# Steepest climbs in central London



## Pale Rider (28 Nov 2016)

Current talk on the forum of riding in London made me think of the steepest climbs in the capital.

I'm aware of some long drags up to the likes of Highgate, Hampstead, Crystal Palace, and Sydenham.

But I was thinking more of the central area.

I recall Hay Hill leading down to Berkeley Square being fairly sharp, albeit only about 50m long.

Aren't there another couple of short, sharpish climbs off Lower Thames Street?

There may be others leading up from The Embankment to the various bridges.

Plenty of people on here ride in London for more miles in a week than I will ever do, so I'm sure there will be steeper and longer climbs.

Over to you.


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## Colin_P (28 Nov 2016)

Not central central but Pentonville Road between Kings Cross and the Angel used to make me puff on my commute many, many years ago.


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## fossyant (28 Nov 2016)

The curb !


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## smutchin (28 Nov 2016)

Pale Rider said:


> Aren't there another couple of short, sharpish climbs off Lower Thames Street?



No, not really. There's Fish Street Hill, the little slip road up to London Bridge, and some of the little back streets near Blackfriars Bridge going up to St Paul's, but none of them are "hills" in any meaningful sense.


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## Markymark (28 Nov 2016)

Colin_P said:


> Not central central but Pentonville Road between Kings Cross and the Angel used to make me puff on my commute many, many years ago.


Yes, Calthorpe St is, I think, actually classified as a mountain. If it were in Yorkshire you'd have the locals organising endurance rides up it with medics half way up.


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## Pale Rider (28 Nov 2016)

Colin_P said:


> Not central central but Pentonville Road between Kings Cross and the Angel used to make me puff on my commute many, many years ago.



Yes, quite a drag up to The Angel/Islington so I think that qualifies for the list.



smutchin said:


> No, not really. There's Fish Street Hill, the little slip road up to London Bridge, and some of the little back streets near Blackfriars Bridge going up to St Paul's, but none of them are "hills" in any meaningful sense.



Fair enough, although what me on a Boris Bike and you perceive as a hill may differ.

To me, there's a bit of a hill either side of Farringdon Street - up Fleet Street one way, Ludgate Hill up to St Paul's the other.


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## smutchin (28 Nov 2016)

Pale Rider said:


> Fair enough, although what me on a Boris Bike and you perceive as a hill may differ.



I've done the South Bank to St Pancras journey by Boris Bike many times - generally via Farringdon Road.


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## Pale Rider (28 Nov 2016)

User13710 said:


> Pity it has to be central. The Col de Croydon sometimes sorts the men from the boys.



No problems with a few wild cards from further out, the thread's only for a bit of general interest as I'm sure you gather.


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## Brains (28 Nov 2016)

This highest point in the City of London is the site of the old Roman Forum at the Leadenhall/Bishopsgate/Gracechurch/Cornhill junction, so the run from St Magnus Church at sea level to that point would be the lowest to highest over a 300m distance.

However I think the steepest ascent is St Dunstans hill which has a couple of hairpins in it


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## mjr (28 Nov 2016)

Back Hill should score some points for cobbles but it's pretty short and I think currently blocked by construction.

Some of the ramps up from the canals to street level will make most people dismount from a hire bike.


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## subaqua (28 Nov 2016)

Pale Rider said:


> Yes, quite a drag up to The Angel/Islington so I think that qualifies for the list.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Many years ago on here the question was asked. I suggested both of these and Dan who had a silly bloke waving as an avatar laughed at me for suggesting them .


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## robjh (28 Nov 2016)

User13710 said:


> Pity it has to be central. The Col de Croydon sometimes sorts the men from the boys.


Where's that then? Not Croydon, the Col. I remember north-south through Croydon as pretty flat though it may be hillier on the E and SE - I don't know those sides that well.


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## 400bhp (28 Nov 2016)

Isn't this on the same list as a glass hammer and a tartan paint?


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## smutchin (28 Nov 2016)

Markymark said:


> No problems with a few wild cards from further out,



A bit closer to central London than Croydon, there's Primrose Hill, which is steep enough to get you out of the saddle, but pretty short. Probably just about doable on a Boris Bike if you fancy a challenge.


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## robjh (28 Nov 2016)

User said:


> Water Tower Hill, which does run North South is a bit steep.


Right you are. I notice it's near a road called Steep Hill - a clue if ever there was one.


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## Colin_P (28 Nov 2016)

You might get some funny looks and possibly arrested on a bike but the climb out from the bottom of Bloomsbury Square car park has go to be quite a climb.


