NEBO ROAD

LLANRWST, CONWY

Some days you just don’t want to be out of the saddle fighting a 20% gradient, you want to sit back and pedal up a steady incline – there’s no better place round here to do so than Nebo Road. On the way out of town the slope rises from the valley, becoming progressively tougher as you pass into Snowdonia. Whenever the gradient starts to bite, starts to feel like it’s getting on top of you, it seems to back off and lets your legs spin. Don’t be tempted to push a bigger gear when things get tough though; click down, preserve your cadence, and keep the legs turning smoothly. Gently rolling upwards, you pass through a cathedral of gnarled trees and moss covered banks bordered by a wonderful stone wall – it’s a truly inspiring environment. To finish with, after pretty much a straight course from base to summit, there are a couple of nice bends that set up a grandstand finish beside a high grassy bank.