Silly Commuter Hill Climbs

Bassjunkieuk

@MH - You must be very near me as I've done most of them :-)

rjsterry

BJUK, your first link was kind of what I had in mind, but with a 'post your time/comments' section(s) for each climb on top. Mind you, that's kind of how SC Stats works: separate website for the figures, and the ongoing thread for the stories that go with it. I'm afraid I don't have the IT skills to even start a website like this - I'm just an ideas man.

@CJCP: Putney Bridge? You jest, surely? I'll give you Nightingale Lane and Broomfield though.

audaxvirgin

Try London N10, between Park Road and Muswell Hill Road.

Cycle up Cranley Gardens, then up Woodland Gardens to Muswell Hill Road. I've seen cars abandoned there for 3 days in adverse weather conditions.

Or Cranley Gardens itself.

Or St. James's Lane (off Muswell Hill up to Muswell Hill Broadway).

Kieran_Burns

prawny wrote:

Anything in the cannock area?

I can think of a couple onto the chase.....

rjsterry

Always Tyred wrote:

Is that the Killer Climbs publication which puts Bealach na Ba 10th in the UK? And Great Dun Fell not even on the list? And Lowther Hill a 5/10 because there's a false flat after you've climbed 800ft, and because they didn't realise it has a km at the top at about 12% in a howling gale?

In that case, its total nonsense and mere comfort reading for Londoners.

I've been up many of the South Downs climbs, and no they are not easy.

But come on - if you've already climbed 400m and THEN hit a steep bit, its a hell of a lot worse than coming to a "wall" fresh. Might be different if you put cobbles on it and hosed it down and put some horse manure on it, like they do in Belgium.

By any measure, the pain experienced getting up one of the long upland climbs (Lakes, Pennines, presumably Wales, Scotland... there are also some near 1000ft, 20% brutes on Dartmoor, which are very hard indeed) far outweighs a little burst up a 500ft SE England climb of any gradient.
:roll:

Doesn't sound like the same book, as Bealach na Ba was rated 11/10 - the toughest in the book. The chap who wrote the book has ridden al the climbs, so he would be able to compare the relative merits of 'proper' upland climbs versus the shorter, but often steeper climbs of the Downs.

Anyway, you seem to have slightly missed the point of my thread: I thought it might be fun to share stories of local climbs, particularly if they form part of a commute (or more likely are not far off a regular route), that others might fancy trying. We can start with the climbs listed in the book and expand on that as people suggest routes.

We all seem to like a bit of competition, so keeping a record of times, distances, gradients and so on just adds a bit of fun. The intention wasn't to try and prove that one lot of hills are better/harder than another.

tailwindhome

http://www.climbbybike.com/climbs_selection.asp

Here's a link you may be interested in

cjcp

rjsterry wrote:

@CJCP: Putney Bridge? You jest, surely? I'll give you Nightingale Lane and Broomfield though.

It's brutal, I tell ya, brutal.

rjsterry

TailWindHome wrote:

http://www.climbbybike.com/climbs_selection.asp

Here's a link you may be interested in

<Slaps forehead> Knew I'd seen something like it before. Found this when a friend was heading to the Lake Como, and fancied hiring a bike there.

prawny

Kieran_Burns wrote:

prawny wrote:

Anything in the cannock area?

I can think of a couple onto the chase.....

Me too, but i doubt they'd get a mention. Ones even got a cemetary half way up just in case :P

rolf_f

Always Tyred wrote:

I've been up many of the South Downs climbs, and no they are not easy.

But come on - if you've already climbed 400m and THEN hit a steep bit, its a hell of a lot worse than coming to a "wall" fresh. Might be different if you put cobbles on it and hosed it down and put some horse manure on it, like they do in Belgium.

Hmmmm, I've only been up Ditchling down there and it isn't hard compared to an awful lot of climbs in the North. As you say, the previous part of the ride counts for a lot and the approach to Ditchling is fairly flat - plus it simply isn't very long. Cobb Lane (irrc name) is quite fruity though!

Truth is I suspect there are lots of little climbs about around these parts that are tougher than Ditchling but nobody's actually heard of them! A particular classic in Halifax that does have the aforementioned cobbles......

rjsterry

To be fair Ditchling only merits a 4/10 in the book, I think. The North Downs are generally more highly rated than the South Downs. I'll post the complete list tonight if I can, then we can bicker about it some more

Don't disagree with Rolf or AT on the point regarding run up to the hill. It's quite possible to do a route along the North Downs where you are pretty much always climbing or descending.

ketsbaia

rjsterry wrote:

Don't disagree with Rolf or AT on the point regarding run up to the hill. It's quite possible to do a route along the North Downs where you are pretty much always climbing or descending.

