Help with hills in the South East

ketsbaia
ketsbaia Posts: 1,718
edited October 2010 in Commuting chat
Evening all.

I'm compiling a list of 100 hills in the south east with a view to climbing them all in the coming year and writing about the experience along the way.

I'm fairly sure I've got SE London/NW Kent covered, along with a few of the obvious Surrey Hills such as Whitedown, Ranmore Common and Box Hill, but outside that I'm stumped.

My criteria are that they should be at least 500 metres long and have a vertical height gain of around 75 metres or so, but that's flexible as long as the hill has some kind of local mystique, is in a particularly lovely area or has a great pub at the top/bottom/very close by.

Suggestions used in the blog I'm going to be doing on this will be acknowledged.

Thanks in advance.
One more gear

Strava profile
«13

Comments

  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,181
    ketsbaia wrote:
    I'm fairly sure I've got SE London/NW Kent covered.
    What's on your SE London/NW Kent list? May be able to add to it if I know what you've already got.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • Animal100
    Animal100 Posts: 55
    Now let me think?
    A few to get you started:

    Harrietsham Hill, pub at the bottom
    Yalding Hill, pub at the bottom
    Hunton Hill
    Chart Hill Road, pub at the top
    Wenton Hill
    Ulcombe Hill
    Mory Lane (one of my favorites)
    Thurnahm Lane leading to Castle Hill (dead end for motors)

    These are all arond the Maidstone area and all in the countryside.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Crocknorth, Leith Hill, Herncrest Hill or something like that (not sure it has the height gain you're looking for - same for Radnor Lane (although that's about a mile long))
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • ketsbaia
    ketsbaia Posts: 1,718
    @ Stevo: A good point well made.

    In no particular order:

    Toys Hill
    Star Hill
    Titsey Hill
    Yorks Hill
    Biggin Hill
    Westerham Hill
    Ide Hill
    Summer Hill
    One more gear

    Strava profile
  • ketsbaia
    ketsbaia Posts: 1,718
    Cheers, all. Keep 'em coming.
    One more gear

    Strava profile
  • coopster_the_1st
    coopster_the_1st Posts: 5,158
    edited August 2010
    Wye Downs - heading from Wye up to Devils Kneading Trough
    Lympne Hill - 0.5 mile @ 12% after the miles of flat of the Romney Marshes
    Ditchling Beacon - Is there a busier climb for 1 day every year


    Also, how far north are you going? Do the Chilterns count as South East?
  • Chrissz
    Chrissz Posts: 727
    Hollingbourne Hill?
    http://coastalcommando.wordpress.com/
  • Fireblade96
    Fireblade96 Posts: 1,123
    Biggest near here are:

    Whitchurch Hill
    Streatley Hill (Bell at Aldworth a couple of miles along from the top of the steep bit)
    Misguided Idealist
  • garryc
    garryc Posts: 203
    Bedham Hill, from the north side - ouch.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,411
    Coopster the 1st wrote:
    Wye Downs - heading from Wye up to Devils Kneading Trough
    Lympne Hill - 0.5 mile @ 12% after the miles of flat of the Romney Marshes
    Ditchling Beacon - Is there a busier climb for 1 day every year


    Also, how far north are you going? Do the Chilterns count as South East?

    I'd say so. How about anything South and East of Oxford as a definition?

    Perhaps also some grouping:

    North Downs
    South Downs
    Chilterns
    Berkshire Downs
    London - a few hidden gems
    Herts & Essex - not many here, but a few scattered lumps.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • Norky
    Norky Posts: 276
    edited August 2010
    garryc wrote:
    Bedham Hill, from the north side - ouch.

    Heh, that's my commute home many days. Try doing it with full panniers and a tent on the back :p

    As to the original question: South Downs:
    Butser Hill is well known, though not especially challenging, good views from the top
    Black Down (stands apart from the South Downs) has a couple of good routes up it.
    Duncton Hill: climbing through a dark tunnel of trees
    A personal favourite is the road up Bignor Hill - dashed steep; but there's nowhere to go from the top apart from back down the same way if you're on a road bike (even the road itself is in shocking condition so the ride back down aint as fast as it could be)
    Amberley mount (off road only, part of the South Downs Way) is also an entertainingly steep bugger

    more as I think of 'em
    The above is a post in a forum on the Intertubes, and should be taken with the appropriate amount of seriousness.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Highgate Hill?

    And Leith Hill can be climbed from both sides. A bit like the Tourmalet.

    Ok, not really.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,181
    ketsbaia wrote:
    @ Stevo: A good point well made.

    In no particular order:

    Toys Hill
    Star Hill
    Titsey Hill
    Yorks Hill
    Biggin Hill
    Westerham Hill
    Ide Hill
    Summer Hill
    You've got a lot of the NW Kent stuff covered.

    If you include the run up to Cudham Church Lane (on the SCS thread) would that count? Ditto Gypsey Hill and College Road (not sure about the elevation on those).

    Ditchling Beacon must be in.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • ketsbaia
    ketsbaia Posts: 1,718
    I'm quite literally asking for a world of pain here, aren't I? :D
    One more gear

    Strava profile
  • coopster_the_1st
    coopster_the_1st Posts: 5,158
    ketsbaia wrote:
    I'm quite literally asking for a world of pain here, aren't I? :D

    :lol:

    The Chiltern 100 will have to be on your sportive list next year

    Means you can get all the hills in the Chilterns out of the way in one day :twisted:
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,411
    cjcp wrote:
    Highgate Hill?

