Map the Surrey Hills...

richa · June 2007

In my quest to improve my hill climbing I need to find some more hills to climb! Thought it would be good to map the Surrey Hills for the benefit of cyclist looking for some decent ascents...

So I started this:
Map of Surrey Hills

It would be great if those who know more add/edit to create an open database of Surreys best climbs.

Rich

NB
The Pin is the start
The Dot is the top

Rich
Etape2007.Blogspot.Com

liversedge · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by RichA

In my quest to improve my hill climbing I need to find some more hills to climb! Thought it would be good to map the Surrey Hills for the benefit of cyclist looking for some decent ascents...

So I started this:
Map of Surrey Hills

It would be great if those who know more add/edit to create an open database of Surreys best climbs.

Rich

NB
The Pin is the start
The Dot is the top

Rich
Etape2007.Blogspot.Com
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Just being a pedant - Winterfold hill is on the farley green road not barhatch lane, the climb you call winterfold is actually Horse block hollow.

Happy to edit your map - but don't know how to [:I]
--
Obsessed is just a word elephants use to describe the dedicated. http://markliversedge.blogspot.com

richa · June 2007

Thanks Mark.

Should be able to:

Move - Click & Drag
Add - Click on a box on the top left of the map and then on the map.

I have edited to Horse Block Hollow.

I was out there this afternoon. Very nice it was. Did Abinger-Leith-Coldharbour. Then over to Box Hill for an HR controlled ascent (Av152bpm). Was a nice little training run.

Rich
Etape2007.Blogspot.Com
Map Surrey Hills Project

RunawayPuma · June 2007

I've always called Barhatch Lane 'Winterfold Hill'. Where's Farley Green Road?

I think you could add a little more to Coombe Bottom; there's definitely more climbing around that hairpin up to the intersection with Staple Lane.

I would have tried to edit it myself, but it says 'View only - public', so I'm not sure that anyone apart from RichA can edit it. Maybe there's a setting to open it up to others?

JWSurrey · June 2007

How do I add to your list?
Did you see the Surrey Hills circular ride in this month's C+? Seems to list most of the big climbs.

richa · June 2007

Didn't see the Surrey Hills Circular Ride. Will look that one out.

It appears Google Maps 'public' function isn't as 'public' as might be expected. I had assumed that all & sundry could add/edit away. However, while all can view, it now seems that only I can add/edit. Not ideal. As, if I knew where they all were then I wouldn't have started this !!

Anyhow, I shall keep it open for others to view and I'll add hills when & if I find 'em.

Please feel free to nominate good ascents - with details of where the start/finish is...

Rich
Etape2007.Blogspot.Com
Map Surrey Hills Project

RunawayPuma · June 2007

You could add the hills from the Legs of Steel route:
http://www.fulontri.com/Portals/0/Bike_ ... fSteel.pdf

richa · June 2007

Thanks RP. Will do.

Rich
Etape2007.Blogspot.Com
Map Surrey Hills Project

liversedge · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by RunawayPuma

I've always called Barhatch Lane 'Winterfold Hill'. Where's Farley Green Road?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
See here for the winterfold "climbs".

Alderbrook road goes over Winterfold and becomes Row lane then Shophouse Lane on its way to Farley Green, the climb is short and stiff once over the crest and going downhill the road surface is terrible. The Audax tour of the surrey hills goes in the other direction, as does the legs of steel.

I still haven't worked out how to edit Rich's map.....

--
Obsessed is just a word elephants use to describe the dedicated. http://markliversedge.blogspot.com

ant41 · June 2007

Whitedown Hill goes from Guildford Road up to Ranmore Common Road - tops out at 18% I think for a short while. You can see the hairpin just above the train track on the map.

Look out for cars snaking up and down the single track road stopping you in your tracks . . .

Bonking is fun . . . but not on the bike.

ricadus · June 2007

The glaring omission is Whitedown Hill: it (false-)starts on the A road from where you have marked the beginning of the Abinger-Leith Hill climb, but goes the opposite direction - north to the crossroads on Ranmore Common. An alternative (i.e. the real) start point would be between where the road crosses the railway line and the kink in the route that marks the hairpin corner.

It's one of the tougher climbs, alongside Horseblock Hollow and Coldharbour.

This is the beast: http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/ri ... tedown.gif

londonphoenix.co.uk

ricadus · June 2007

There's Coldharbour (south) - Broomehall Road, according to the map - that starts from the end of the roman road Stane Street (north-east of Ockley) and ends exactly where the 'Coldharbour' label is on the map. It's a great climb to race up with a group.

londonphoenix.co.uk

richa · June 2007

Cheers to everyone for their feedback. I have updated the map (correctly I hope).

Mark - I've now realised map can be seen by everyone but it can only be edited by me!

