A small seaside town in the UK is home to the world’s steepest street, which comes with a stark warning to drivers due to its extreme incline.
Harlech is commonly known for its medieval Harlech Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site, set within a dramatic backdrop atop a rocky cliff that towers over the Welsh town, along with its sprawling sand beach lined by dunes. Yet, Harlech, situated on the edge of Snowdonia (Eryri) National Park, has another remarkable landmark that has garnered worldwide attention.
At the top of Harlech is Ffordd Pen Llech, a whopping steep street with a gradient of 28.6% and a warning sign of a 40% slope at the bottom, which reads, « Unsuitable for motors ». It was previously awarded a Guinness World Record in 2019 for being the steepest street in the world, but after it was challenged and official measurements were carried out again, Baldwin Street in Dunedin, New Zealand, took the title in 2020 with a gradient of 34.8%.
Despite this, the town still displays its sign of the accolade, with tourists flocking from far and wide to take a picture next to it. Additionally, its status as a famed landmark continues to grow, holding the honour of boasting the world’s second steepest street and hosting ‘The World’s Steepest Street Run’ and ‘Harlech Hell Climb’ events.
It’s become a popular route for cyclists as they take on the gruelling challenge of making their way up the street, but they’ll be rewarded with the welcoming newagents at the top for a refreshment. However, as it’s mainly a one-way road, any journeys going upwards are only allowed during events, but there is an adjacent road, Twtil, which has a smaller gradient of 25% that can be used instead.
The road is so steep that vehicles are prohibited from driving on parts of it, so visitors will need to be prepared to walk in some areas. With a gradient of a whopping 28.6%, Ffordd Pen Llech was also previously named one of the most treacherous roads in Britain by LeaseCar.uk because it poses the greatest danger to drivers and passengers.
For those living at the top of the vertical incline, walking up and down to the local shops can become quite a challenge. Resident Myfanwy Jones, who has lived on Ffordd Pen Llech for over 40 years, previously spoke to North Wales Live about the street’s status and what it’s like living in such a unique part of the world.
She said: « The sign at the top of the street went up a few years ago, but then the people from Dunedin in New Zealand came over to measure it for themselves, and the title went back to them. Now, it’s probably the steepest street in the Northern Hemisphere.
« The sign itself seems to attract people to the street. Before it went up, it wasn’t particularly well-known. Locals were aware because of how steep it is, but that was it, really. It’s still pretty quiet for much of the year, apart from the summer when people come to stay in their holiday homes.
« Living here definitely keeps me fit. I sometimes walk up and down the street to the shop a few times a day. It’s popular with marathon runners, and I can see why – bikers like to ride down it as well. The scenery is obviously stunning – I’ve lived here for over 40 years now, and I wouldn’t live anywhere else. »
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