Climbing England's 'Mont Ventoux' 

I absolutely love everything about this Paul. The determination, the willingness to start in the first place, the initial expectation of only being able to do a 5 miler turning in to an epic climb of one of the hardest climbs in the country! Chapeau that man! If my videos have been in any way part of your motivation to get out and give it a go, then I would be extremely happy. Hell, I’m happy just to read your comment even if I’m not part of it! Here’s to many more miles and climbs ahead. Ride on, brother. 👌🏻🚴🏼‍♂️

Ye, it really is a strange but cool looking place. Worth he climb just to see it. 👌

Cheers Ben. Can’t tell you how much comments like this mean to me. I really appreciate the kind words and love that you’re enjoying the videos. 🌟

Absolutely. We were very lucky the day before when doing the triathlon around Keswick, as the weather was glorious all day but being September, it could have been a very different story on any other day! We can’t complain too much about this downpour the following day given the treat we had the day before then! 😂 It’s all part of the adventure anyway. Thanks so much for watching and the kinds words though, Nigel. 👌🏻🌟

Cheers Percy. Yeh, it seems to be an obscure one. I think that’s mainly due to it being an up and back down the same way, as opposed to some of the more popular passes in the Lakes/Pennines. 👌🏻

Oh wow! That’s got to be a mental obstacle, seeing someone getting medical treatment as you start! Hope he was ok in the end. 👌🏻 But yes, it’s an incredible feeling when you get to the top and the golf ball greets you. Who could refuse a congratulatory hug at a moment like that. 😉 Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment, Karen. 🌟

Now THAT I like the sound of! I’m in! 😉

@@petertreadway Pop over for a long weekend. I will shuttle you and your lads, if they come, out to the park and up to Newfound Gap, where you will start. Afterwards . . . good Southern BBQ. Pig! (plus bonus trip to Bucee's that would really boost your You Tube views) If you fly into Nashville you know I will come and pick you up.

@@stephaniericherphotography5603 I’m planning it as I type! 😂😉

Thanks so much. Yeh, doing it the day after schlepping around Keswick was a slog but made the achievement even more special! We're definitely looking for more big climbing adventures like this soon. The only limiting factor is us all having young kids to look after, but we'd love to sample some of the Yorkshire hills at some point in the near future. We're very jealous of you guys having beautiful scenery like that on your doorstep! 👌 Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.

Wow, thanks Sam! Really appreciate your kind words. So glad you’re enjoying the videos. Thanks so much for watching and commenting. 🌟

Great video inspiring to all would be attempting Great Dunn fell lots I’ve spoken to didn’t have kind words it’s brutal was the answer.

Cheers Steven, appreciate the kin words. Hills or no hills though, still cycling at 64 is to be applauded and I can only hope I’m still fit enough to do the same at your age. Chapeau. 🧢

Cheers Gary. It was definitely a struggle but felt like a massive achievement getting to the top! Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment. 👌🏻

Thanks Michael, really glad you enjoyed and thanks for the kind words. We only had one gate to get around, which was about 3/4 mile from the top. That’s the one on the video where Andrew Feather goes flying past me! I think there might ordinarily be another one by the cattle grid near the bottom, but that was wide open for us. 👌🏻

Cheers Paddy. I’m just glad the weather held out for the climb. Can’t imagine going up in that rain! 😂 As for the 34, yeh, it helped massively. Although as my mate Chris has already pointed out, he did it with a 28, so it can be done! 😂

Cheers buddy, yeh, it’s incredible just how different the weather can be. I wouldn’t fancy coming in reduced visibility though! 🙈 It’s interesting you say that this is on par with many of the alpine climbs, as I’ve recently watched Katie’s video going up Ventoux three times and she says the same. I’d love to get down there some day to see for myself. 👌🏻

Agree, I've done the majority of the TdF climbs and I never felt as bad as I did when I got to the summit of Great Dun Fell.

I’m glad I didn’t know that on the way up! I’d either have fallen off trying to read the numbers on the poles, or been crestfallen when I realised I’d only gone 100 metres in the last 5 minutes! 😂 Hallucination is a definite possibility too though! 🫠

Thanks Raymond. Really appreciate the kind words. 🌟 It really is a stunning road. Although, I’m hoping to make my way up closer to your neck of the woods shortly to take on Bealach na Ba! Absolutely cannot wait for that. 👌🏻

Ouch! That sounds intense! I’m not much of a walker but did take on the Lyke Wake Walk a few years ago. 46 miles from east to west across the middle of the North Yorkshire Moors. It took 15 1/2 hours in total. Stunning scenery but an absolute monster of a hike!

