BRANTINGHAM DALE

BRANTINGHAM, BROUGH

When applying for a place at art school, my first choice had been Bath as there are so many hills there! But I ended up in pan-flat Hull, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise; three years of university life took its toll on my fitness levels and, following a nasty tear to my median ligament (on the dance floor…), the only riding I did was to and from the local nightclub on a BMX I salvaged from a skip. There are not many hills around the city, but this climb stands out, and is often used by the local clubs for their end-of-year races. Leaving Brantingham on Dale Road, you gradually rise up, bending left then right past the lay-by where the hill climb course starts. From here, the gradient kicks in, steadily increasing as you ride to reach 15% at its steepest point. Force up and out of the thick wood to finish as the brow fades just shy of the T-junction.