# Toys Hill



## martint235 (3 Sep 2010)

Not commuting as such but couldn't find anywhere else to post this. Just been for a cycle out round Chartwell in Kent and looking at the map, Toys Hill looked the way to come home. Well having climbed Puddledock Lane and thinking that was a bit tough to climb I then turned left onto Toys Hill. It was like running into a wall!!! I've got no idea what gradient it is but believe me it wasn't fun! It's certainly the toughest hill I've faced in the south.


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## HLaB (3 Sep 2010)

Its just a Toy hill ;-) your links not working btw


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## martint235 (3 Sep 2010)

HLaB said:


> Its just a Toy hill ;-) your links not working btw



Thanks deleted it, never got the hang of street view.... it didn't do it justice anyway


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## ianrauk (3 Sep 2010)

much tougher then Ditchling


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## Panter (3 Sep 2010)

I got tired just driving up it, let alone cycling


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## BentMikey (3 Sep 2010)

Hahaha! Come ride Hell of the Ashdown in January then.


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## theboytaylor (3 Sep 2010)

BentMikey said:


> Hahaha! Come ride Hell of the Ashdown in January then.


+1. But wrap up warm!

Although in this case I get the impression Martin was coming up it from the 4 Elms side, towards the A25 which, as well as being even more of a stinker IMO, is the opposite direction to the one HotA takes.

Actually, next time you should try Ide Hill instead. It's loads easier.............


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## martint235 (3 Sep 2010)

theboytaylor said:


> +1. But wrap up warm!
> 
> Although in this case I get the impression Martin was coming up it from the 4 Elms side, towards the A25 which, as well as being even more of a stinker IMO, is the opposite direction to the one HotA takes.
> 
> Actually, next time you should try Ide Hill instead. It's loads easier.............


I was coming that way. I tend to just look at a street type map to plan my route. I knew there would be a hill but.... 
still it's a fading memory now, may extended my training ride to do it regularly


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## Flying Dodo (3 Sep 2010)

Toy's Hill is very steep, but an even steeper one is Hollingbourne Hill, just past Maidstone, which just grinds on for over a mile, higher & higher, and then has several bits past 15%. For a ride last year, that had everyone apart from me & dellzeqq walking!


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## martint235 (3 Sep 2010)

Flying Dodo said:


> Toy's Hill is very steep, but an even steeper one is Hollingbourne Hill, just past Maidstone, which just grinds on for over a mile, higher & higher, and then has several bits past 15%. For a ride last year, that had everyone apart from me & dellzeqq walking!



Adam, any idea how steep Toys Hill is? I remember passing a 10% sign on the way back down into Brasted and 10% was nowhere near what I'd climbed, it seemed a gentle descent in comparison...


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## Flying Dodo (3 Sep 2010)

Definitely steeper than 10%! Looking at bikehike, it seems like the steepest bit peaks at about 14%. The trouble is, the road signs are never particularly accurate. One of my training hills, Bison Hill at Whipsnade is steeper than Ditchling, yet the council replaced the 15% sign with a 10% sign.


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## martint235 (3 Sep 2010)

Flying Dodo said:


> Definitely steeper than 10%! Looking at bikehike, it seems like the steepest bit peaks at about 14%. The trouble is, the road signs are never particularly accurate. One of my training hills, Bison Hill at Whipsnade is steeper than Ditchling, yet the council replaced the 15% sign with a 10% sign.



Ok I think I'll go with my own ratings. Shooters Hill is 0 cos I go up that every day. DItchling is a 2, the hill we went up on the way to East Wittering is a 1 and Toys Hill is a 3.

To be fair I found Ditchling a slog rather than a climb, happy for people to disagree.....


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## deckertim (26 Sep 2010)

ianrauk said:


> much tougher then Ditchling


Did it today whilst doing the Evans Ride it. I had about 75 miles on the clock, so found this very hard. We also did some toughies near Cudham and Downe. Certainly seemed harder than Ditchling.


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## ianrauk (26 Sep 2010)

The hill at Cudham is a 25%er.. short but nasty


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## ComedyPilot (26 Sep 2010)

To see a real hill, go on bikehike.co.uk and head south from Rosedale Abbey up Chimney Bank. 

1 in 3 in places and a mile long. 

I did it last year on a fully loaded tourer.


