Route Through The Chiltens

amc

Can anyone suggest a good route through the Chiltens as I make my way through from N London to Abingdon next week.
I'm riding the Chiltens 100 sportive next month and i desperatelly need to get some hilly miles in.
I'm not too bothered about following the exact route (which seems to go over every hill in the Chiltens) but i'd would like to get a feel for the hills and get some miles in.
I'll probably head north the way out to Hemel/Berkhamsted - and will probably head into Abingdon via Watlington/Benson as i know the way to and from those points.
But I could do with some pointers for the middle, Chiltens bit. I don't fancy map reading every two mins so want a fairly direct route that takes me over some good hills.
Any local knowledge would gratefully received.
Many thanks

alan14

A fairly direct route without a map would be Hemel, Bovingdon, Chesham, Great Missenden, Prestwood, West Wycombe, Stokenchurch, however that's keeping mainly to main roads which tend to flatten the hills a bit and won't give you a taste of the short, steep hills you get in the Chilterns.

A more representative route, keeping to minor roads with lots of ups and downs, would be Hemel, Felden, Flaunden, Ley Hill, Chesham, Chartridge, The Lee, Wendover Dean, Cockshoots Wood, Hampden Bottom, Great Hampden, Speen, Bledlow Ridge, Radnage, Stokenchurch, Christmas Common. Or maybe via West Wycombe and then Bolter End, Turville and Chirstmas Common. However you would really need an OS map to follow this route.

amc

Thanks Alan,

I've been studying the map and remembering a few reliability rides i've done and have come up with a possible route that i reckon will be hilly enough and fairly direct. But would appeciate your comments and any thoughts/suggestions to improve.

Make my way to Markyate (A5), then Kensworth, Whipsnade, down to Tring rd, then follow road to Ivinghoe, New Mill, Hilton Camp, Wendover, Nash Lee, Little Kimble, Longwick, Pitch Green - then either 1) Bedlow to Bedlow Ridge or 2) into Chinnor, Chinnor Hill then Bedlow ridge?

From Bedlow Ridge i'm a bit stuck but maybe down into West Wycombe, up the main road to Stokenchurch and then to Christmas Common - or back up towards Radnage, The City to Stokenchurch then Christmas common. (I cannot work out where the top of Bedlow Ridge is and how you get across to Radnage).

As i said any comments appreciated. Cheers

alan14

Your route from Kensworth to Wendover is quite hilly - just on the edge of the Chilterns - however the bit from Wendover to Chinnor is on the Aylesbury Vale and all very flat. If you want hills from Wendover you would be better off going Butler's Cross, Great Kimble and then you could go up Whiteleaf Hill near Princes Risborough. This is one of the longest hills in area and I'm fairly sure is part of the Chiltern 100. Then continue to Loosely Row and Bledlow Ridge.

Heading south from Bledlow or Chinnor, to get to Radnage, you don't go as far as the village of Bledlow Ridge. There is a road that crosses the ridge down to Radnage.

Hope that helps.

amc

Many thanks again Alan.
Good suggestion on Whiteleaf - i'll certainly be tackling it (and will no doubt be cursing as i struggle up) next week.
Can i just trouble you for a final couple of questions namely;
1) Where is the climb of Whiteleaf? I've been looking on google maps and cannot quite work out which road the climb actually goes up - are there any road names you could give me.
2) And finally from top of Whiteleaf can you recommend and easy to navigate way to get to the Bedlow Ridge climb.

Many many thanks

Alex

alan14

Ah, you need the OS map with the chevrons! Marked by the arrow here:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dl ... 85&A=Y&Z=4

Start from the A4010 if you want to experience the full effect - the minor road running parallel to the A road shaves a bit off the hill. The hill is Peters Lane on Google maps. Kop Hill Road, joining Peters Lane (at the triangulation point), is actually steeper but shorter. Not sure if the route goes that way, but it's near enough to have a practice.

To get from Whiteleaf Hill to Bledlow Ridge, I would go Loosley Row, then along the A4010 for about 1 km.

amc

Cheers Alan - less questions and more cycling now.