
Countryfile adds Steep Hill in Lincoln (about 14% average, 20% maximum), a cobbled street best tackled on foot, and Porlock Hill on the A39 in Somerset (9.3% average, 25% maximum) with escape lanes and a toll-road bypass. Gold Hill in Shaftesbury is famous for a 1973 advert but we found no documented gradient for it, so it is not ranked here.
Where to read more
Go to the country pages for detail: England, Wales and Scotland. For the 2019 title fight, read the Guinness story. For the maths, see how gradients are measured.
Always check access and local signs before you visit; some of these streets are residential and have narrow pavements, so treat them with respect.
Reading the ranking
Think of the table as three questions. How hard is the worst bit? That is the maximum. How hard is the whole climb? That is the average. How long does it last? That is the length. A road that is bad on all three, like Hardknott Pass at 33% maximum, 13% average and over two kilometres, is a serious undertaking for any vehicle. A road that is very steep but over in 100 metres, like Vale Street, is a different challenge. The Welsh streets show the same pattern: Ffordd Pen Llech averages 20% over 335 metres, which is steeper on average than Rosedale Chimney Bank but over a quarter of its length.
Frequently asked questions
What is the steepest street in England?
Vale Street in Bristol is described as the steepest residential street in Britain. Its quoted gradient varies by source, from a maximum of 25.6% to 33%.
Which has the highest maximum gradient on the list?
Bamford Clough in the Peak District at about 36.5%, according to BikeRadar.
Why do two sources give different numbers?
They measure different stretches and use different methods.