Fun is stretching it! 😂 Seriously though, it was a great feeling to have made it to the top and looking back on it is fun. 👌🏻

Thanks so much. Really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment too. 👌🏻🌟

Pretty much every video I’ve seen of GDF (including my own now) shows at two completely different weather systems going up and coming down! I swear it must have it’s own microclimate! 😂

Honestly Rodney, half the battle up any climb like this is in the head. I’m not actually talking to anyone but myself in the bit of this video where I say ‘just keep the legs spinning’. If you tell your body you can do something and that you refuse to give, it’s amazing how far you can push yourself. I have no doubt you could make it up GDF then, with or with and e-bike. 💪🏻 As for Chimney Bank, it’s another climb that caught my eye on Simon Warren’s list, so we’ll definitely get up there at some point. The North is spoilt rotten with great hills it seems. Us Southerners are very jealous! 😂

@@petertreadway yes there’s loads in Yorkshire. Hope to see a few videos up north in future then 👍

@@rodneybannister9014 Defo. I’ll be heading up as often as I can. 👌🏻

Here’s me considering getting rid of the front derailleur and going 1x and you’re bringing out the facts about 3x! 😂

Cracking achievement doing all of those on an 11-28, Wayne. I’m not sure I could have managed GDF on my old cassette, but that’s what my buddy Chris had on his bike, so maybe I’m underestimating myself! 😂 Sadly, I’ve not had a chance to do any of the other big climbs up north, although I’m chomping at the bit to get back up there! Full time job and young kids puts time at a premium! In terms of difficulty though, I’ll refer you to someone infinitely more qualified to speak on climbs, Katie Kookaburra. She’s done GDF a number of times and has recently posted a video of her climbing all three roads up Mont Ventoux and in that video, she says that she considers GDF to be harder! Take from that what you will! 🥵

Hey Paul, thanks so much for the mind words., My sole purpose for starting this channel was to motivate people to get out riding their bikes more, so any time I hear that I've inspired someone to do just that I love it! As for riding Cornwall, that sounds like a dream but sadly despite my surname being of Cornish descent, I've yet to visit the county! However, as fate would have it, my buddy Chris is currently down there on a family holiday and suggested that the coast road between St. Ives and Bude looks glorious for cycling. Having had a quick look on Komoot, it appears to mainly follow the B3301, B3300 and the B3314 through some lovely looking green areas. I created a route on Komoot, to make it easier to see and believe it or not, this route is 0.1 miles shorter than taking the main A roads! I hope this helps and happy cycling. www.komoot.com/tour/1621393355?share_token=afT9EnQ3Cwnfl4IE3K4sTFeBhEDGoAH6xIrT8imkxRi79uTPMs&ref=wtd

Cheers Craig, yeh it was most definitely an effort but absolutely worth it for the view and the challenge. As for parking, there’s a large open gravel area on the right just after you turn on to the road towards the Knock Christian Centre. That’s where we parked up and it’s right at the start of the hill. 👌🏻

Mountain biking up it? Wow! Now that’s not something I’d have thought of but that sounds awesome!! Bealach na Bà is on my bucket list of climbs too. Definitely to get north of the border for it soon! 👌🏻 As for the noise, I can only assume it’s my drive train. I wax my chain, so while that stops the chain getting dirty and wearing so quickly, it does result in a little more noise, especially when your putting the power down to grind up a climb like this! I hope it didn’t ruin your viewing of the video too much though!

Cheers David, I honestly don’t think I’d have got up there on the 28 tooth cassette, so it was a great swap out! Really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment. 👌🏻🌟

​@@petertreadwaydon't worry about it. 28 was easy!

😂. Of course, mate. Clearly I forgot about your mammoth effort. 😉

Cheers John. Really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment. Hope you’re well. 👌🏻

Yep, it was for me too! Absolutely incredible to have made it up there. You have to do it. 👌🏻

Thanks so much! Really glad you enjoyed the video and really appreciate the sub! Great to have you aboard. 👌🏻🌟

Great work! It’s a hell of a ride, ah? It was bad enough just doing the climb, let alone lumping on an extra, what 100miles to and from Durham!?? 🥵 Not surprised you had to take a few stops. They’d have had to carry me to the top after that! 😂 Chapeau. 🧢 P.S. would love to see any video you make of it too. 👌🏻

@@petertreadway Hi Peter. It was 222Km round trip from Durham. 3,792 metres climbed total! I was quite slow at it. I'm not as fit as you... yet! I've managed to edit down 2 hours of footage to 18.5 minutes. I have a bit more work to it to do, and thumbnail etc. I have super slow internet, and recon it will take a day to upload! I hope to get it out on Friday. Thanks for your fun and upbeat video's. Stuart, aka Stuggy:)

@@AyupStuggy That's some distance and elevation, Stuart! Incredible effort! Looking forward to seeing the video once it's done. 💪

@@petertreadway My video is out! It's called... 'Durham to GREAT DUN FELL and back! - Cycling Britain's highest road'. I hope you are amused by my attempt. I certainly found it hard!