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## slowmotion (28 Nov 2016)

The climb from Base Camp to the summit of Albert Bridge is absolutely brutal.


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## DaveReading (28 Nov 2016)

Many of the streets between the Embankment and the Strand are fairly steep.


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## Blue Hills (29 Nov 2016)

smutchin said:


> A bit closer to central London than Croydon, there's Primrose Hill, which is steep enough to get you out of the saddle, but pretty short. Probably just about doable on a Boris Bike if you fancy a challenge.


Out of the saddle? I don't know anything steep enough to get me out of the saddle. Don't you have gears?


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## martint235 (29 Nov 2016)

User said:


> Water Tower Hill, which does run North South is a bit steep.


The climb up to the overpass from the High Street in Croydon can be challenging if you've just ridden to Brighton and back.

The only hill on my commute that requires the 39 front chain ring is Shooters Hill


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## xxDarkRiderxx (29 Nov 2016)

Probably already mentioned and not quite central London Muswell Hill, or Alexander Palace. I used to find the long drag from Camden up and over past Holloway prison and Holloway Rd brutal after playing football in Regents park. I know I am a pussy.


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## vickster (29 Nov 2016)

North London is indeed pretty hilly (for London)

Balham hill is the CS7 mountain!


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## ianrauk (29 Nov 2016)

Let's ask CC's resident human London A-Z, @User10571 

There's a fair few nasties south of the river. Vicars Hill, Telegraph Hill etc


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## Blue Hills (29 Nov 2016)

Googling peaks of lewisham might turn up some stuff.

And pics.

May post 1 or 2 if have time/opportunity.

Best views of london are from south of the river. One or two peaks you can see both kent and central london laid out below you.


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## rrarider (29 Nov 2016)

I lived in NW London for many years and I found the hardest climb was up to Hampstead from the Finchley Road by Arkwright Road. The last few yards increased in gradient and I struggled with my 54 inch lowest gear. I probably wouldn't be able to do it now.


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## TheJDog (29 Nov 2016)

A bit further out at Dollis Hill there is a road called Parkside, strangely up the side of the park, and it is brutal, but pretty short.

@rraider Arkwright Road is hard because the surface is so awful, speed bumps, platforms, and potholes all combining to screw you up.


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## ianrauk (29 Nov 2016)

Oh yes,
The road up to Ally Pally is a nice climb. 

@Blue Hills , what about Cannonbie Road? That's got to be over 15% right?


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## Blue Hills (29 Nov 2016)

Canonbie road.

Someone at the back with possibly a gearless bike walking after straying from hipster flatlands

https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/37034456@N06/4720544170/


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## Blue Hills (29 Nov 2016)

And another canonbie.

Once away from wonky tab will try to integrate pics into stream

https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/37034456@N06/4637988723/


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## ianrauk (29 Nov 2016)

Blue Hills said:


> Canonbie road.
> 
> Someone at the back with possibly a gearless bike walking after straying from hipster flatlands
> 
> https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/37034456@N06/4720544170/




Katie and the Good Doctor


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## Blue Hills (29 Nov 2016)

Well over that. Great minds think alike - just posted links to 2 pics from my old Lewisham Peaks ride. Didn't think you'd ever been on it. Apologies if I have forgotten - can have a dodgy memory - all the best.

Edit - reply to mr rauk's estimate of canonbie gradient.


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## ianrauk (29 Nov 2016)

Blue Hills said:


> Well over that. Great minds think alike - just posted links to 2 pics from my old Lewisham Peaks ride. Didn't think you'd ever been on it. Apologies if I have forgotten - can have a dodgy memory - all the best.




You are indeed right... I haven't.


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## Blue Hills (29 Nov 2016)

ianrauk said:


> Katie and the Good Doctor


Ah yes, the good doctor, whose bike was wrecked on my other road to hell (most never made it back) which you were definitely on. Good doc didn't hold it against me though as he turned up to the edition of the peaks linked to above just to say hi before having to dash to work. Happy days.


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## smutchin (29 Nov 2016)

Blue Hills said:


> Out of the saddle? I don't know anything steep enough to get me out of the saddle. Don't you have gears?


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## mr messy (29 Nov 2016)

Does Londinium have similar to Montrose St(very centre of Glasgow), used in both Commonwealth Games and British Road Championships? I've only visited couple of times so limited knowledge.


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## smutchin (29 Nov 2016)

mr messy said:


> Does Londinium have similar to Montrose St(very centre of Glasgow), used in both Commonwealth Games and British Road Championships? I've only visited couple of times so limited knowledge.