Uh huh. Which is what I'm intending to do on Saturday. I wonder how Westerham Hill will feel after 10 times up and down Toys Hill...

cjcp

ketsbaia wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

Don't disagree with Rolf or AT on the point regarding run up to the hill. It's quite possible to do a route along the North Downs where you are pretty much always climbing or descending.

Uh huh. Which is what I'm intending to do on Saturday. I wonder how Westerham Hill will feel after 10 times up and down Toys Hill...

<cough> Marmotte training, by any chance? <cough>

Bassjunkieuk

Just managed to find that book in the Waterstones by Traf. Sq. I was scanning the shelves trying to find it only to be meet with it taking pride of place on a shelf edge plastic thingy with a reader review on it :-)

Had a quick flip through which really meant I looked at the first few pages before fumbling towards the back and seeing what they rated in Wales :-) I then took a cursory look over the Wynrose and Hardknott bits before returning to the South East section :-)

I'm happy to say I've ridden a few of them so have a rough idea how the grading would go, although I was a little worried that Whites Lane (the more *direct* route up Titsey Hill...) was only rated a 4 or 5/10! Having said that I did last attempt it a good few months back and I'm damn sure my legs are stronger now! It wasn't a long climb but it had a nasty kick in the tail - just as the book describes.

I also found myself getting a weird feeling as I looked at the pictures of the climbs. I could see from the pictures just how arduous they looked but I could also picture myself slogging up one just to say "I did it!" Besides the best bit about climbs is they are usually rewarded with great views and awesome descents :-)

ketsbaia

cjcp wrote:

ketsbaia wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

Don't disagree with Rolf or AT on the point regarding run up to the hill. It's quite possible to do a route along the North Downs where you are pretty much always climbing or descending.

Uh huh. Which is what I'm intending to do on Saturday. I wonder how Westerham Hill will feel after 10 times up and down Toys Hill...

<cough> Marmotte training, by any chance? <cough>

<cough> Potentially. <cough>

Canny Jock

This is a great idea. Happy to set some baseline times for Greenwich Park (easy) and Shooters Hill (bit more challenging). How do we mark the start and end points?

rolf_f

ketsbaia wrote:

cjcp wrote:

ketsbaia wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

Don't disagree with Rolf or AT on the point regarding run up to the hill. It's quite possible to do a route along the North Downs where you are pretty much always climbing or descending.

Uh huh. Which is what I'm intending to do on Saturday. I wonder how Westerham Hill will feel after 10 times up and down Toys Hill...

<cough> Marmotte training, by any chance? <cough>

<cough> Potentially. <cough>

Less training, more lemsip for you two!

rolf_f

Canny Jock wrote:

This is a great idea. Happy to set some baseline times for Greenwich Park (easy) and Shooters Hill (bit more challenging). How do we mark the start and end points?

Most convincing way is to plot the gradient profile and work it out from there. There's usually a clear starting point. Mind you, the hill outside mine I'm already half way up but the bit to finish is probably still harder than anything in Londinium.

rjsterry

Any significant marker will do, but probably easiest to use a side turning that will show up on a map.

If you think London isn't very hilly, spare a thought for the whole of East Anglia, which doesn't get a single mention in the book. I guess even the lumpy bits of Suffolk and the north Norfolk coast, although not flat, aren't high enough to get any decent climbs in.

Canny Jock

And do we need any spangly computer-type altitude doobreys to measure this? Or will a trusty stopwatch and google maps suffice?

roger_merriman

Firstly it's a bit of fun.

Secondly these will be the tourist trap/common hills it's not the final word.

what hills do i like?

I like the Cuckoo for it's sheer brutal steepness.

beaufort rd/Llangattock mountain for the views, like wise take the old tram track up Gilwern Hill gives some views to make your heart sing.

to the north downs my fav is Whitedown it's not the steepest but it's not far off and it's a nice lane.

box hill is lovely but it's a rather boring climb.

rjsterry

Canny Jock wrote:

And do we need any spangly computer-type altitude doobreys to measure this? Or will a trusty stopwatch and google maps suffice?

Sounds fine to me. Not convinced the altitude readings on the afore-mentioned spangly doobreys are that accurate anyway. Gmaps is probably the easiest although Mapmyride (which is based around Gmaps) does some convenient readouts.

Headhuunter

ketsbaia wrote:

MatHammond wrote:

Any climbs listed in south London / Kent? When I get my road bike back I might take a few detours on my commute home...

Not sure if any are listed, but I know of several good climbs in the SE London/North Kent area, including those mentioned by Bassjunkieuk above, but also Yorks Hill, Star Hill and Titsey Hill.

May be going for a quick blast around them on Saturday as a last-minute sharpener before the Marmotte. You're welcome to tag along/tow me up the climbs.