@@AyupStuggy sorry Stuart, only just seen this, as replied to comments don’t always show up in notifications! I’ll give it a watch today though. 💪🏻

It's really funny you should say that, as one of the many abstract thoughts I had while climbing this (almost as a way of taking my mind of the pain), was 'how did they lay this asphalt without it just running straight dow the hill?'. 😂 Good question about the wagons passing each other though, because at points it's barely wide enough to get one car through! Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment though.👌

Yeh, can’t imagine being up there on a stormy day! 🥴. Sounds horrific!

I would ordinarily say just go for it, but given how quickly the weather can change up there, it’s probably less risky to leave it until after Autumn/Winter. It’s not going anywhere though, so you can absolutely smash it in 2024! 💪🏻

Thanks Petyr. Epic is definitely the word I'd use for it. The view at the top alone is worth the climb! I'm using a compact 50/34 chainring and an 11-34 cassette at the back. I changed the read cassette from an 11-28 specifically for this climb (video hereru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xGPWFh6DE5A.htmlsi=1BrM3E9qM2HjgRSY) but one of buddies did ride this on his steel frame with an 11-28, so it can definitely be done with a lower range cassette. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.

@@petertreadway thanks Peter. Great video …subscribed. Btw… where is the start point for this ride?

Sorry Petyr, only just seen this comment, but thanks so much for the sub! It's great to have you aboard! As for the start point, if you search up Knock Christian Centre on Google Maps and track back down the road about 100 metres, you'll find a large empty gravel area. We parked up there and just rode up and down again, as we were pushed for time but I'd have loved to have done a longer ride around the area.

Thanks so much, Wayne. It was A LOT of effort! 😂 In terms of gearing, I had an 11-34 on the back and a 50/34 crankset at the front. I made a video of me changing my 11-28 cassette out for the 11-34, if you’re interested: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xGPWFh6DE5A.html 👌🏻

Petition to open a cafe outside the radar station. I’ll be the first signatory! 😂 I hope you get to climb it one day, Paul as it really is as incredible as it looks. 👌🏻

Yes, Paul! Love to hear it! Just keep those legs spinning and you'll be up in no time. Also, remember you are allowed to stop for a breather at any point. We often try so hard to push ourselves, that we don't want to stop for a break, but if it helps you get up there, that's all that matters! 👌

Your mate isn't wrong, Lee! It was an incredible feeling to get to the top though. You should definitely give it a go if you get a chance.

@@petertreadway Peter theirs a climb up here by Wigan and it's called Winter Hill and the climb up from Wigan is invariably up and it reminded me a bit of that cept harder, thanks for the reply Peter 👍

You guys up North definitely got the lion's share of beautiful hills. Us Southerners are very jealous!

@@petertreadway I moved a few yr back to the Merseyside/Manchester border and whenever I goto a flat area im never out big ring and I'm not that good fitness level now

@leedorney I can absolutely believe that. I did just one killer elevation ride around the Isle of Wight while on holiday a few months ago and the following weekend’s ride around Essex felt like I was flying up the hills! 😂

It's ok, I had the tinfoil lining inside my helmet to stop the government accessing my thoughts... works on radars too! 😂

Cheers Steve. Really glad you liked it. Thanks so much for taking the time to watch and comment. 👌🏻🌟

@@petertreadway pleasure mate. Didn’t know there were such climbs in the UK? And to do it the day after a triathlon is rather impressive!! 😎👍🏻

Impressive or stupid??? I can’t decide which. 😂 And yeh, it’s rare to have such a long, steep, Alpine style climb in the UK but I’m learning there are a few hidden gems to be found. 👌🏻

@@petertreadway let’s say stupidly impressive? 😂 A lot of vids are so badly edited that they’re hard to follow. Your video is really well edited, which made it easy to follow and enjoyable to watch. Subscribed.😎👍🏻

