Cobbled rides- for mortals

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Further to today’s discussion of the Road to Roubaix documentary, Jim Speakman pointed me in the direction of Rapha’s own Hell of the North ride on April 11th. It’s billed as North London’s version of Paris-Roubaix with 20 sections of pavé in 100km.

I found a google map which looks to cobble together (sorry) a resource of pavé roads in Britain and beyond. It’s discussed on Bikeradar here.

The idea of a Scottish version was floated – Edinburgh is full of cobbled streets and canal towpaths have some fearsome cobbled secteurs, but it would take quite a bit of figuring out. (and I might be doing a Super6 race in Fife that day- wonder if it goes up Kirk Street in Culross?)

Culross, originally uploaded by Ipoh 子.

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  • http://veloclubdonlogan.blogspot.com bmfw

    I remember the shock of that road in Culross the first time I did The Bridges ride (Forth & Kincardine, from Livi). Thankfully it wasn't wet but the cobbles followed by the steep climb is a bit nasty! Only later did I realise I could have missed out that climb altogether and continued along the coast to Longannet. (But where would the fun be in that?) There are also some slimy cobbles along a short section of Linlithgow High Street which never fail to make my buttocks clench with anxiety.
    PS – Nice coffee shop / gallery in Culross for a bit of refuelling.

  • http://twitter.com/bazzargh bazzargh

    There's actually quite a few cobbled sections in Glasgow too, especially lanes behind tenements – see this thread: http://www.hiddenglasgow.com/forums/viewtopic.p… … but you'd struggle to make a route out of them.

  • owen_p

    Thanks for the comments. Yes bmfw it is a nasty climb.

    Seems there are small cobbled sections dotted around but nothing much to string together. Hoping that google map might see some attention from Scottish riders.

  • owen_p

    @dougalfshearer pointed out this ride in Fife to me run by @VCMoulin. I'm not sure if non club members can join it, but it sure looks tough. 80 miles round back roads and lanes of Fife, with 'as many cheeky cobbled sections as we can find'

  • owen_p

    I'm told the VC Moulin cobbled Bonanza ride is club members only, but it's nonetheless a cool concept and one I hope to emulate as soon as I have charted all the cobbled sections in the local area!

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  • http://monkeyphotomcr.blogspot.com/ John_the_Monkey

    One of the “highlights” of mine and Mrs Monkey's tiny tour of France & Belgium was Steenstraat (literally “Stone Street”) about 2km of rough cobbles – there really is nothing quite like riding them.

  • owen_p

    Sounds awesome John. If you can be arsed, add it to the google map of cobbled roads.

  • http://monkeyphotomcr.blogspot.com/ John_the_Monkey

    I'd love to, although it's only one section of the road – I'll try to remember whereabouts it is (fairly sures it's marked on the Fietskart we used for the trip & add it.