I've heard it said that Swains Lane is the toughest cycling climb in London - never actually done it myself though. 
https://www.strava.com/segments/6691038?hl=en-GB


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## smutchin (30 Nov 2016)

Talking of Swains Lane...

http://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/1921/urban-hill-climb-two-minutes-in-london


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## Dec66 (30 Nov 2016)

Anerley Hill, going past the Paxton Arms (RIP) can be a bit of a short sharp shock.

Though that's not central, obviously.

I haven't found a London hill I can't do on the big ring, yet (50/28 on my commuter).


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## vickster (30 Nov 2016)

It's quite hilly generally around Crystal Palace (unsurprisingly, a bit like around Ally Pally)


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## smutchin (30 Nov 2016)

I used to commute between Bromley and the South Bank, usually going up Crystal Palace Park Rd in the morning and back up Fountain Drive in the evening. Neither are particularly challenging unless you're getting involved in a bit of SCR, which I was occasionally guilty of. 

For a variation, I would sometimes go via Kirkdale/Sydenham Hill, which are slightly steeper and shorter. Or via Peckham and Catford and up Bromley Hill - an easy climb but goes on a bit. 

Sometimes for a longer ride in the evening, I'd go South Bank to Gravesend - via Maze Hill in Greenwich (short and steep) and Shooters Hill, which is more of a long, steady climb. That's quite a fun one - especially for the descent into Welling down the other side.


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## Dec66 (30 Nov 2016)

vickster said:


> It's quite hilly generally around Crystal Palace (unsurprisingly, a bit like around Ally Pally)


It's on my commute, and on my way into London I have four ways up the hill to Crystal Palace; up Anerley Hill from Elmer's End (up and down, with the steepest gradient right near the end); up Crystal Palace Park Road from Penge (long consistent gradient); up Westwood Hill from Sydenham (long, fairly consistent climb, a little steeper toward the end); or up Kirkdale from Sydenham (down then up, quite consistently steep with a couple of sharp ramps).

Coming back, it's usually up College Road/Fountain Drive from Dulwich, though I sometimes go up Court Lane and Lordship Lane to Forest Hill, and occasionally up Sydenham Hill from there if I feel brave.


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## vickster (30 Nov 2016)

Cool, it's been a while since I lived over that way (grew up in Chislehurst/Bromley Shortlands/Beckenham, school in Orpington), so my memory of those parts is hazy. Through my teens, Summer Hill in Chislehurst was a schlep up after school from the station, on foot that is!


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## smutchin (30 Nov 2016)

@Dec66 We must have crossed paths en route numerous times without ever knowing it.


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## Dec66 (30 Nov 2016)

smutchin said:


> @Dec66 We must have crossed paths en route numerous times without ever knowing it.


Possibly... But it's only really this year that my commute took in Crystal Palace. Before that, I was working in Canary Wharf, so I'd go though Park Langley to Beckenham, then over Beckenham Hill and down to The Green Man, then A21 to Lewisham, over the hill, sweep down to Greenwich, and through the foot tunnel.

Quite horrible up Fountain Drive at present, due to the amount of leaf mulch.


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## ianrauk (30 Nov 2016)

smutchin said:


> up Bromley Hill - an easy climb but goes on a bit.


I do the climb everyday. Some days you fly up, others it bites back. It's not a hill I enjoy descending though.
In fact, this reminds me of a nasty little, very short climb in Bromley. Ringers Road up to the High Street.



vickster said:


> Summer Hill in Chislehurst was a schlep up


It's good to get a good run downwards and as long as traffic is light, you can get enough momentum to take you back up to the top.


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## ianrauk (30 Nov 2016)

smutchin said:


> We must have crossed paths en route numerous times without ever knowing it.





Dec66 said:


> then A21 to Lewisham, over the hill, sweep down to Greenwich,



Make that the 3 of us @smutchin


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## Tin Pot (30 Nov 2016)

Addle Hill between St Paul's and the river is proper out-of-the-seat climbing! (On a Boris Bike).

Bottom left


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## smutchin (30 Nov 2016)

Dec66 said:


> Possibly... But it's only really this year that my commute took in Crystal Palace.



Ah! I stopped doing that commute nearly three years ago, so probably not.



> Quite horrible up Fountain Drive at present, due to the amount of leaf mulch.



Yeah, that was always a problem at this time of year.


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## smutchin (30 Nov 2016)

ianrauk said:


> I do the climb everyday. Some days you fly up, others it bites back. It's not a hill I enjoy descending though.



Yeah, if you get it on a good day, it's one you can really belt up. I'm inside the Strava top 20 on Bromley Hill - largely thanks to the time I timed it perfectly and was able to tuck in behind a bus for most of the way up. 



