Hard, relentless, lacking an easy enough gear and epic. These are words and phrases I am sure many conquerors of Great Dun Fell have muttered both during and after the challenge. Whichever words you end up using, there is no doubt that this section of road is unlike any other you’ve probably scaled in the UK. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at what it is like to cycle Britain’s highest road.
Where Is Great Dun Fell?
This beauty of a climb also happens to be located in a stunning part of the country. The climb itself starts at the hamlet of Knock, which is located close to Penrith and Appleby-In-Westmorland in Cumbria. It is a little-known area, with many people opting to head to the nearby Lake District or Yorkshire Dales instead. Clearly these are both brilliant destinations in their own right, but this corner of the Cumbria should not be overlooked.
This whole area sandwiched between The Lake District and The North Pennines is known as The Eden Valley. I guess the River Eden meandering its way north from the looming Pennines has got a fair bit to do with that. Most of the valley is rural with scattered villages, farms and rolling roads that are virtually traffic free. It was wonderful exploring them to and from Great Dun Fell itself.
The North Pennines
I’ve included this as a separate heading, because I’ve come to love this area of natural beauty. It isn’t up there on most people’s travel wish lists, but that is half the appeal. They are wild, remote and offer all the solitude you could ever need.
Great Dun Fell sits on the far western edge of The North Pennines and offers some of the highest ground at 848 metres above sea level. Only nearby Cross Fell is higher, which at 893 metres offers the highest summit in England outside of The Lake District.
It’s a great area to train as a triathlete that’s for sure. The cycling is varied with flatter routes and challenging climbs available. Trail and road running options are also superb, with part of The Pennine Way running though the area. Your swimming needs are also taken care of too. Click here to read more about wild swimming options close to Penrith.
Route Stats
Don’t be put off my the fact that the route looks like a rough track on the OS map. In reality it is paved all the way and actually offers a terrific smooth surface. Cycling heaven really. Here are some statistics to wet your appetite even more:
Elevation Gain: 632 metres
Length Of Climb: 7.34 kilometres or about 4.5 miles.
Average Gradient: 8.6%
Steepest Gradient: Around 20%
Those numbers make this a cycle up Britain’s highest road by some margin. The next highest is Lowther Hill in southern Scotland, which at 725 metres is over 100 metres lower than Dun Fell. Click here if you wish to discover more about the 13 highest cycling roads in Britain. That’ll give you real food for thought.
Where To Start?
While we have established that the climb officially begins at Knock, you may well be travelling some distance to tackle it and so might need some help in picking where to leave the car.
Any of the local villages will probably be fine, but my friend Tom and I decided to park in nearby Dufton. It’s a lovely little village and offers free parking with a clean public toilet to change and freshen up in afterwards. The Stag Inn pub also offers excellent food for afterwards, which you will have certainly earned.
Knock isn’t very far from Dufton, but it still gives you a bit of an option to spin the legs and get them warmed up before the proper test begins.
Cycling Britain’s Highest Road- The Easier First Leg
You may well be using every expletive under the sun later on in the climb, but Great Dun Fell kindly eases you into it. You may not even really feel like you’re climbing for the first kilometre or so out of Knock. The road is almost dead straight and climbs at a very easy gradient. It is wise to keep spinning away here and keep your powder dry for later on. You’ll need all your strength.
After a while though the road kicks up and you hit the first steeper section. I reckon it easily enters double digits in gradient, but thankfully it doesn’t go on for too long.
After turning that bend in the photo above, the road flattens into what almost feels like a downhill section, but it doesn’t last. Up ahead of you is a sight that will seriously impress any mountain goat, however it may well instill some fear too.
A Cycle Up Britain’s Highest Road- The Tough Bit
The photo above says it all really. While the tarmac is silky smooth, the gradient is anything but. It is constantly changing, but sits firmly in the high teens in terms of gradient for a considerable distance. I was certainly very pleased to have fitted a 34 x 34 lowest gear and used it for much of the section. Poor Tom reported after the ride that his cadence dropped to the mid 30s and he had to zig-zag his way up just to make it.
The scenery can create a convenient distraction here though. It is dramatic, wild and simply stunning. The great chasm of Knock Ore Gill sits off to your left, while rock strewn slopes and smaller cascading burns are on your right. Don’t be surprised to see several hardy sheep along the way too. They may well stop and stare at you, probably wondering why anybody would be so stupid as to challenge gravity in the way you are. More about those sheep later. They are more of a factor on the descent.
The Final Push To The Summit
Eventually the seemingly endless gradient eases a little and the views start to open up. It’s amazing how easy it will feel, despite the gradient still being solid enough. It feels like a walk in the park after what you’ve just been through.
Just as you get into your rhythm here though, you’ll need to dismount and negotiate the gate crossing the road. It is annoying, but this stretch of tarmac is in fact a dead end road leading up the radar station. That does mean that hardly any vehicles are found along the way, which just makes the climb all the more amazing. We all know how some idiotic drivers can ruin our experiences when out.
It is past the gated section that you are really at the mercy of the elements. You are somewhat protected lower down and are likely to have a bit of tailwind if it is blowing from the west or southwest.
Up here there though there is nowhere to hide and I’ve read reports of people being blown to a stand still at times with zero visibility and driving rain to add in. The temperature is also several degrees colder up above 800 metres, so extra layers may be needed.
If you wish to watch an excellent video of a strong cyclist tackling the entire climb, then this one is well worth a watch.
Reaching The Top
It’s always a great feeling to summit any climb, but Great Dun Fell feels very special indeed. If you are lucky to go up on a clearer day, then the views will take your breath away. You can see for miles, out across The Eden Valley all the way to the mountains of The Lake District and Southern Scotland.
You also really get to appreciate just how high you’ve climbed. It might look like a hill from a distance, but this is a real mountain. Make no mistake about that.
The Exhilarating Descent
What goes up must come down as they say and what a descent this is. Initially it is quite bendy and you will of course need to brake for the gate. After this though the road starts to straighten and you can seriously collect some momentum if downhill cycling is your forte.
This is where I need to mention those mountain sheep once again though. Because this stretch of tarmac sees so few people, they can bolt out and be on the road at any point. I have heard of a few people who have crashed after swerving at high speed to avoid them. Certainly something to remember, when you’re tempted to fly downhill.
A Final Word….
Great Dun Fell is not only offers you the opportunity to cycle up the highest road in Britain. After riding it and many others over the years, I also rate it as one of the best if not the best one. It ticks all the boxes. Amazing surface, hardly any cars, excellent length, stunning scenery and gradients to suit just about every taste. It has been dubbed ‘ Britain’s Mont Ventoux’ by many and now I can see why. What a climb it is! Maybe it’ll feature as a summit finish on The Tour Of Britain some day.