@@steveindorset Thanks so much, Steve. I spend quite a while trying to get these videos just right, so to hear a comment like that makes it all worth it.Really appreciate the ub too. Good to have you aboard! 👌

Type 2 fun! 😂 It is an epic climb though. Can’t wait to do it again! 👌🏻

Cheers Mark. Likewise I can look back on it and smile now… I couldn’t at the time! 🥴😂. Such an incredible climb though! Thanks so much for watching and commenting. 👌🏻🌟

Cheers Tobes. Im definitely glad we didn’t have that rain on the way up but it was actually quite refreshing getting it on the way down…. Yes, I’m strange like that! 😂 BTW, I still massively appreciate the Rouleur tickets last year which my buddy Kofi at Ride for Unity passed on from you guys. 👌🏻 We’ll definitely find our way back up to the Cold, Dark North soon for one of your events. 💪🏻

@@petertreadway defo Peter! Give us a shout if you ever want any help finding some more monsters in the North! Big love for brother Kofi!

@@ColdDarkNorth. absolutely will do. 👍🏻

I changed my cassette especially for this and then watch Katie Kookaburra’s video of her going up it the weekend before I did…. I realised she was using an 11-40t cassette and should have gone for a wider range myself! 🤦🏻‍♂️😂

😉

I can now well believe that, Kevin! 😂

Brutal is definitely a word I would choose to describe this climb! 😬 Thanks for taking the time to watch. 👌

I’m really looking forward to getting back up to the Lakes to take on a few of passes. We were actually in Keswick the day before this but I had this climb on my bucket list for too long, so we decided to drive over to do this one. 👌🏻 Really appreciate you watching and commenting, Darren. 🌟

@@petertreadway great video.....i wasnt criticizing......great dunn is prob my fave big climb.......hardknott pass makes me sick...ha ha.....good luck if you get a chance to try it.....

No criticism assumed, mate. It’s all good. Just wish we could get up north a bit more often!

No freaking way!!! That was Feathers! I’ve just checked his Strava and seen that it was in fact him! I would ask how on earth I didn’t recognise him, but he was going at such a speed that it’s not surprising! Thanks for letting me know. Did you just recognise him from the video???

I know he was up here then. There is no mistaking that style.

A fantastic eye you’ve got there. 😉

Funny you should say that, as we’ve literally been talking about Bealach an Ba for the last few days! We’d love to get North of the border to try it out and it’s now definitely on the bucket list (which is getting longer by the day! 😂) Have you done it yourself?

@@petertreadway highly recommend I’ve cycled most of the big climbs and the apple cross loop stands out, a true great

I can’t wait to get up there myself. I’m looking forward to it coming around on the Zwift portal again at the end of October. Will be nowhere near as difficult as the real thing but will be interesting to see how I get on. 👌🏻

@@petertreadway If you are going up to Bealach na Bà (Applecross Pass), it is well worth doing Lowther Hill (by Wanlockhead) on the way up or down. Like GDF, its up to an air traffic control radar "golf ball." Then you will have done all 3 of the >600m climbs in GB. If you can, park somewhere around Wanlockhead then ride down to Mennock on the A76. Turn around and start the climb back up, when you are passing Wanlockhead, there is a gate on the right on to the Lowther Hill road, cyclists are allowed past (same as GDF). Weather can turn the same as GDF so having the car parked half way up is useful. On a nice day you'll pass loads of people panning for gold in the river.

@@petertreadway Peter, another vote for the Bealach - I've done it three times and it is epic, it just goes on and on and on and on, none of those namby pamby hairpins apart from 4 at the very top. Check the weather forecast though. Luckily I had three sunny climbs but I had a friend who did it (in the middle of summer) when the wind and rain was horrendous. He stopped halfway up and couldn't get started again so had the cycle down again!

‘The suffering was amusing’… Yeh, I’ve discovered that Schadenfreude isn’t exclusive to the Germans! 😂 As for the Marines, I’m not sure I share their attitude to pain! 🥴

They’d have to say that they’re crap

@@Tarmaccyclocross not sure I understand your response but ok.

Keep your fingers crossed and you may see it in a Short very soon! 😉😂

Sadly, I’m not 24 either Colin. Swap those numbers around and you’ve got the right age though! 😂 Don’t underestimate yourself though. If I’ve discovered anything from taking on these challenges, it’s that the body is capable of a lot more than the mind allows it to think it is! ‘Shut up legs’ is real. 😉 Thanks for watching and commenting. 👌🏻🌟

Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, I guess. Even if it’s wrong. 🤷🏻‍♂️😂

@@petertreadway at least you own up to it 👍