Ffordd Pen Llech, Sloping road in Harlech, Wales
Ffordd Pen Llech is a steep paved road in the town of Harlech, in northwest Wales. The road is narrow, runs one way downhill, and links the upper part of the town to the railway station near the coast.
The road was built, like many in this hilly area, to connect the rocky hillside of Harlech with lower ground long before motor vehicles arrived. In July 2019, Guinness World Records recognized it as the steepest street in the world, though the title returned to Baldwin Street in New Zealand in April 2020 after a change in measurement method.
The name Ffordd Pen Llech comes from Welsh, where 'Pen' means 'top' or 'end' and 'Llech' means 'rock' or 'slab.' Standing at the top, you can look straight down the slope toward the coast, with stone walls and small houses pressed tightly against both sides of the road.
The lower section of the road is one way going downhill, so drivers and cyclists heading up should use the nearby alternative route with a gentler slope. Walking in both directions is always possible, but sturdy footwear helps on the sharp gradient.
The Guinness World Record for the steepest street is measured using the average gradient across the middle of the road, not just its steepest point. This detail in the measuring method is what ultimately cost Ffordd Pen Llech its title.
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