A local classic of the English hill-climb scene, the Long Mynd’s ascent via the Burway packs a proper Alpine feel into a few short kilometres of Shropshire moorland.
A short climb with a sting in its hairpins
From Church Stretton, it’s around 4 km for 288 m of elevation gain, averaging 7.2%. The road narrows to a single lane with passing places as it switches back up the hillside, with individual ramps within the hairpins approaching 20% — considerably steeper than the overall average suggests.
A fixture of English hill-climb racing
The Long Mynd’s open moorland and steep, technical road have made it a recurring venue for club hill-climb time trials, the short, punchy format that has its own dedicated following in British cycling.
Getting the ride right
Gloves with a good grip help on the descent, where the same narrow hairpins that make the climb demanding also require careful braking on the way back down.
When to go
April to October — the exposed moorland at the top can be genuinely bleak and slippery in winter weather.
Good to know
The summit plateau, around Pole Bank at 516 m, opens onto sweeping views across the Shropshire Hills — worth a stop before heading back down the same narrow lane.