> In fact, this reminds me of a nasty little, very short climb in Bromley. Ringers Road up to the High Street.



Ah yes, I know it well. Short but brutal.

That little twisty climb up Beckenham Lane from Shortlands station is a good one - short enough that you can really attack it if you feel so inclined. And you need to be going reasonably quickly to be able to safely cut across the traffic into the right-turn lane at the top. But I stopped going that way when they started clamping down on cyclists going down the pedestrianised bit of Bromley High Street, which is when I started taking the back roads from Shortlands and finishing with Ringer's Road instead... Or the Queen Anne Avenue sprint on days when I didn't fancy it.


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## smutchin (30 Nov 2016)

ianrauk said:


> Make that the 3 of us @smutchin



I think we've discussed this before. I did once say hello to someone who stopped alongside me at the lights just past the bus station because I thought might be you but he just looked at me like I was a weirdo...


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## jefmcg (30 Nov 2016)

DaveReading said:


> Many of the streets between the Embankment and the Strand are fairly steep.





Tin Pot said:


> Addle Hill between St Paul's and the river is proper out-of-the-seat climbing! (On a Boris Bike).



These ^^^^

From the river up to A4 level. Oddly, none of them seem to have strava segments. This is the only one I can find https://www.strava.com/segments/8223302


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## Blue Hills (30 Nov 2016)

Canonbie gradient sign.

18%

http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/01/43/55/1435555_9b47c377.jpg

There is a 13% in Crystal Palace (pah!) - a suburban type street I have been known to go up and down in what passes for training in my haphazard cycling regime. 

Can't remember if there is a sign or if it's just marked as that on my OSM.

Will try to post name if I have a mo.


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## ianrauk (30 Nov 2016)

smutchin said:


> That little twisty climb up Beckenham Lane from Shortlands station is a good one



Or carry along past the park and up Col de Chuch Lane... naughty little number.


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## Blue Hills (30 Nov 2016)

smutchin said:


> I think we've discussed this before. I did once say hello to someone who stopped alongside me at the lights just past the bus station because I thought might be you but he just looked at me like I was a weirdo...


ah your eyes met under a peak/helmet - a spark, a flash of possible recognition, could it be? - pity. Could have been a beautiful relationship.PM now or you will never forgive yourself.


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## Dec66 (30 Nov 2016)

smutchin said:


> Yeah, if you get it on a good day, it's one you can really belt up. I'm inside the Strava top 20 on Bromley Hill - largely thanks to the time I timed it perfectly and was able to tuck in behind a bus for most of the way up.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ringers Road is the one going past Henry's? I used to enjoy that one, too, on days when I'd work in Bromley and come down from Beckenham (when I lived near Kent House station).

Down's Hill from Shortlands up to Foxgrove Road was a fun one on the way back, too. Flying down Foxgrove Road was a lovely reward.


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## Dec66 (30 Nov 2016)

Blue Hills said:


> ah your eyes met under a peak/helmet - a spark, a flash of possible recognition, could it be? - pity. Could have been a beautiful relationship.PM now or you will never forgive yourself.


Not even a nod from the miserable git 

(@ianrauk money to be had here )


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## Dec66 (30 Nov 2016)

Tin Pot said:


> Addle Hill between St Paul's and the river is proper out-of-the-seat climbing! (On a Boris Bike).
> 
> Bottom left
> View attachment 153002


I work near there. I must confess, I've never heard of the "Bullshit London Walking Tour".


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## smutchin (30 Nov 2016)

Blue Hills said:


> ah your eyes met under a peak/helmet - a spark, a flash of possible recognition, could it be? - pity. Could have been a beautiful relationship.PM now or you will never forgive yourself.



I've crossed paths with @ianrauk many times without ever actually meeting him properly - we've even been on the same audax without recognising each other.


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## smutchin (30 Nov 2016)

Dec66 said:


> Ringers Road is the one going past Henry's?



Yep, that's the one.



> Down's Hill from Shortlands up to Foxgrove Road was a fun one on the way back, too. Flying down Foxgrove Road was a lovely reward.



Yeah, another one you can really attack if you feel like it, except that I _always_ fade before the top. Descending it is a lot of fun too - good test of cornering skillz, and a good test of the brakes at the bottom...


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## Dec66 (30 Nov 2016)

smutchin said:


> Yep, that's the one.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, another one you can really attack if you feel like it, except that I _always_ fade before the top. Descending it is a lot of fun too - good test of cornering skillz, and a good test of the brakes at the bottom...


That little hairpin going onto Foxgrove always catches me in the wrong gear, cos it kicks up again after a slight levelling.