Sundridge is also a bit of a killer (in Kent) possibly number 2 killer after Yorks. In SE London itself there are various climbs up to Crystal Palace. Also One Tree Hill is pretty steep.

Canny Jock

Ah Sundridge - I went down it a few months ago and didn't have the guts to go back up. Must revisit it at some point, from memory it seemed fairly serious.

Paul E

Canny Jock wrote:

This is a great idea. Happy to set some baseline times for Greenwich Park (easy) and Shooters Hill (bit more challenging). How do we mark the start and end points?

I do 3/4 of shooters hill heading out everyday I bike to work which is a lot at the moment. I could always carry on to the top if there is some competition as my calf no longer tries to cramp now going up it.

TheBigBean

I live in Highgate so have ridden most ways up, but have never tried Swains Lane. However, I run up it, so feel in a good position to offer an opinion, so here it is: it's nothing in comparison to Ditchling Beacon which, I'm told, is nothing in comparison with hills up north which, of course, are nothing in comparison with the Alps.

So, if you want to make it worhwhile I'd probably try to take in a few of the other roads nearby at the same time such as Highgate West Hill and Dartmouth Park Hill. I think you could make a nice circuit.

Separately, I grew up near Ditchling Beacon and can confirm it is the hardest hill I know in the area ON ROAD. Off road, there are many more challenging ones - when mountain biking I'd often start with the Beacon as it was the easiest way up!

rjsterry

Right, here is the 'official' list from Simon Warren's book.

South West
Cheddar Gorge
Weston Hill, Bath
Crowcombe Combe
Porlock
Dunkery Beacon
Exmoor Forest
Challacombe
Dartmeet
Haytor Vale
Widecombe
Rundlestone
Salcombe Hill
Dover's Hill, Glos.

South East
Box Hill
York's Hill
White Lane
Leith Hill
White Downs
The Wall
Toys Hill
Steyning Bostal
Ditchling Beacon
Whiteleaf
Streatley Hill
Combe Gibbet
Mott Street, Essex
Swains Lane

To which we might add Shooters Hill

Midlands
Michaelgate, Lincoln
Terrace Hill, Leics
Monsal Head
Bank Road, Matlock
Riber
Winnats Pass
Rowsley Bar
Curbar Edge
Mow Cop
Peaslows
Jiggers Bank
The Burway

Yorkshire
Shibden Wall
Pea Royd Lane
Jackson Bridge
Home Moss
Halifax Lane
Park Rash
Oxnop Scar
Malham Cove
Langcliffe Scar
Buttertubs Pass
Fleet Moss
Tan Hill
Greenhow Hill
Norwood Edge
Boltby Bank
Rosedale Chimney
White Horse Bank
The Stang
Carlton Bank

North East
Crawleyside
Peth Bank
Winters Gibbet
Chapel Fell

Scotland
Mennock Pass
Cairn O' Mount
The Cairnwell
The Lecht
Cairn Gorm
Rest and be Thankful
Bealach Na Ba 11/10 :shock:

North West
Cat & Fiddle
Swiss Hill
The Rake
Garsdale Head
Nick of Pendle
Trough of Bowland
Jubilee Tower
Hartside
Lamps Moss
Cross of Greet
Honister Pass
Newlands Hause
Whinlatter Pass
Kirkstone Pass
Hradknott Pass
Wrynose Pass


Wales
The Shelf, Ruthin
Moel Arthur
Penbarra
The Road to Hell
Horseshoe Pass
Bwlch-y-Groes
Ffordd Penllech
Devil's Staircase
Llangynidr Mountain
Black Mountain
Bryn Du
The Tumble
Rhigos
The Bwlch
Constitution Hill, Swansea

Right that's it. For more information and the out-of-ten scores I can heartily recommend buying the book.

EDIT: Sorry everyone, I've taken the scores off as I think it's better to come up with our own opinions on the relative merits. The ones in the book are, as the author admits, only his impression.

ketsbaia

Well there's a point of disagreement already. I reckon Toys Hill is definitely easier than Yorks Hill. Even heading north.

There are some terrific short climbs in that neck of the woods, though. Looking forward to crossing swords with them this weekend.

meanredspider

And only 7 in Scotland!

The author isn't well-travelled. The Lecht and Cairn Gorm are the two ski centres - wonder what hills he means....

rjsterry

I think both those climbs are actually up to the ski stations. As I mentioned, the basis was hill climb courses and climbs famously featured in races, + a few other personal favourites, so it's not surprising that some areas are better represented than others. It doesn't pretend to be a definitive list of all the biggest/steepest roads in the UK. Hence the suggestion that we all add our favourites to the list.