London's Toughest Hills

http://www.londonfgss.com/thread679.html

there were a few races in the summer when the forum first started , up highgate west hill + round hampstead, i'd be up for some more when it gets warmer.

Life was simpler back then :)

http://www.londonfgss.com/thread679.html

Sounds pretty good, better get myself up to North London then.

Life was simpler back then :)

mmm :) that was a fun race.

mmm :) that was a fun race.

I thought it was 2 races - one up the hill, and one in Regents Park. The bit in the middle was just cruising round at 10mph waiting for someone to catch up :p

you shouldn't be cruising at your age :p

It was the Heath, afterall.

there's some old timer 2000m up in the alps having a good french chortle at this thread right now having just descended 1000m and back to pick up a baguette for his breakfast. or a himalayan at 4000m

Berrys Hill by Cudham Village Nr. Orpington is a 25% gradient (1 in 4 in old money) that still provides a fairly traffic free leg stretch

+1 for Betty - if you're talking about the Cudham end of Downe Road (the road linking Cudham to Downe) then yep that's real proper steep. In slippery conditions, I get the sweats even going down that one! (And have hit the deck a couple of times ...)

........thats the one I may have got the name wrong as Berrys Hill is off on the fork going to Jail Lane, first came across it taking a short cut back home after watching the Bec CC annual hill climb up Titsey Lane, always felt it would be good for a hill climb event

It's easy :D

Congratulations - Muswell Hill, here you come... :)

I mistakenly took a route home via Muswell Hill last week and I found it really, really hard on 70in. Clearly I need the practice and should have turned around, gone down and done it again a couple of times.

You can double decker up Muswell Hill, I think there's only one stop half way up (where you can catch your breath). Great cardio work.

Gotta love the one about Stamford Hill, to be honest I didn't realise it was called that because there was a hill there ;-)

North Wales, now there's some hills.

A gallon of beer for anyone who can do this on more than 30 inches.

Which way?

I'll be honest, I'm tempted to say either.

All of London's toughest hills are in Yorkshire.
Fact.

I'm sure you're a lot fitter than me but as a newbie I'm curious what gearing you use on these routes. Cheers

Steepest hills in SE London are those roads around the Horniman - there's the short one up to Sydenham (with Kirkdale on the other side), and there's the residential streets to the E of the Horniman, Honor Oak Road, and then go left.

I go home via Greenwich and use Maze Hill as a short lung-buster. Vanbrugh Hill is shorter and steeper.

Pepys Road and Jerningham Road in SE14 are both effective ways to tire the legs.

The slopes up to Crystal Palace are quite fun. The main roads are too busy to be very safe, but I use to do 6 1/2 minute reps on College Road (turning at the roundabout). Do a few of those and your legs know about it!

I'm sure you're a lot fitter than me but as a newbie I'm curious what gearing you use on these routes. Cheers

I can only speak about the Greenwich Hills. The hill through the park is a doddle on 72" (48/18) as is Maze Hill.
I've only ever attempted Vanbrugh Hill once on the same gearing. I made it to the top (just) and it was only possible by being well clipped in as, without the ability to pull up the trailing pedal, weight alone would not be enough to power the bike up the incline.

There are 2 climbs on Titsey Hill, the main rd and a tiny lane off to the right (as you're climbing). There used to be/there still is a hill climb TT on the tiny one.

Succumbs Hill from Caterham rdb is nice, a 1:3&3/4 left hand hairpin on top of a 1:5 start...

I live on top of the Chilterns these days and there's a fine selection of long draggy climbs and short sharp pitches.. if you wanna come and play let me know...

Chalk farm to hampstead.... Rosslyn hill? Then right up to the top of the heath....I genuinely love that hill!

Chalk farm to hampstead.... Rosslyn hill? Then right up to the top of the heath....I genuinely love that hill!

Starts off as Haverstock Hill. The best bit of that is the sort but steep sprint up Holly Hill to Hampstead Grove and then to the pond.

Anyone been up Lindsing Road, north of Maidstone? Climbs up from Boxley Village, along Pilgrims Way for a section, then cuts north-east into the Downs towards the M2. Drags for around a mile before you reach the hairpin, then it's pain central.