    And Leith Hill can be climbed from both sides. A bit like the Tourmalet.

    Ok, not really.

    Well, maybe just a little bit :lol:
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • Norky
    Norky Posts: 276
    ketsbaia wrote:
    I'm quite literally asking for a world of pain here, aren't I? :D

    Yes. Pain is good. Carry on.

    Actually thinking about this makes me want to go out and hurt myself on some hills.
    The above is a post in a forum on the Intertubes, and should be taken with the appropriate amount of seriousness.
  • davis
    davis Posts: 2,506
    Norky wrote:
    garryc wrote:
    Bedham Hill, from the north side - ouch.

    Heh, that's my commute home many days. Try doing it with full panniers and a tent on the back :p

    As to the original question: South Downs:
    Butser Hill is well known, though not especially challenging, good views from the top
    Black Down (stands apart from the South Downs) has a couple of good routes up it.
    Duncton Hill: climbing through a dark tunnel of trees
    A personal favourite is the road up Bignor Hill - dashed steep; but there's nowhere to go from the top apart from back down the same way if you're on a road bike (even the road itself is in shocking condition so the ride back down aint as fast as it could be)
    Amberley mount (off road only, part of the South Downs Way) is also an entertainingly steep bugger

    more as I think of 'em

    You forgot Bexley Hill. from the East, but you'd be going the wrong way for a decent pub, and there's not much of a view. I still find the little kick at the end takes you down a peg or two.

    Haven't tried it in a while, mind. Must go back..

    Anyway, here's a route I've been working on for a while, taking in some of the worst ones round here.
    Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.
  • SteppenHerring
    SteppenHerring Posts: 720
    Stuff on the Cheam & Morden CTC Hilly 50 ride is quite ... interesting.Ranmore Comon Road (from the bottom of Box Hill, go to the roundabout head South and the immediate right, then after about a mile turn left) is an interesting one. Also Sheephouse Lane from Wotton.

    My personal nemesis though is Pebblehill Road - the B2032 north from Betchworth Station. Box Hill is actually by far the easiest way up the North Downs - unless you like the A23 or A24.

    Oops - just noticed you had Ranmore.

    Whitedown is a good one.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    What about Coombe Bottom (up from the A25, after crossing from Shere)?
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    Shamelessly nicked off the KW forum:

    http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8& ... 26314&z=12
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • ketsbaia
    ketsbaia Posts: 1,718
    Oh that is good, JG. Thanks.
    One more gear

    Strava profile
  • Norky
    Norky Posts: 276
    davis wrote:
    You forgot Bexley Hill. from the East, but you'd be going the wrong way for a decent pub, and there's not much of a view. I still find the little kick at the end takes you down a peg or two.

    Ah yes, knew there was one silly-steep one that I couldn't remember. It's 'fun' (read "long and draggy") going up the other way from the South too.

    Edit: nifty bikehike feature: linking to external GPX files
    The above is a post in a forum on the Intertubes, and should be taken with the appropriate amount of seriousness.
  • lae
    lae Posts: 555
    What about Braxted Park Road near Maldon in Essex?

    It's not particularly steep, rises 150ft, but it's a mile long and has a max gradient of about 20%. And it's really curvy!
  • rmhodv
    rmhodv Posts: 83
    How about Cob Lane in Ardingly. I also found this from another post.
  • CXXC
    CXXC Posts: 237
    what about "the weald"? it climbs up over the A21 and you pass The Weald sign on your left, perhaps it goes by another name?
    _______________________________________________

    www.redlightjump.co.uk

    FCN 3 (FCN 4 if I'm carrying clean pants)
  • ketsbaia
    ketsbaia Posts: 1,718
    Whereabouts on the A21? I drive down there frequently to go to the parents' gaff.
    One more gear

    Strava profile
  • CXXC
    CXXC Posts: 237
    was staying down with my brother so not my local route / loop, started out of tonbridge and this was the first hil of the ride, looking at streetmap it could be Hubbards Hill, close to Sevenoaks Weald.

    The bridge over the A21 is deceptively steep as I think the A21 underneath you is also climbing
    _______________________________________________

    www.redlightjump.co.uk

    FCN 3 (FCN 4 if I'm carrying clean pants)
  • Norky
    Norky Posts: 276
    edited August 2010
    CXXC wrote:
    what about "the weald"? it climbs up over the A21 and you pass The Weald sign on your left, perhaps it goes by another name?

    Erm, I'm pretty sure "The Weald" refers to a large region between the North and South Downs... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weald. The word comes from an Old English word meaning "woodland". The A21 certainly goes through part of the Weald.
    The above is a post in a forum on the Intertubes, and should be taken with the appropriate amount of seriousness.
  • flybywire
    flybywire Posts: 575
    edited August 2010
    worth the ride - streatley hill near Pangbourne. Start Reading Station if you're from Kent area .. as 08 tob http://video.aol.co.uk/video-detail/tou ... 1243683789

    & Whitehill Kingsclere, Hants

Categories