Toys Hill \ Yorks Hill - Kent

sherer

Ok i've been riding Toys Hill for awhile but my route to it is usually down Westerham Hill then do a left at Westerham onto the A25 and then up Toys Hill from the A25 side going through Brasted Chart. That side of the climb is about 2.5 miles long and about 10% so is a very good test.

I'm looking into riding the other side but i've never done it before and do sure what the gradiant is ? I usually ride over the top and then a little but where there is a junction and a bench I stop at and go back the way I came. If I decend Toys Hill from the A25 side what is the condition of the road like as the little but i've seen didn't look the best road in the world and don't want to scream down and fall off

Also I think if I get to the bottom of Toys Hill then Yorks Hill is very close but i've never been able to find it listed on Google Maps.

Is Toys Hill tougher than Westerham Hill ? I still can't get all the way up that without walking but seem to be getting further and further each time so nearly there

Road Red

Going down Toys from the Brasted Chart side is not very pleasant. The road surface is variable, there are quite a few sharpish turns and steep gradients. It's probably just me but it scares the sh*t our of me!

Coming back up is tough, significantly harder than the other side. I'd probably avoid it until you can do Westerham Hill, then give it a go. I dont think you get as much as 10% coming up from Brasted Chart, I reckon it doesnt go beyond 6-7%. The last ramp on Toys from the other side is more than 10%. Maybe someone with a Garmin can confirm?

I'd definitely avoid Yorks Hill for a while! But if you really want to see it, descend from Ide Hill towards Edenbridge, take the first left, left again and keep going. It brings you up into Stubbs Wood.

sherer

thanks for the info.

I went up Westerham Hill at the weekend and the section by the left hand bend tops out at 18% which is where I had to climn off. That was after doing the easy side of Toys Hill

Thanks for the info on the descent of Toys Hill, the bit of the road I have seen looks in bad condition and don't like descents without knowing where I am going.

Looks like I need to work on my training then give Toys Hill a go from the other side.

Not sure if I am thinking of the correct roads here. I thought if I go down Ide Hill towards Edenbridge that bringe me out on the A25 but further down from where I turn off for Toys Hill. Althought that could just be me getting confused over roads

dnormski

Hi

I agree that the surface on the other side of Toys Hill is pretty poor, I went down it last week and it is very rutted and has plenty of debris on it at the moment.

To lengthen your ride and for a bit of variety turn left at the top of Toys Hill, think it is called Emmetts Lane. Follow this through towards Ide Hill Village, turn right go through the village and then left and up and over Ide Hill, drop down past the Woodman Pub onto the A25, near to Riverhead. Head through Dunton Green and up Star Hill towards Knockholt, turn left and follow the lanes through to the top of Westrham Hill. The climb up Star hill is tough but not as steep as Westerham Hill.

If you fancy heading out around the hills one day PM me and we can sort out a ride.

jibberjim

sherer wrote:

That side of the climb is about 2.5 miles long and about 10% so is a very good test.

Erm. The highest point in Kent is 260m, yet 2.5miles at 10% is over 400m, so I don't think it's quite that steep!

sherer

dnormski wrote:

Hi

I agree that the surface on the other side of Toys Hill is pretty poor, I went down it last week and it is very rutted and has plenty of debris on it at the moment.

To lengthen your ride and for a bit of variety turn left at the top of Toys Hill, think it is called Emmetts Lane. Follow this through towards Ide Hill Village, turn right go through the village and then left and up and over Ide Hill, drop down past the Woodman Pub onto the A25, near to Riverhead. Head through Dunton Green and up Star Hill towards Knockholt, turn left and follow the lanes through to the top of Westrham Hill. The climb up Star hill is tough but not as steep as Westerham Hill.

If you fancy heading out around the hills one day PM me and we can sort out a ride.

thanks for the info. I'll try that route next time I am out.

One good route I like to do that way as part of training is to go over Hosey Hill and then onto Heaver Castle and back. Very steep by 5 Elmes and Hosey Hill can be tough too.

Jibberjim it's not a constant 10 % it drops to 6 and has a slight false flat section too. The sign at the bottom when you turn off says 2.5 miles to Toys Hill which is at the top so I am going by that. It's great coming back the other way as you can practice decending by no real Alpine bends

bobtbuilder

Not sure if I am thinking of the correct roads here. I thought if I go down Ide Hill towards Edenbridge that bringe me out on the A25 but further down from where I turn off for Toys Hill. Althought that could just be me getting confused over roads

If you are descending the Ide HIll Road (B2042) then it's first left (before Bough Beech Reservoir) and first left again. Yorks Hill is a great climb, but tough. The worst bit is at the end.

stonehouse

My Garmin showed the last part of Toys Hill as being 18%, my legs felt worse! There is an even steeper hill close by that has a 22% grade for the first 200-300m. I had to stop on it today due to a car in the way and I found I couldn't start again, it was too steep!

