Hills In Suffolk

orbeaorca

I know Suffolk is a relatively flat county and there are no monster climbs but it's where I live so have got to make the most of it
So do any Suffolk cyclists know of any hidden hills lurking down a quiet country lane maybe.
I would say the toughest I know of in the county are;

1..Watsons Hill in Semer ( not the climb on the B1115 towards Hadleigh )
2..Higham Hill which lies between Lower Raydon and Higham
3..Ballingdon Hill in Sudbury

Anyone know of anymore?

Retro1702

Hi I used to live a few miles out of Ipswich so have got a few alternatives for you.

There's Washbrook hill which is the old A12 and can be got to via the Capel/Bentley junction don't have to go anywhere near the dual carriageway to get to it) - there's two ascents you can use and I used to do this for climbing intervals. First is Sproughton bound and has a stepp bend half way up the ascent, you can then go up to the A1071 roundabout & retrace back up the dual carriageway (off the old A12) from Washbrook up to Copdock - the Ipswich BC road race has used this as a finish hill in previous years.

There's Brantham hill on the A137 and also turning left at the Bull pub towards Holbrook & Stutton. Freston hill heading towards Shotley is also testing as is the A137 out of Ipswich up past the ski-slope at Wherstead. I always used to like the road from Cattawade up to East Bergholt and onto Hadleigh, a long hill followed by a few Belgian style short-sharp climbs.

North of Ipswich there are also great hills in villages like Witnesham & Westerfield and I used to have a loop that would head up to Framsden and turn left towards Stowmarket and then go out to Wattisham and back using Semer hill.

There's also another hill of a mile or so climbing out of Melton up towards Rendlesham Forest which can be quite testing, usually you get a headwind along here so you've got that & the climb to deal with.

Beauty of Suffolk cycling is there are so many lanes you can always find something different, provided you don't end up marooned down a farm-track.

orbeaorca

Thanks Retro1702, I have ridden all of those with the exception of the road past the ski slope , always thought that would be a bit dodgy with all the HGVs that use it to get back on the A14 but I guess a Sunday morning wouldn't be so bad

APIII

Church Hill in Kersey is a little bit of a dig if I recall. Some nice riding out that way.

orbeaorca

APIII wrote:

Church Hill in Kersey is a little bit of a dig if I recall. Some nice riding out that way.

Forgot about that one

danowat

Retro1702 wrote:

There's Washbrook hill which is the old A12 and can be got to via the Capel/Bentley junction don't have to go anywhere near the dual carriageway to get to it) - there's two ascents you can use and I used to do this for climbing intervals. First is Sproughton bound and has a stepp bend half way up the ascent, you can then go up to the A1071 roundabout & retrace back up the dual carriageway (off the old A12) from Washbrook up to Copdock - the Ipswich BC road race has used this as a finish hill in previous years.

There's Brantham hill on the A137 and also turning left at the Bull pub towards Holbrook & Stutton. Forest which can be quite testing, usually you get a headwind along here so you've got that & the climb to deal with.

+1, both of these hills are on my 65mile cycle route to my parents, as far as I am concerned, they are toughies!!!

StanwaySteve62

orbeaorca wrote:

I know Suffolk is a relatively flat county and there are no monster climbs but it's where I live so have got to make the most of it
So do any Suffolk cyclists know of any hidden hills lurking down a quiet country lane maybe.
I would say the toughest I know of in the county are;

1..Watsons Hill in Semer ( not the climb on the B1115 towards Hadleigh )
2..Higham Hill which lies between Lower Raydon and Higham
3..Ballingdon Hill in Sudbury

Anyone know of anymore?

How did you find the hill on the B1115?, I got to the bottom where the bridge is and stopped for a look and was a bit daunted by the view up. It was actually easier than I expected (not easy though)

Johnny G

Hi - don't know whereabouts in Suffolk you live, but when we visit my mother-in-law in Haverhill, we normally do an anticlockwise loop around the town that is roughly:

Kedington – Great Wratting – Great Thurlow – Balsham – Linton – Bartlow – Castle Camps – Steeple Bumpstead – Sturmer

There are plenty of variations to extend the ride if you like.

There are no really long or steep climbs, but the route is quite rolling. We usually do it on fixed which means you have to put a bit in on the hills. There's nothing so steep that you couldn't get up on a fixed.

orbeaorca

StanwaySteve62 wrote:

orbeaorca wrote:

I know Suffolk is a relatively flat county and there are no monster climbs but it's where I live so have got to make the most of it
So do any Suffolk cyclists know of any hidden hills lurking down a quiet country lane maybe.
I would say the toughest I know of in the county are;

1..Watsons Hill in Semer ( not the climb on the B1115 towards Hadleigh )
2..Higham Hill which lies between Lower Raydon and Higham
3..Ballingdon Hill in Sudbury

Anyone know of anymore?

