It’s like the evil twin of the neighbouring Ranmoor Crescent. This road has all the climbing but none of the forgiving bends. It’s a straight up (literal and figurative) stinker.
You begin, just off Fulwood Road, by the Ranmoor Inn. As the road curves around the church you’re immediately into a dead straight 10% climb. To add insult to injury, as you slowly climb up the hill, the gradient gently increases, peaking out at about 14% as you pass Tapton Park Road. At this point, it definitely feels harder than you expect.
Keep on peddling and you’ll soon reach the sweeping left hand bend where the gradient drops down to 7.5%, and you pass Ranmoor Crescent. Grind on a short distance more until the end of the segment and then, when you reach it, ask yourself why you didn’t just ride up Ranmoor Crescent instead?
The Strava segment starts at Grand Depart sign but it’s actually a short distance before the incline begins. Similarly, the segment ends at the Birley Stone, despite there being a few more feet to climb after that point.
With the park on your left, the start doesn’t look too foreboding, at around 6%, but by the time you’re passing The Pheasant pub, the hill has already sneaked into double figures at 11%. A short way on from this you’ll find that the road narrows as you cross over a railway line. Plod on and hope that you’re not be being followed by an impatient motorist unable to overtake you.
After the wiggle of the railway bridge, you’re onto the steepest 13% segment of the climb, which it roughly maintains until you reach Greenhead House Farm and The Little Sausage Shop. Rumour has it that somewhere on Jawbone Hill is a ‘Scotch Egg Shop’ but I suspect that, in reality, it’s this sausage shop they’re thinking of. Along here, on your left, you will spy the first of two reminders of the Tour De France’s visit: a yellow painted bike fixed to a metal ‘Shimrod’ sign, and shortly afterwards, opposite the farm, a battered old bike tied up in a tree.
Once you’re past the sausage shop, the gradient drops to a more palatable 5.5% but don’t be fooled, this is just the first false summit! The climb continues, slipping back up to 9.5% as the road bends to the right. You are well into the countryside now and while the steepness does relent a little, the hill is just playing with you. It’s got one last stinker in store.
The road begins another right-hand bend and, as you pass the Grenoside sign, you feel that must be the apex…but not quite! Although it’s apparently only 6.5%, the final 150 yards up to the Birley Stone always feels much harder than it should.
The end of the segment might not be the absolute top of the hill but it’s a great place to stop and take in the view over Sheffield. It’s also a great place to turn around and speed right back down to Oughtibridge.
Sheffield Cycling Climbs 