Fixed Wheelnut

Yorks Hill is 707 yards at an average 12.5% but has two 25% sections the last a real sting in the tail.
short video clip of our Catford CC hill climb competition last year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hb9zsG3Y_k

sherer

Fixed Wheelnut wrote:

Yorks Hill is 707 yards at an average 12.5% but has two 25% sections the last a real sting in the tail.
short video clip of our Catford CC hill climb competition last year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hb9zsG3Y_k

707 yards sounds pretty good it's just the next two points I think I have a problem with.

After starting this thread i've not been over to that area since but plan to go there over bank holiday hopefully I can actually find Yorks Hill this time. You can spot me easily I will be the one walking

ketsbaia

These hills form an integral part of my training ride. The descent from Toys Hill down to the B2042 is a rutted nightmare and I'm rarely off the brakes down it. Coming back up it is testing but manageable. And you're rewarded with a great descent down to the A25. The easy route up toys hill is just less than two miles and I reckon no more than 6-7%, although there is a section of 10% (according to the road sign).

Other good ascents round there include Brasted Hill, Hogtrough Hill and Titsey Hill. Haven't tried going up Westerham Hill yet, but it's planned in my next ride down that neck of the woods. I have to say that, Chart Lane aside, the roads are in pretty poor condition round there.

Fixed Wheelnut

For more hills in the area there is the Invicta Grimpeur route, an Audax run in March, this map shows the loop 50km which is ridden in one direction and then a second time in reverse for 1700m of climbing in 100km
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-kingdom/otford/83802173

markshaw77

Fixed Wheelnut wrote:

For more hills in the area there is the Invicta Grimpeur route, an Audax run in March, this map shows the loop 50km which is ridden in one direction and then a second time in reverse for 1700m of climbing in 100km
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-kingdom/otford/83802173

I can confirm it's a great loop - I missed the Invicta due to a family event, but rode it Anti-clockwise (the easier way IMO) on saturday AM in the beautiful sunshine and it was just glorious - testing, rewarding, traffic free and a good variety of riding.

With a bit of "there and back" mileage, it makes a nice half century training ride for me, so looking forward to the next one already!

sherer

ketsbaia wrote:

These hills form an integral part of my training ride. The descent from Toys Hill down to the B2042 is a rutted nightmare and I'm rarely off the brakes down it. Coming back up it is testing but manageable. And you're rewarded with a great descent down to the A25. The easy route up toys hill is just less than two miles and I reckon no more than 6-7%, although there is a section of 10% (according to the road sign).

Other good ascents round there include Brasted Hill, Hogtrough Hill and Titsey Hill. Haven't tried going up Westerham Hill yet, but it's planned in my next ride down that neck of the woods. I have to say that, Chart Lane aside, the roads are in pretty poor condition round there.

Not check on my computer but I thought the "easy" side of Toys Hill is 2 1\4 miles as when you turn off the A25 that is what the sign says to the top. My mates Garmin went up to 9-10 % but it does have some flat sections. This side is basically my training hill and have gone from several stops to doing it all in one go now.

I also quite like Hosey Hill which is far worse coming from the 5 Elms side but again good training.

Westerham Hill is very tough it peaks at 18% according to the Garmin and that is right on the bend where it can be dangerous if you start to really slow down there. Still not made it all the way up but hope to do that one soon. I find if you can get over it just once they never beat you again.

One day I plan to put a route into gpseries and get a gpx file of some of the climbs round that way.

ketsbaia

Well, I did the lot today - Cudham Lane, Toys Hill, Yorkshill, Titsey Hill, Westerham Hill and Biggin Hill.

Yorkshill was the hardest by far. I honestly thought I was going to grind to a halt right at the top, but just about managed to keep it upright. I think the guys taking a water break at the top could hear me breathing about 100 yards away. The only thing that kept me going was the fact someone had taken the trouble to spray 'Allez' on the tarmac about a third of the way up. Does it really go up to 25%? I mean, I can believe it and so can my legs, but I'd just like to know for the sake of bragging rights.

bobtbuilder

ketsbaia wrote:

Well, I did the lot today - Cudham Lane, Toys Hill, Yorkshill, Titsey Hill, Westerham Hill and Biggin Hill.

Yorkshill was the hardest by far. I honestly thought I was going to grind to a halt right at the top, but just about managed to keep it upright. I think the guys taking a water break at the top could hear me breathing about 100 yards away. The only thing that kept me going was the fact someone had taken the trouble to spray 'Allez' on the tarmac about a third of the way up. Does it really go up to 25%? I mean, I can believe it and so can my legs, but I'd just like to know for the sake of bragging rights.

I thought it was 20%, but I'm happy to be proved wrong?

sherer

ketsbaia wrote:

Well, I did the lot today - Cudham Lane, Toys Hill, Yorkshill, Titsey Hill, Westerham Hill and Biggin Hill.

Yorkshill was the hardest by far. I honestly thought I was going to grind to a halt right at the top, but just about managed to keep it upright. I think the guys taking a water break at the top could hear me breathing about 100 yards away. The only thing that kept me going was the fact someone had taken the trouble to spray 'Allez' on the tarmac about a third of the way up. Does it really go up to 25%? I mean, I can believe it and so can my legs, but I'd just like to know for the sake of bragging rights.

now that sounds like a good training route. You don't happen to have a gpx file for that route do you ?

