Porlock Hill

Legendary among British cyclists and notorious enough to have earned a place in cycling folklore. Porlock Hill on the Devon-Somerset border is one of the steepest public roads in England: the main A39 route averages 9.3% for 4.1km with the central section hitting a verified 25% gradient — one of the most extreme ramps on any tarmac road in the country. Vehicles regularly fail the climb in winter; cyclists have been conquering it since the earliest days of cycle touring. The toll road alternative (Porlock Toll Road) offers a rideable but still demanding variant at a more consistent 6-7%. The main road is the defining test: the section above the hairpin at Porlock Weir demands out-of-saddle efforts in the lowest gear available. Reaching the summit at Porlock Common delivers views across the Bristol Channel to South Wales on clear days.