What are the great London climbs?

DonDaddyD

If we had to make a list of 10 great London climbs/hills/"col" what would they be?

My choices:

Denmark Hill
Balham Hill

If you could add a link to google maps of the hills that would be great.

clarkey cat

http://www.goinggoingbike.com/blog/the- ... ains-lane/

http://www.goinggoingbike.com/blog/the- ... west-hill/

http://www.goinggoingbike.com/blog/the- ... ield-hill/

clarkey cat

College Road is pretty tasty

First.Aspect

Ha ha ha ha ha..... breathe... ha ha ha ha..... I've got a stictch.

jds_1981

Muswell hill, only had the pleasure once.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=muswell ... 39,,0,14.6

One constant steep gradient for about 500/600 metres.

keyser__soze

Nightingale Lane in Richmond is a nice short sharp blast.

Greg T

Bolan Death Bridge
Col de Putney Bridge
Mont Chelsea Bridge
Tower HIll
Westferry Circus Approach

Five of the best..

Gazzaputt

Shooters Hill isn't to bad but all hills in London just aren't long enough. All short and steep.

First.Aspect

My driveway is about 15% and more than 10m long.

kelsen

Streatham Common North
South Norwood Hill
Shirley Hills Road

veronese68

Hampton Hill, approached through Bushy Park. It must climb six feet over a hundred yards.

mudcow007

i thought Laaandan was as flat as a witch's boob?!

bigmat

Any of the approaches to Crystal Palace - Gipsy Hill, College Road / Fountain Drive, Crystal Palace Park Road, Anerley Hill, Central Hill. Sydenham Hill is short and sharp as well. That's 6 that are way tougher than Balham Hill - not sure its going to merit a top 10 placing! Then you've got all the Highgate ones and the Richmond Park ones (Broomfield, Dark, Sawyers).

UndercoverElephant

Not exactly Rosedale Chimney, are they?

http://www.sportivecentral.com/index.ph ... =99&page=8

Edit: It's strange, because if you do a search by region on the database of great UK climbs, and enter "South East", there are no results at all. Odd, no?

JamesFree

Blackheath Hill and Canonbie Road (honor oak park)

bigmat

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Not exactly Rosedale Chimney, are they?

http://www.sportivecentral.com/index.ph ... =99&page=8

Edit: It's strange, because if you do a search by region on the database of great UK climbs, and enter "South East", there are no results at all. Odd, no?

We're talking city centre climbs, not sure Rosedale Chimney is a fair comparison. Try Kidds Hill, Yorks Hill, one or two of the steeper ones in Surrey (Whitedown?) which are all within an easy ride of London. Of course they are short, but seriously steep and tough climbs.

Sewinman

Col de la maison des chiens perdu*

*with thanks to Gregg from this exchange:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... =#16849068

Down the Road

Any climb heading north in the Cotswolds.

that way you can't see London at all and that makes my top 10 climbs of london

JamesFree

And I wouldn't ever class Balham Hill as a climb seriously short and easy hill that you can carry some serious speed up.

First.Aspect

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Not exactly Rosedale Chimney, are they?

http://www.sportivecentral.com/index.ph ... =99&page=8

Edit: It's strange, because if you do a search by region on the database of great UK climbs, and enter "South East", there are no results at all. Odd, no?

Fabulous website. Frustrating because I won't be able to cycle for another 6-9 months, but it gives me something to look forward to!

SimonAH

North face of Boris?

Wrath Rob

BigMat wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Not exactly Rosedale Chimney, are they?

http://www.sportivecentral.com/index.ph ... =99&page=8

Edit: It's strange, because if you do a search by region on the database of great UK climbs, and enter "South East", there are no results at all. Odd, no?

We're talking city centre climbs, not sure Rosedale Chimney is a fair comparison. Try Kidds Hill, Yorks Hill, one or two of the steeper ones in Surrey (Whitedown?) which are all within an easy ride of London. Of course they are short, but seriously steep and tough climbs.