Cheers,

Rich
Etape2007.Blogspot.Com
Map Surrey Hills Project

ricadus · June 2007

You'll need to extend the Whitedown climb by almost half as much again; where you marked the top is actually only where the real steep part begins - there's another couple of hundred metres of climbing to do from there.

londonphoenix.co.uk

liversedge · June 2007

See Update for some of my favourites you don't have yet;

1. tanhurst lane - hideous road surface makes it especially challenging - one of those hills you need good legs for if you want to attack. 1:7 in places.

2. Guildford Lane - there's actually two little climbs on this road from Albury but the tiny second one is a real leg burner at the end of a ride. quite steep.

3. Holmbury St Mary school climb is quite steep and a nice shortcut to the easier side of Leith Hill.

4. One of my favourites, from Ockley up to the top of Peaslake its fairly lengthy and can be approached from both north and south with a right turn 2/3 way up to sneak across to holmbury st mary or straight on to peaslake.

5. Crooknorth road is a cracking 10% hill thats great for hill repeats if you want to suffer - the bridge is a good marker midway through to press on hard.

I'm not sure what any of these "hills" are called! Also there are many little climbs around St Marthas, Blackheath, Shamley Green etc but they aren't that exciting ... not sure how comprehensive you want to be?

see the Audax website for the Tour of the Surrey Hills it has a route which takes in any uSurrey Hill worth mentioning --- but you need to ride it to know where the hills are ... its my Sunday training ride, so kind of know it quite well!

--
Obsessed is just a word elephants use to describe the dedicated. http://markliversedge.blogspot.com

IanTrcp · June 2007

I think that should be Crocknorth not Crooknorth Road, although it's left me with nothing several times! It's a spiteful little challenge.

Two worthwhile climbs that haven't been mentioned yet rise southwards from the A246 toward Combe Lane:

- Staple Lane from East Clandon
- Shere Road from West Horsley

Also, Chapel Lane out of Westhumble has a 20% sign although I don't reckon it's that hard.

The next logical step / argument is to rank the climbs in order of perceived difficulty. My thoughts on the top places...

1. Horseblock
2.= Tanhurst
2.= Whitedown
4. Combe Lane (?)
5. Leith Hill

liversedge · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by IanTr

I think that should be Crocknorth not Crooknorth Road, although it's left me with nothing several times! It's a spiteful little challenge.

Two worthwhile climbs that haven't been mentioned yet rise southwards from the A246 toward Combe Lane:

- Staple Lane from East Clandon
- Shere Road from West Horsley

Also, Chapel Lane out of Westhumble has a 20% sign although I don't reckon it's that hard.

The next logical step / argument is to rank the climbs in order of perceived difficulty. My thoughts on the top places...

1. Horseblock
2.= Tanhurst
2.= Whitedown
4. Combe Lane (?)
5. Leith Hill

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I'd put "Boar Hill" on the way to Coldharbour from Dorking above Coombe Lane (its on Coldharbour Lane), there is *always* a headwind and it just keeps on coming with 10% and 7% undulations. Coombe Lane isn't that steep until the switchback where it rears up to 1:7 which is only a few meters to the crest. Agree with your top 3 tho - I'd probably put Whitedown ahead of Tanhurst.

I just wish we had a Hardknott or Winnats on the doorstep ...

--
Obsessed is just a word elephants use to describe the dedicated. http://markliversedge.blogspot.com

IanTrcp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by liversedge

I'd put "Boar Hill" on the way to Coldharbour from Dorking above Coombe Lane (its on Coldharbour Lane), there is *always* a headwind and it just keeps on coming with 10% and 7% undulations. Coombe Lane isn't that steep until the switchback where it rears up to 1:7 which is only a few meters to the crest. Agree with your top 3 tho - I'd probably put Whitedown ahead of Tanhurst.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That's interesting. I think what you refer to as Boar Hill is what I've (probably mistakenly) been referring to as Leith Hill. Accepting this, and your observation on Combe Lane would give the following:

1. Horseblock
2. Whitedown
3. Tanhurst
4. Boar (Leith) Hill
5. Combe Lane

Combe Lane isn't that steep but it steepens and sucks the uninitiated into going too fast in the early stages. I always try to exhibit some local knowledge by spinning in a measured manner to the gradient sign and then changing up and standing up for the switchback and the short final rise....

pompey · June 2007

Tour of the Surrey Hills route is here:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=42356

though I think most of the climbs on the route are already listed.

Another climb to consider is Staple lane, up from East Clandon to Combe Lane.

richa · June 2007

Staple Lane added.

Did Horsebloch this afternoon. It is a beast. Long and steep. Definately the hardest climb I have done in the area.

Reckon that the top 5 is pretty much right.

Not done Boar Hill/Coldharbour yet - I've been down it a few times and it seems to go on for ages - So will have to give it ago next week sometime. Looks nasty. From what I've seen - I think it must be tougher than Tanhurst (which, while steep, is much shorter).

Also, what is Abinger Road (just East of Tanhurst) like? Looking down it from the top of Tanhurst it looks q.steep.

