North London Hills

North London Hills: more miles, nearly double the elevation, less breaks and and fractionally faster then South London, but just as much fun. Thank you Nick.

Cheers all and especially Nick - gnarly route. Rather nice to fly around highgate with minimal traffic as the sun starts warming things up.

No, fried egg and brown sauce*

Don't judge me!

^ nice, but not quite what I meant. It's gotts be a sandwich with white crusty bread and brown sauce!

Onion grilled cheese with the remains of the loaf I baked yesterday. Making up for missing the stall at borough market yesterday mmmm.. really cycling just balances my eating/cooking habit.

Dunno 'about that, it looks like decent bread under there.

North London Hills: more miles, nearly double the elevation, less breaks and and fractionally faster then South London, but just as much fun. Thank you Nick.

That's misleading Ludwig. I cut the South London Hills down considerably. I stopped and waited to ensure you were all together.

I'm miserable I missed this, but I think my stats exam went well.

Some chaps have hinted at hills, so I figured I'd dust off this thread.

Right then. I very much enjoy the hills around home, yes indeed, in fact they constitute the majority of my weekday cycling. However, I'm unsure that many would consider riding around my back garden a quality replacement for an organised spin around Surrey or Kent - particularly now that we're hitting the most valuable weather. So, rather than sacrificing a "proper" ride for some modest local highlights, howzabout heading out one weekday evening?

The deal here is more about tucking in some hills when anyone who's interested has a little surplus time on their hands. Meet up, quick blast, then home before anyone can say, "Have you been cycling this evening?". There's bags of flexibility, and nae bother if nobody can be arsed at the 11th hour (at least not for me, I'll go whatever).

Depart from KX 8:00pm/9:00pm/10:00pm, once the rush hour's gone home.

Kings Cross -> Camden -> Hampstead Heath -> Highgate -> Archway -> Muswell Hill -> Finsbury Park.

About 500m over 15 miles. Simples.

did something similiar last night..

kings x - camden - highgate west hill - muswell hill - ally pally - crouch end - highgate hill - swains lane - hampstead lane - fitzjohns ave

Also did similar over the weekend - really nice ride

Finsbury Park -> Highgate -> Hampstead Heath -> Finchley -> Alexandra Palace -> Muswell Hill -> Finsbury Park

i did pretty much that on tuesday. i'd be up for trying to keep up with some "proper" riders one evening soon.

They are indeed popular options, and rightly so. Who doesn't enjoy a nice hill?

Monday to soon? 8:30pm?

thought i'd bump this as i'm looking for a nice route to try again soon. did a sort of semi-planned hill hunt today that started in oval and went:

kx > kentish town > swains/westhill x 6 (alternating up swains and down west hill with looping down then back up west hill) > then circumnavigated the heath culminating in coming down eastheath (i think? got a bit lost) and back to camden > back up though camden > primrose hill > muswell hill > back down to regents park for a few laps > back down to kx and finishing up in angel.

was a good morning of hills but am looking for a more organised slightly less haphazard route. anyone got one planned out that takes in most of the main bumps in that area in logical sequence?

thanks,

a

If you start at Camden, then zig-zag from West to East between Camden and Muswell Hill, you'll hit the same hills, but in a more ordered fashion.

How did you drop into Regent's Park, from across the back of Highgate and Hampstead Tube?

I'd be up for tagging along at some point, if you fancy it.

i may have missed a bit of my sketchy route out... from highgate i actually ended up at archway, then down holloway road, back up camden road into camden, realised i couldn'y go straight up parkway so ended up going though primrose hill and muswell hill. wound up (somehow) coming back onto the outer circle from the north gate? i dunno to be honest.

So...was a bit bored post work today so went out on my own designed London-centric hill bashing jaunt which goes a bit like this:

Crouch Hill - Muswell Hill - Highgate High Street - Swain's lane x2 - Hampstead High Street x2.

Now I reckon the second, Muswell Hill, is the most challenging that you can find in London. Have done Canonbie Road but it doesn't have quite the length to really feature as a pwoper candidate.

Would be interested to hear if others have other suggestions because am looking to step it up to the next level.

(and, no, I ride geared - 2009 Honky Tonk - not fixed, so maybe this ain't the place to go asking, but what the hell, what harm can it cause?)

Are you Jonathan Ross?

Yes

Many thanks to the Mod for consolidation. Was wondering if my thread/post had a more natural home and apparently it does.

So...was a bit bored post work today so went out on my own designed London-centric hill bashing jaunt which goes a bit like this:

Crouch Hill - Muswell Hill - Highgate High Street - Swain's lane x2 - Hampstead High Street x2.

Now I reckon the second, Muswell Hill, is the most challenging that you can find in London. Have done Canonbie Road but it doesn't have quite the length to really feature as a pwoper candidate.

Would be interested to hear if others have other suggestions because am looking to step it up to the next level.

(and, no, I ride geared - 2009 Honky Tonk - not fixed, so maybe this ain't the place to go asking, but what the hell, what harm can it cause?)

I do that route sort off - Ally Pally Hill, then loop round to Muswell Hill then drop round, up Queens Wood Road, then across to Highgate North Hill, then treat myself to a nice down hill before hitting Swaines - then cut across to lower Hornsey to go back up Hornsey rise and a nice down hill - bit all over the shot but defo put some distance and elevation in.

Well if anyone fancies making such a ride routine, would be more than happy to do the minimal planning/coordination involved. Seems like a Monday night sort of ride to me generally though could be proved wrong. Also, as a bonus, there's a score of good pubs on the way that no doubt would appreciate the custom.

i live on crouch hill so i do that every day, i thought i would just mention that.

i live on crouch hill so i do that every day, i thought i would just mention that.

I have a little Strava section called 'Little Sting' (Crouch Hill) which i treat myself to everyday on the way to work, though this weather is not helping me set decent anytimes - but sure is good for getting the blood pumping on the way to work.

Yeah, but let's be honest, that's (Crouch Hill) a piece of piss. The main thing about the hill is the psychology. That's why Highgate West Hill is such a killer. You think you're almost there then it turns 90 degrees right and kicks up several times over, at the very moment that you're praying for some kind of respite. In contrast Crouch Hill levels out once you've broken the back of it.

The West Hill is far more tricky than Swain's Lane for my money, for that very reason.

I have a little Strava section called 'Little Sting' (Crouch Hill) which i treat myself to everyday on the way to work, though this weather is not helping me set decent anytimes - but sure is good for getting the blood pumping on the way to work.

which side? i find crouch the crouch end side is really easy, its the crouchend station side i find it the real beast, thats the side i do daily, wemight have seen each other.

Either side. It's certainly easier going South than North though.

[crossed wires]