Missed last weekend as with a few things on and not great weather I gave it a miss. Hope to get out next weekend and give a few of these a go

ketsbaia

No GPX, but will sort out a gmaps pedometer route this evening/tomorrow and post it up.

sherer

thanks for that.

Based on how I do some of the climbs anyway I end up walking a lot anyway

ketsbaia

I'd leave Yorks Hill well alone until you can get up Toys Hill from the difficult side without busting a lung.

on-yer-bike

Toys Hill going north IMO is the worst hill round here, worse than Kidds. Yorks Hill is a bit of a one off its very steep but very short. I agree that descending Toys Hill going south is horrible. Good training hills are Ide Hill and Baileys Hill. North of the A25 Brasted and Sunridge(?) are nice and steep.

ketsbaia

I thought Yorks was more difficult than Toys going north, but YMMV. I could sit down all the way up Toys going north, but had to be out of the saddle for most of Yorks.

Interested to know where Baileys Hill and Kidds are.

on-yer-bike

ketsbaia wrote:

I thought Yorks was more difficult than Toys going north, but YMMV. I could sit down all the way up Toys going north, but had to be out of the saddle for most of Yorks.

Interested to know where Baileys Hill and Kidds are.

Toys is just much longer, not steeper. The pain lasts for longer. Kidds is "The Wall' on the Hell of the Ashdown and goes up onto Ashdown Forest. Baileys is in the same vicinity as Ide and Toys and Yorks

Mccaria

I find York Hill to be a claustrophobic climb - narrow road with high sides. The road surface is generally poor and not helped when the farmer has been up leaving debris on the surface. If there is a car behind on York then it will not be able to pass, whereas at least on Toys you can just concentrate on the climb.

I like Baileys, it is to the east of Ide Hill, tends to be quieter and either feeds into the top of Ide Hill, or you drop down towards Sevenoaks.

legsdontfailmenow

Has anyone tried approaching Toys Hill from the west? See marker '11' at:

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-ki ... 8050035134

...for the stretch I mean, Puddledock Lane. If you're doing the Toys Hill ride going north from Bough Beech, Puddleduck lane joins that route at the small crossroads just before the steepest section. On the OS map Puddledock Lane has two separate 'steep section' markers, one near the bottom and one near the crossroads.

Not tried it yet myself, but I aim to before the nights draw in...

guillaume

If you're approaching from the south, you can do all three by going up baileys, then along to the top of Yorks Hill, turn right (north) and loop around to the top of Toys Hill...then down puddleduck lane, turn left at the bottom, left again - and you're now going up Toys. At the top of toys go round to Ide Hill and down to the left hand turning that takes you on the way to Yorks Hill...and back up you go.
It feels to me like I'm doing them in order of difficulty...but i guess i could do them in reverse order and still feel the same way, heh.
I'd say Kidds is worse than Baileys, but not as demanding as toys or yorks.

legsdontfailmenow

Nice route Guillame - that looks like it includes the steep downhill section north of Yorks Hill named Brook Place. I'm not yet fit enough for your route but will aim for it!

In the meantime I'll try starting at the bottom of Puddledock Lane, turning left at the crossroads to the top of Toys Hill, then first right past the pub and downhill to the Brook Place climb. Then that takes me back to the top of Yorks Hill if I have the legs to extend the loop.

bobtbuilder

ketsbaia wrote:

I thought Yorks was more difficult than Toys going north, but YMMV. I could sit down all the way up Toys going north, but had to be out of the saddle for most of Yorks.

Interested to know where Baileys Hill and Kidds are.

IMO it's comparable to Toys Hill but a bit shorter. About 7-8 mins bottom - top.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=Kidd's%20Hill%2C%20Colemans%20Hatch&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

Not sure why this isn't appearing as a clickable link?

dave milne

I did 12 full repeats of Toys last Saturday as marmotte training.

North side (going south) starts at 3%, goes up to 9% back down to 1% in the village and then no higher than 8 I think after that. You can do it all in the big ring if you're of a mind.

South side has sections of 12-13%, then after you go through past the green it goes up to 15%.

You gain about 500 feet for every ascent of Toys from either side

Yorks does hit 25% twice

guillaume

hi legs - brooks place doesnt ring a bell, i turn onto nightingale lane (and eventually emmetts rd) at the jct with the top of yorks hill
never tried going up puddledock lane, only rattling down it, the views are great...and you'll have the steepest part of toys to look fwd to when you get to the end.

legsdontfailmenow

brooks place doesnt ring a bell, i turn onto nightingale lane (and eventually emmetts rd) at the jct with the top of yorks hill

Hi Guillame - yes, I think that's the road I mean:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=brook+place,+sevenoaks&sll=51.104815,0.098705&sspn=0.043653,0.132351&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Brook+Place,+Ide+Hill,+Sevenoaks+TN14+6BL,+United+Kingdom&ll=51.252998,0.148573&spn=0.021757,0.066175&z=14

The road appears to have no name but there's a house marked Brook Place near the bottom.[/quote]