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## Part time cyclist (9 Jun 2012)

ianrauk said:


> The hill at Cudham is a 25%er.. short but nasty


 I love that hill at cudham I even go out of my way on rides to do that one


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## gaz (9 Jun 2012)




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## HLaB (9 Jun 2012)

Since the old thread has been resurrected and I'm in the south at the moment; the steepest hill I've found down here so far is Market Hill in Maldon. The sign says its 15%


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## Bassjunkieuk (12 Jun 2012)

I think I did Toys Hill, certainly did Ide Hill on a VERY wet day that was meant to be a group ride from another forum (I dare not speak it's name here ;-)) When the weather turned only 2 other people turned up! It was so wet that the surrounding fields where saturated and had turned the roads into streams :-D

IIRC it's certainly good fun however I was out driving (for work, needed to deliver a full computer) around Caterham-on-the-hill and my Satnav solution had avoided all the queues on some amazing looking hills in this valley area :-D Think I might be a bit wrong in the head as I'm driving up a road thinking "Damn I need to cycle this...."


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## Panter (12 Jun 2012)

OK, it's an old thread but...



Flying Dodo said:


> Toy's Hill is very steep, but an even steeper one is Hollingbourne Hill, just past Maidstone, which just grinds on for over a mile, higher & higher, and then has several bits past 15%. For a ride last year, that had everyone apart from me & dellzeqq walking!


 
Not sure I agree on this one. It's a vicious bugger, but I cycle up most of it on my commute, I don't think it's anywhere near as bad as Toys?


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## Andrew_P (12 Jun 2012)

http://app.strava.com/segments/257505

Cat 4 Climb 1.8 miles fastest man went up it at 17mph! Impressive that is!


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## downfader (12 Jun 2012)

Anyone ever ridden that nasty one down near Cheddar Gorge? Havent been there for a while so forgive my loose description.. it was a b***ard that I saw about 5 cyclists ride up some 8-10 years back (Family day out, hiking in boots was bad enough), single lane and went between two lamb farms. A good 18% or higher in places, and for a good mile.


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## Sittingduck (12 Jun 2012)

Toys is on my hitlist. Did Titsey hill a few weeks ago and thought that was bad enough. It's not far from Toys... dunno how it compares?


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## Andrew_P (12 Jun 2012)

Sittingduck said:


> Toys is on my hitlist. Did Titsey hill a few weeks ago and thought that was bad enough. It's not far from Toys... dunno how it compares?


On Strava Titsey the full version is a Cat 3 the Strava link above for Toys I think is only a partial.

Working my way around and up to Titsey.


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## gaz (12 Jun 2012)

LOCO said:


> On Strava Titsey the full version is a Cat 3 the Strava link above for Toys I think is only a partial.
> 
> Working my way around and up to Titsey.


First time it will smack you in the face. I got the start completely wrong and had to stop half way up the rest of it for a breather. Still managed to catch a guy in front of me though 

A good climb is one in Woldingham http://app.strava.com/segments/610455


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## Sittingduck (12 Jun 2012)

1887944 said:


> Titsey Hill is worst at the bottom, once you get round the first bend it is reasonably moderate. It does stretch out in front of you disconcertingly though.


 
Yep, it kicks up to about 16.5% in the first quarter of a mile, if I recall correctly.

Edit: 17.6, infact, at one point. Surprised that only 66 ppl have ridden it on Strava.
http://app.strava.com/segments/614781


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## gaz (12 Jun 2012)

Sittingduck said:


> Yep, it kicks up to about 16.5% in the first quarter of a mile, if I recall correctly.
> 
> Edit: 17.6, infact, at one point. Surprised that only 66 ppl have ridden it on Strava.
> http://app.strava.com/segments/614781


This one is probably better http://app.strava.com/segments/664285
As to complete the segment you don't have to go across the round about.


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## Sittingduck (12 Jun 2012)

gaz said:


> This one is probably better http://app.strava.com/segments/664285
> As to complete the segment you don't have to go across the round about.


 
Yeah, I notice only you and I have ridden that one Gaz, from the CC group on there. You're not showing up on the other segment I linked though. Assume you turned off before the RAB or turned back to go down it?


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## gaz (12 Jun 2012)

Sittingduck said:


> Yeah, I notice only you and I have ridden that one Gaz, from the CC group on there. You're not showing up on the other segment I linked though. Assume you turned off before the RAB or turned back to go down it?