Rich
Etape2007.Blogspot.Com
Map Surrey Hills Project

IanTrcp · June 2007

With data from an earlier post of mine in another thread:

1. Barhatch Lane 114m ascent in 1.00km = 11.4% average (21% section signed)
2. White Down 90m ascent in 0.80km = 11.25% average (18% section signed)
3. Tanhurst Lane 95m ascent in 1.01km = 9.4% average
4. Boar/Leith Hill 126m ascent in 2.01km = 6.3% average
5. Combe Lane 102m ascent in 1.46km = 7% average

samwellcp · June 2007

This is an excellent idea!! You guys have already covered all the hills I know (or can remember at least) in Surrey and a few new ones there I'll have to try out soon.

I've been doing a loop recently that takes in Staple Lane, Barhatch Lane, Combe Bottom Hill, Crocknorth Road and Box Hill. There's a couple of other little climbs we go through so might have to have a look back through the Garmin data to see if I can work out where they are and if they're on the map already.

Have to agree that Barhatch Lane is the hardest I've come across in Surrey - not that long but really stings the legs!!!

walkercp · June 2007

Is Pains hill not in Surrey?

Baby Elephants - free from artificial flavourings, colourings and preservatives

ricadus · June 2007

Yes but it's a bit away from the cluster between Dorking and Guildford.

londonphoenix.co.uk

Grifcp · June 2007

Good thread RichA, like it. I'm going to be doing a ride from Cranleigh sometime over the summer, and I'll use this thread to work out a route!! O/T-What gearing are you guys using for Barhatch Lane? Currently using 36/48 up front with 11/21 on the back, which works well for Hertfordshire's undulations, but no good for anything that can be called a climb. I've got a 12/27 which I was going to put on, but would be interested to hear what others use.

samwellcp · June 2007

You should be fine with a 36x27 on Barhatch Lane - the steep section (21%) is not that long. I use a 39x25 and can get up there fine - if you call standing out of the saddle and doing about 8km/h fine!!!

liversedge · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by RichA

Also, what is Abinger Road (just East of Tanhurst) like? Looking down it from the top of Tanhurst it looks q.steep.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Abinger road from Ockley is easy until it hits the foot of leith hill and then undulates between 8-12% for about 200 meters before the T-junction from Colharbour and where Tanhurst Lane comes out.

I went up Broome hall road to Colharbour last Sunday (for the first time) and its a long steady climb that stays at 5-7% all the way up. Mostly in the shade and I didn't see a single car. Probably the easiest way up to Coldharbour. Mind you I was feeling quite strong for a change.

--
Obsessed is just a word elephants use to describe the dedicated. http://markliversedge.blogspot.com

monty_dogcp · June 2007

There's a few more you might like to add: Shophouse Lane from the Farley Green side is a slightly easier way up Winterfold but it's a good warm-up on the way to Horseblock. Pebble Coombe from the A25, just to the East of Box Hill - it's quite a busy road, there's a level crossing too but it's a long drag and when we ride it 'en-bloc' in the winter it's a grovel-fest - it's a fast decent down from Box Hill / Tadworth too, easily hitting 70kph plus. The other is Chapel Lane / Bagden Hill from West Humble east towards Polesden Lacey - it's 20% and can be a bit of a killer if you've just descended from Box Hill cafe and you're suddenly confronted with this wall with cold legs. finally, Pitch Hill south from Shere is a great long, steady decent

jonnywilkinson · June 2007

yeah RichA, good thread indeed as those hills are our regular training ground. i never even knew the name of the hill i now know is called Whitedown. We have always just called it the widowmaker. Usually have to prey for no traffic so I can zigzag across the top of it on the fixie.

Jonny
FGG #2545 & #2983

liversedge · June 2007

Oh yeah, apparently Crocknorth Road is called "Dunley Hill" - I've never heard it called that though.

--
Obsessed is just a word elephants use to describe the dedicated. http://markliversedge.blogspot.com

genki · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jonnywilkinson

yeah RichA, good thread indeed as those hills are our regular training ground. i never even knew the name of the hill i now know is called Whitedown. We have always just called it the widowmaker. Usually have to prey for no traffic so I can zigzag across the top of it on the fixie.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Funny how these names crop up. Widowmaker used to be a riduculously steep MTB descent off the top of Holmbury Hill and it fully deserved its name.

I'm lucky in that live on Leith Hill and get to cycle it a lot. There are 11 different ways up it. This circuit does all the roads with very little repeat. 36 miles, 1100m ascent and 2-2.5hrs, so go round it three times if you want to replicate the distance/ascent of a decent sportive [;)].

Leith Hill Killer Loop

I've just about given up cycling Tanhurst Lane, the road is so bad at the moment. If I want a hard hill session I stick to the climb from the Ockley/Forest Green road, past Etherley Farm and up to Starvalls Car Park heading towards Abinger Common. 7.5 ascents of that is 1000m so if you do each up/down in 10 mins you can climb the 1000m in 1hr15mins.

Map the Surrey Hills...

Comments

Categories