Shropshire road cycling

Road Cycling: Church Stretton-The Burway-Bridges-Stiperstones-Wentnor-Asterton Bank-Church Stretton
Distance: 35k
It is no exaggeration to say that I found the infamous Asterton Bank climb more physically demanding than both the Galibier and the Izoard. It wasn't helped by the fact that I hadn't properly recovered from Saturday's race and was carrying running shoes and climbing shoes in a rucsac! In addition, the two earlier climbs on this route - The Burway and Stiperstones - are themselves vicious pieces of work ramping up to 20%. Indeed, as I started out in Church Stretton I found myself straight into the Burway with almost no warm-up. After a steep climb past the last few houses, it ramps up to 20% for a long and sustained hard section with no respite. It then eases slightly as it climbs above Carding Mill (memories of the Long Mynd Valleys fell race which heads off from the valley). Great views soon open out over the Mynd and Stretton Skyline. I've done 5 or 6 fell races round here, but have never bothered to bring the bike along: a mistake, as it is superb (albeit hard) cycling country. The Burway then relents towards the Long Mynd plateau, but continues gradually uphill for 3km before dropping down towards the Welsh border. A great descent to Ratlinghope and Bridges, truly delightful secluded hamlets, before another brute of a climb up to the Stiperstones. This was shorter and led to a delightful open section: peaceful, traffic free, wonderful. I stopped at the Stiperstones for a run and a few climbs on Cranberry Rock (below), then headed down via Kinnerton to Wentnor. I was feeling tired, not recovered from Saturday, and a tad concerned about Asterton Bank, conscious also of the extra kilos in my heavy rucsac. A gradual climb leads to the hamlet then it is across a cattle grid and straight onto the awful first hairpin that leads to 1km of agony. The next few minutes were the closest I have ever been to abandoning a climb and/or falling off due to gravity. In these circumstances, I found it worse than any of the Alpine climbs I've done, worse than the Flemish climbs too - even the Koppenberg! I struggled up, but I did complete the climb without stopping and greatly enjoyed the route back to Church Stretton across the Long Mynd plateau, now bathed in warm sunshine. A very short but very sharp little circuit.