There are so many competitions for biggest, best, longest, weirdest and so forth that it’s easy to miss the existence of the hotly-contested title of ‘world’s steepest street.’ At least until new.
Up until recently, no one had questioned the claim of Baldwin Street in Dunedin, New Zealand, with its 35% grade and its oddly-sloped houses, which have garnered news coverage for odd events, including a pogo stick race.
But now the Guinness Book of World Records has awarded the title to Harlech, Wales, home of Ffordd Pen Llech, a street with a grade of 37.45%. Initially, Guinness demanded to see the official plans for the street, but had to settle without them as the street is over 1,000 years old.
Resilient New Zealand hasn’t given up on its icon, though; it’s just searching for a new name, perhaps ‘The southern hemisphere’s steepest street.” Perhaps that would give a new slant to it…
Image: Ffordd Pen Llech from Google Street View
