ILAM MOOR

ILAM, STAFFORDSHIRE

Starting from the centre of the picturesque village of Ilam at the base of the giant, gothic-style stone obelisk, this long, tough climb heads north up on to the moor. The initial slopes are very demanding – easily 15% – so don’t go crazy, as you still have a long way to ride. Kinking right past a few houses, the slope soon fades to a welcome levelling where you can glance right to admire the rocky peaks of Bunster Hill. After passing a solitary house, the easy climbing ends and the road twists up between high stone walls into a small wood. Steep and steeper still through the corners, it’s a joy to ride as you bend left and right to a pronounced brow. From here the road’s course deviates slightly eastwards, and for the rest of its length the gradient is very relaxed. As you close in on the summit, you can build up some speed to finish at pace, adjacent to the track running down to Musden Grange Farm.