Toys Hill \ Yorks Hill - Kent

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  • ketsbaia
    ketsbaia Posts: 1,718
    dave milne wrote:
    I did 12 full repeats of Toys last Saturday as marmotte training.

    I think that's what I'm doing this weekend.
    One more gear

    Strava profile
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    had a good ride on Sat. Went to the top of Westerham Hill and did a left past the Spinning Wheel, which now seems to be closed down. Went down that way into Brasted, not sure if that includes Star Hill, but came onto the A25 near the Black Horse pub. Went down the A25 to Ide Hill and went over there in one go with no stops. Over the top and then down the other side and ran down to Toys Hill. Very fast run this but not done it for so long forgot how far it was to Toys Hill.

    Made it up the more difficult side of Toys Hill with two stops.

    Now that i've done it once I just need to work at it like I did the other side and get it down to no stops.

    Will look into adding Yorks Hill soon although i've still not got up Westerham Hill yet either, always get stuck by the left turn and lose momentum and with the traffic when that happens I have to climb off and walk until it's safe to get going again
  • Bulldog VII
    Bulldog VII Posts: 4
    Hi all

    Read your posts with interest, I regularly do Toys Hill & Ide Hill & last weekend tried Yorkshill. God I nearly got off, but managed to do it. I must confess I did drop down to the granny ring on the front & my pulse was 104% of my maximum & my twatnav said I was doing 1.4 mph at one stage.

    Not bad for someone of 18 stone though!!
  • guillaume
    guillaume Posts: 35
    i went to have a look at nearby titsey hill (white lane) to see if it could be incorporated into my route for doing baileys / toys / yorks. i approached from the south & realised that the road ramps up to 16% just before the right hand turn onto white lane. i had to unclip while waiting to turn, & then found the gradient was too steep for me to clip back on. i eventually wobbled all the way up the lane on the granny ring. if i ever feel like repeating the ordeal i think i'll go up croydon rd / clarks lane, drop down titsey hill & turn left onto white lane.
  • legsdontfailmenow
    legsdontfailmenow Posts: 15
    @Guillaume Yes I've been caught out by that too - that's a good tip.

    @Bulldog Good work, sounds like that 18 stone includes muscle and willpower!

    Did Yorks today, but sadly had to stop at the foot of the last bend due to impending heart explosion. Much hilarity after I got my breath back and tried to reclip whilst sliding backwards. Was then passed by a speedy chap and proceeded to follow him with my bike making a creaking noise like a castle door on each downstroke - I think it may have been the bottom bracket, but it only seems to happen when I get out of the saddle. Any ideas what it could be...?
  • greeny12
    greeny12 Posts: 759
    LegsDontFailMeNow wrote:
    @Guillaume Yes I've been caught out by that too - that's a good tip.

    @Bulldog Good work, sounds like that 18 stone includes muscle and willpower!

    Did Yorks today, but sadly had to stop at the foot of the last bend due to impending heart explosion. Much hilarity after I got my breath back and tried to reclip whilst sliding backwards. Was then passed by a speedy chap and proceeded to follow him with my bike making a creaking noise like a castle door on each downstroke - I think it may have been the bottom bracket, but it only seems to happen when I get out of the saddle. Any ideas what it could be...?

    Sure it's not your thigh bones flexing??!!

    Only joking, I'm no expert on bikes. I'm starting to quite like Yorkshill - took three goes to get up it first time a couple of years ago but was *almost* straightforward last weekend, having first conquered it on this year's Burgess Hill Rumble.
    My cycle racing blog: http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/

    If you live in or near Sussex, check this out:
    http://ontherivet.ning.com/
  • legsdontfailmenow
    legsdontfailmenow Posts: 15
    Sure it's not your thigh bones flexing??!!

    Pretty sure - they make more of a grinding noise :wink:
  • guillaume
    guillaume Posts: 35
    heh heh that 'allez' has helped me a few times. i've never got up yorks hill without first being convinced - usually about 2/3 of the way up - that i'm going to be sick, and that i'm going to have to get off & walk.
  • imagine17
    imagine17 Posts: 6
    Toys hard side is a nice climb. All about saving something in the legs for that final kick after turning the last corner. Great views lookng south in winter when the trees have shed their leaves is the reward for the effort. I think Kidds is harder as it doesn't plateau as much and reads a constant 11-12%. For some steep hills in the area (apologies if you know these already) try Carters which peaks at around 15% and Brasted hill which tops out at about 18%.

    For me the toughest climb in the area is Starr Hill. Only averages about 8% but there is something about it which is horrible. I think the climbs that average between 8 and 10% can be tougher as they offer the opportunity to push it close to the limit in a bigger gear. On some of the really steep climbs it is just a case of putting it in the smallest gear and getting to the top.
  • porker33
    porker33 Posts: 636
    Agree Star hill is tough, at least the surface is ok. I find Brasted and Sundridge hills tougher along the Pilgrims way, partly because of the intervals in the gradiant.

    Yesterday, I thought I was on to a winner with Puddledock lane, only to find out that it joins Toys at the steepest part,,,easier than expected though as you only have 1/3rd of the regular Toys hill to contend with.

    Nowhere near as long, but Sheepbarn near Biggin Hill airport needs fresh legs!

    York, seems more of a technical hill to me on the basis of it's width and blind corner, you could be fit enough, but if a car came up or down, there really is nowhere to go as you need to pick a line for the decent road surface.
  • Climber_Andy
    Climber_Andy Posts: 852
    Sheepbarn is a nightmare - a reet b*stard, but also because there's a fair bit of traffic on the road and I find there tends to be dicey overtaking manoeuvres in and around Biggin Hill generally.

    Hogtrough Hill (coming up from Brasted?) is painful too, I find those ones worse than the likes of Star Hill, which is at least pretty steady.

    I find Clark's Lane - okay, it's not steep - really saps the legs as a long draggy climb.
  • porker33
    porker33 Posts: 636
    The traffic issue is why I tend to stick to Brasted, Hogstrough and Sundridge hills rather than Westerham hill.

    Of course I have done Westerham a few times because it is there, but you only need to get an old van struggling on the last part and you are breathing in some serious exhaust gases, which tends to negate any health benefits you think you may gain from your efforts climbing the hill! :)
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    I struggle with Westerham Hill because of the traffic, i'm sure I can get up it but I slow down so much I need to zig zag across the road and with all the cars I can't do that.

    Found a back road by what used to be the Spinning Wheel I have been going down iinstead, not tried up that way yet as it seems very steep

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