Bwlch Penbarras

Brutally steep hairpin climb over the Clwydian Range below Moel Famau.

Bwlch Penbarras is an unclassified lane crossing the Clwydian Range at about 360m between Llanbedr-Dyffryn-Clwyd and Tafarn-y-Gelyn, in the gap between Moel Famau and Foel Fenlli. The western climb is savage, gaining around 260m in 2.25km with a sustained ramp near 25 percent and a tight hairpin before the summit, which is why Cycling Weekly named it a Killer Climb. The eastern side is gentler and dead straight. Mind the very steep hairpin on the west side, frequent cyclists struggling on the gradient, and a narrow single-track surface with few passing places.