How did you find the hill on the B1115?, I got to the bottom where the bridge is and stopped for a look and was a bit daunted by the view up. It was actually easier than I expected (not easy though)

The hill in Semer on the B1115 looks alot worse than it is, I tend to give the legs a good work out on it and sprint up it.
When you stopped at the bridge you would of seen a road on your right which leads to Semer church, theres a much tougher climb there.

d87heaven

As mentioned before the Brantham hill is a good un and then you could go on to manningtree past the station and up the hill then turn left at the garage and left again into the town and then go up the hill by the church which is another fairly good one.
Also bentley (near tattingstone) has a good couple of hills, the one past the nursery is a killer.
Winesham has a good hill or two as well.

taz3611

Nice little route with a few hills. Start in Bury St. Edmunds. Head out towards Haverhill on A143. Turn off onto B1066. Follow to Hartest. Turn off left just after village green and up Suffolk's steepest hill, Hartest Hill. Follow until T junction. Right turn and follow to Stanstead. T junction, turn left back onto B1066. Next left and follow up to church at Glemsford, B1065. Right turn onto Brook Street. Follow this road without turning off until Thurston End. Head right towards Hawkedon and carry on through to Rede. Turn right at bus stop in Rede and follow to Whepstead, with a right onto Church Hill. You're now back onto B1066. Head back to Bury St. Edmunds. Nice route, very little traffic with a few good (for Suffolk) hills. There's a few nice cafes around Angel Hill, just outside the Abbey Gardens or up Abbeygate Street. If you want a guide, let me know for a Satyrday or Sunday.

Retro1702

taz3611 wrote:

Nice little route with a few hills. Start in Bury St. Edmunds. Head out towards Haverhill on A143. Turn off onto B1066. Follow to Hartest. Turn off left just after village green and up Suffolk's steepest hill, Hartest Hill. Follow until T junction. Right turn and follow to Stanstead. T junction, turn left back onto B1066. Next left and follow up to church at Glemsford, B1065. Right turn onto Brook Street. Follow this road without turning off until Thurston End. Head right towards Hawkedon and carry on through to Rede. Turn right at bus stop in Rede and follow to Whepstead, with a right onto Church Hill. You're now back onto B1066. Head back to Bury St. Edmunds. Nice route, very little traffic with a few good (for Suffolk) hills. There's a few nice cafes around Angel Hill, just outside the Abbey Gardens or up Abbeygate Street. If you want a guide, let me know for a Satyrday or Sunday.

Didn't this used to be the course for an early season Hilly TT? WSW or CC Sudbury I'm thinking...

taz3611

I wasn't aware of this route being used for anything by any of the clubs. It may well have been though. I first used it after looking for points of height on the map and made a route up. Some of the road surfaces aren't the best, especially just after the descent into Hawkedon. I like it though.

Gav888

Si, the one at Melton is now my 'local' hill and that isnt too bad, Rendlesham is far too flat

How about Orwell Bridge repeats

d87heaven

Sandy lane hill claydon/coddenham is a long hill or the double hill at witnesham would both beat the orwell bridge I reckon.

orbeaorca

Gav888 wrote:

Si, the one at Melton is now my 'local' hill and that isnt too bad, Rendlesham is far too flat

How about Orwell Bridge repeats

True, Gavalar, that hill is a good one, it's long for a Suffolk hill which helps.

I will go searching for more tomorrow

Gav888

Although it's a good hill mate it doesn't feel it. I get more knackered going up the one in Martlesham where the chippy is!

orbeaorca

taz3611 wrote:

Nice little route with a few hills. Start in Bury St. Edmunds. Head out towards Haverhill on A143. Turn off onto B1066. Follow to Hartest. Turn off left just after village green and up Suffolk's steepest hill, Hartest Hill. Follow until T junction. Right turn and follow to Stanstead. T junction, turn left back onto B1066. Next left and follow up to church at Glemsford, B1065. Right turn onto Brook Street. Follow this road without turning off until Thurston End. Head right towards Hawkedon and carry on through to Rede. Turn right at bus stop in Rede and follow to Whepstead, with a right onto Church Hill. You're now back onto B1066. Head back to Bury St. Edmunds. Nice route, very little traffic with a few good (for Suffolk) hills. There's a few nice cafes around Angel Hill, just outside the Abbey Gardens or up Abbeygate Street. If you want a guide, let me know for a Satyrday or Sunday.

Steep yes Steepest no