Another monster ascent on Struggle Dales Reverse takes riders up to Malham from Arncliffe - which is arguably the harder side. Sign up to Struggle Dales today to find out for yourself.
Malham - Hard Side
The original Struggle Dales climb up to Malham Cove has you twisting through the drystone walls with changes in direction and gradient to offer respite and allow you to switch in and out of the saddle. Malham from Arncliffe side (8.2% average) isn't as forgiving.
Arncliffe Proper (as it features on Strava) goes straight up and will have you out of the saddle for the majority of the ride (1.9km in length).
Local goat Andy Cunningham holds this KOM with 5 minutes 34 seconds. Local Pro Mary Wilkinson's impressive 6 minutes 50 seconds will be hard to beat.
How to Tackle Malham?
The climb begins as you leave the village of Arncliffe and turn left over the humpback bridge. Here lies the steepest section of the ascent, maxing out at 17%.
Unless you have some seriously low gearing on your bike, you'll need to climb this ascent standing on the pedals. Don't push too hard as the climb is nearly 2km in length and doesn't really relent.
Malham is a narrow climb, with drystone walls that pen you in and offer little opportunity to use the width of the road. It's also a popular tourist location for Sunday drivers, especially if the weather is nice on 19th May. Keep your eyes up to look for oncoming cars, but also to enjoy the spectacular scenery that you usually miss as you're flying down this ascent in the original Struggle Dales.
... Read the Full Struggle Dales Climb Guide>>
Your Say?
Have you ridden Malham from Arncliffe Side? Let us know what you think of the climb in the comments section below.
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