Having done Winterfold (21%) and Whitedown (18%) at the weekend I can confirm that they are indeed hills and right b'stards, especially after a good solo ride. If you're after ones on Surrey, have a look at these

rjsterry

Nobody's mentioned Succomb's Hill in Whyteleafe (just about describable as London). 25% narrow, winding and busy with no pavement, so no bailing out allowed. Intense is probably the best adjective.

Can be combined with Marlpit Lane in Old Coulsdon and Titsey Hill for further pain if required.

ketsbaia

JamesFree wrote:

Blackheath Hill and Canonbie Road (honor oak park)

Canonbie Road's a belter. Plus you've got the speed bumps to contend with as well.

Fox Hill and Sylvan Hill are interesting too - short but a good 18% the both of them.

Norbury Hill's a nice long (OK, half a mile tops) 10% with speed bumps too.

First.Aspect

rjsterry wrote:

Nobody's mentioned Succomb's Hill in Whyteleafe (just about describable as London). 25% narrow, winding and busy with no pavement, so no bailing out allowed. Intense is probably the best adjective.

Can be combined with Marlpit Lane in Old Coulsdon and Titsey Hill for further pain if required.

They are good climbs. Its a shame we don't have an early or late season classic over those roads really.

ketsbaia

rjsterry wrote:

Nobody's mentioned Succomb's Hill in Whyteleafe (just about describable as London). 25% narrow, winding and busy with no pavement, so no bailing out allowed. Intense is probably the best adjective.

Can be combined with Marlpit Lane in Old Coulsdon and Titsey Hill for further pain if required.

Oh yeah. These are ace. Not what I'd describe as London, but properly testing. St James's Road just off Godstone Road in that neck of the woods is fairly tasty too.

JamesFree

ketsbaia wrote:

JamesFree wrote:

Blackheath Hill and Canonbie Road (honor oak park)

Canonbie Road's a belter. Plus you've got the speed bumps to contend with as well.

Fox Hill and Sylvan Hill are interesting too - short but a good 18% the both of them.

Norbury Hill's a nice long (OK, half a mile tops) 10% with speed bumps too.

I loop back on myself every commute to take in Canonbie Road

fidbod

Wrath Rob wrote:

BigMat wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Not exactly Rosedale Chimney, are they?

http://www.sportivecentral.com/index.ph ... =99&page=8

Edit: It's strange, because if you do a search by region on the database of great UK climbs, and enter "South East", there are no results at all. Odd, no?

We're talking city centre climbs, not sure Rosedale Chimney is a fair comparison. Try Kidds Hill, Yorks Hill, one or two of the steeper ones in Surrey (Whitedown?) which are all within an easy ride of London. Of course they are short, but seriously steep and tough climbs.

Having done Winterfold (21%) and Whitedown (18%) at the weekend I can confirm that they are indeed hills and right b'stards, especially after a good solo ride. If you're after ones on Surrey, have a look at these

Nice little mapping project you have there.

Winterfold and Whitedown are legbreakers especialy after the cold harbour and leith hill climb.

Clever Pun

Annerly hill heading towards Crystal Palace is a little cheeky, there are quite a few round there, short and sharp

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=soa&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&q=anerley+hill&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=866&bih=403&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

Bassjunkieuk

If your heading out to Titsey Hill you can go round in a loop and try Whites Lane on the next time up. I think it gains about the same amount of height in about 1/5 the distance ;-)

Whilst your in that neck of the woods do yourself a favour and try Westerham Hill (I think it's "just" inside the M25 so still London yeah?)

As others have said I think the approaches to Crystal Palace certainly merit consideration.

If you are seriously suggesting Balham Hill (or should that be Blip?) then you have to concede that Brixton Hill is slightly more impressive.

The rise up from Queenstown Road is a good testing point, you either have to carry on after the rise before the traffic lights or get a brief respite then do a standing start for the second section after the cross-road.

Haven't been over North London so can't comment on there but have heard some good rumblings from those who like to fight gravity....

shm_uk

:shock:

That london has hills ???

Up here we used to call them sleeping policemen 8)