Surrey Hills questions

ketsbaia

That's brilliant. Thanks.

fuzzdog

Just to add to some of the climbs mentioned here. Some of which I rode today. There are some very steep hills in and around Haslemere. Various routes up and over Blackdown hill. Heading up Jays lane. Also There is a really steep hill just north east of Midhurst ( West Sussex) if you come at it from the north from Haslemere you take a left turn shortly after the Lickfold pub. It's called Highstead lane. It goes along gradually rising until it gets pretty steep then when you think you have almost done it it goes round a corner and kicks right up again and fair breaks your heart. A real lung buster. It says 17 % but I has to be more. It is just as hard as Barhatch lane which is 21% and far worse than Whitedown. First time I tried it I wasn't ready for the second kick. I had to get off and lay down on the tarmac.
You can also come up the opposite way from Easebourne near Midhurst. This way is very pretty and more gradual and a really nice steady climb. very few cars on any of these.
You could also try Fernden lane just out of Haslemere on the Midhurst road. Steep in both directions but especially from the other end. They are all close so you could do a great route taking them all in.

Have Fun.

leechy12

Just off the top of my head:- Start at Dorking head up to Coldharbour, head down to the left on the Broom Hall decent. Turn right into Ockley right again and push through to Forest Green, Ewhurst then into Cranleigh. Turn right in Cranleigh and head up BarHatch, turn right at the top and back down into Ewhurst (Down Pitch) left at Ewhurst back towards Forest Green, turn left and straight up to the space lab, bare right to Holmbury & back down towards Forest Green, before Forest Green up a slight lump bare hard left and you have Tanhurst Lane, its a BMF :twisted: Then either right and down leith into Ockley and right x2 back up Broom Hall to Coldharbour. Or Left at the top of Tanhurst then over to White Down and right back to Dorking. Phew.

drlodge

Here's the 2014 Tour Of The Hills Route http://ridewithgps.com/routes/5637495 pretty much covers it all. Tanhurst Lane isn't that bad, actually its really a nice climb now that they've resurfaced the road.

manic_esso

I'm intrigued by your mention of resurfacing.

What's the general state of the roads these days in Surrey hills ? I used to cycle round there regularly a year or so ago (Shere / Ewhurst / Coldharbour / Dorking / Boxhill / Ranmore) but had a couple of huge offs on descents due to potholes and was very lucky to escape without any breakages to me or the bike (but got a p******e on both occasions). The problem is not just the road surface but the tree canopy which makes spotting the buggers rather difficult at 60kmh.

I know Surrey have this Project Horizon to tackle the very poor state of the roads but I've seen very little evidence of it to be honest.

t4tomo

I last rode around that area a couple of years ago and i agree the raods were pants compared to Herts/ chiltern hills.

heading back there in June so hopefully thye have improved, but I fear they wont have. Potholls and strategically placed gravel at junctions were blooming lethal.

cruff

Box Hill surface is amazing, since the Olympic resurfacing work. The rest of Surrey's hills are largely untouched by 'Project Horizon' - descend on Ranmore, Leith, Winterfold, Ride Way et al at your peril.

Surrey CC couldn't give a monkeys about the lanes/small roads - especially the hills - largely, I suspect, because they're pretty problematic to repair and require major work, not just superficial resurfacing.

drlodge

Yeh the roads are a bit hit and miss. The roads up/down Coldharbour and Ranmore have been resurfaced recently with that stone chip stuff and now that the loose chippings have dispersed its not so bad. But generally the roads can be a bit dodgy and you descend at your peril. I guess I'm just used to it!