I had KoM for 2016 for the Beckenham Hill climb for quite a while, before someone smashed it. Having seen my time obliterated, I took a detour to go and defend it, laden with a heavy backpack.... I managed to shave a couple of seconds off my time, but didn't get anywhere near the new mark.

I sense some hill repeats next weekend... HotA training, of course


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## ianrauk (30 Nov 2016)

Dec66 said:


> That little hairpin going onto Foxgrove always catches me in the wrong gear, cos it kicks up again after a slight levelling.
> 
> I had KoM for 2016 for the Beckenham Hill climb for quite a while, before someone smashed it. Having seen my time obliterated, I took a detour to go and defend it, laden with a heavy backpack.... I managed to shave a couple of seconds off my time, but didn't get anywhere near the new mark.
> 
> I sense some hill repeats next weekend... HotA training, of course




Actually, near you is A232 from Coney Hall up to the Police Club. Not only a nasty thigh burner. It's not great due to the one lane and traffic who like to squeeze past.


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## Dec66 (30 Nov 2016)

ianrauk said:


> Actually, near you is A232 from Coney Hall up to the Police Club. Not only a nasty thigh burner. It's not great due to the one lane and traffic who like to squeeze past.


Yes, nice to pump the thighs up and down that one with a 44-tonner up the chuff 

Not far away, too, are the delights of Jewels and Saltbox Hills. The top bit of Salty is a particular "why am I doing this?" fave of mine.


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## ianrauk (30 Nov 2016)

Dec66 said:


> Yes, nice to pump the thighs up and down that one with a 44-tonner up the chuff
> 
> Not far away, too, are the delights of Jewels and Saltbox Hills. The top bit of Salty is a particular "why am I doing this?" fave of mine.




Saltbox is a killer. Though I would say it's not London. It is in the LB of Bromley.


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## User482 (30 Nov 2016)

There's a climb up to Farthing Down, and a short dig in Nunhead, if memory serves.


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## Dec66 (30 Nov 2016)

ianrauk said:


> Saltbox is a killer. Though I would say it's not London. It is in the LB of Bromley.


Yeah, it's Biggin Hill really. Woolyback territory 

Might as well throw things like Sundridge Hill in the mix if we're going that far out.


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## swee'pea99 (30 Nov 2016)

User said:


> Tower Bridge can provide one of the steepest climbing challenges known to man, provided you time it right.


Watch out for the wet bit at the end.


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## Blue Hills (30 Nov 2016)

User482 said:


> There's a climb up to Farthing Down, and a short dig in Nunhead, if memory serves.


The steeper climb to Farthing Down is from the south side I think. I well remember leading the remnants of a ride up there - it had been chucking it down - as we reached the top, the skies cleared to blue. Beautiful.
Couple of weeks ago I went DOWN it at about 5:30 in the morning - was glad of my Hope Vision 1.


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## Blue Hills (30 Nov 2016)

Got to ask - what went through your mind as to what it was, before you almost hit it?


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## Pale Rider (30 Nov 2016)

When I lived in London I had an Indian acquaintance who lived near Farthing Corner.

Nothing to do with hills, but when he told people where he lived, he pronounced it as 'farting corner'.

Oh, how we laughed.


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## ianrauk (30 Nov 2016)

User13710 said:


> The last time a night ride went over Farthing Down I almost rode into a cow that was ambling across the road in the darkness. It was wearing reflective ankle bands, which I saw but could not work out what on earth they were.




From a ride over Farthing I did recently






I had to wait for these ladies to cross the road before I could continue. They weren't in a rush.


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## Tin Pot (30 Nov 2016)

Dec66 said:


> I work near there. I must confess, I've never heard of the "Bullshit London Walking Tour".


Good spot!


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## Tin Pot (30 Nov 2016)

Dec66 said:


> Yeah, it's Biggin Hill really. Woolyback territory
> 
> Might as well throw things like Sundridge Hill in the mix if we're going that far out.


Hey now, careful...

I vote for the mayor of London, I'm still a Londoner.


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## mjr (1 Dec 2016)

Swains Lane on Bike Channel now.

City Guide episode 4, London, might get repeated later.


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## outlash (1 Dec 2016)

In the city itself, I can only think of Snow Hill, the roads connecting Eastcheap & Lower Thames St (Fish St Hill, Pudding Lane, Botolph Lane etc) and Mount Pleasant that could be classified as any kind of gradient. Outside of that you'd be looking at Highgate (Swains Lane) and beyond (Milespit Hill), High beach (Mott St) and whatever the badlands have south of the river.


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