I went left at the roundabout which leads down to the segment I linked to above but going down the hill, not something I would recommend as it is pretty steep, there is a very tight bend near the bottom and the road conditions are pretty bad. Going up it's not so bad.


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## Bassjunkieuk (13 Jun 2012)

Titsey is good fun, I did try going down it once but the road surface sent some rather scarey vibrations through the wheel and handlebars so I ditched bailed partway down and went up White Lane  Feck me that had my lungs screaming.....climbs back up to pretty much the same level as the top of Titsey in about 1/4 the distance!! Think it is used for the Catford (?) CC Hill Climb.

Once when I did Titsey Hill there where temp traffic lights just at the steep bit, it's not fun trying to clip back in AND keep upright when riding off in 30x23....

Anyway seeing as we seem to now be playing name that hill you simply MUST try Westerham Hill if your down that area :-)


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## Flying Dodo (13 Jun 2012)

Panter said:


> OK, it's an old thread but...
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure I agree on this one. It's a vicious bugger, but I cycle up most of it on my commute, I don't think it's anywhere near as bad as Toys?


 
You'll have to organise a ride incorporating both, so people can compare & contrast!


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## Andrew_P (13 Jun 2012)

Flying Dodo said:


> You'll have to organise a ride incorporating both, so people can compare & contrast!


 As long as there is an oxygen tent somewhere inbettwen the two count me in!


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## Panter (13 Jun 2012)

Flying Dodo said:


> You'll have to organise a ride incorporating both, so people can compare & contrast!


 

Actually I need to apologise profusely, despite riding the bugger numerous times I'd forgotten the name of it...
The one I go up is Steade hill, not Hollingbourne. I've ridden Hollingbourne once, at the tail end of a MTB ride and it is nasty. Not sure it's as bad as Toys but it's certainly a killer climb!


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## smutchin (13 Jun 2012)

ComedyPilot said:


> To see a real hill, go on bikehike.co.uk and head south from Rosedale Abbey up Chimney Bank.


 
I tried _walking_ up there once and found it almost impossible. (Though admittedly I'd just enjoyed lunch in the pub at the bottom.)

d.


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## smutchin (13 Jun 2012)

I've ridden up most of the hills around the Sevenoaks and Maidstone area but at different times, at different points of different rides, so it's hard to compare their relative difficulty objectively. I would say Yorks is definitely tougher than both Ide and Toys though. I've just looked a few of them up on Strava...

Toys Hill:
http://app.strava.com/segments/942815

Ide Hill:
http://app.strava.com/segments/795893

Hollingbourne Hill:
http://app.strava.com/segments/936995

Stede Hill (nr Hollingbourne - I can't decide which of the two I think is harder):
http://app.strava.com/segments/371671

If you want a nice ride in the area that takes in a lot of Scenery, try the Invicta Grimpeur 100 audax, which includes all of the following - and more besides (but not Toys or Ide, unfortunately):

York's Hill is >20% in places - and has the added difficulty that the road is often very slippery, thus reducing grip:
http://app.strava.com/segments/648585

Carters Hill - short but vicious:
http://app.strava.com/segments/648583

Hubbards Hill - relentless:
http://app.strava.com/segments/648584

Exedown - long:
http://app.strava.com/segments/648713

Rowdow - Strava claims this hits 35% at its steepest point, which I don't find too hard to believe:
http://app.strava.com/segments/1075258

Shooters Hill is a doddle compared to all of these.

Enjoy!

d.


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## Sittingduck (19 Jun 2012)

Did Toys this morning (am off work this week and it was a nice day  )
It just keeps kicking up and up. Thought it was maybe the summit when I saw the little crossroads thing with a few houses to the right but no. It carried on and just got steeper. Glad of the triple - that's for sure.

Came home via Titsey and of the two, I would say Toys is more knackering. Titsey is gravy, after that first steep section.


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## fossyant (19 Jun 2012)

Us Pennine boys


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## benb (19 Jun 2012)

Think I might check Toys Hill out, but I think I'll plan my ride to go down it!


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## Bassjunkieuk (19 Jun 2012)

fossyant said:


> Us Pennine boys


I'll be having a crack at getting over the Pennines at the end of the month, the only downside is one of the MAMIL's in my team has also got his name down for the ride so it might be rather slow going.....still he treated himself to a GPS computer (A Bryton Rider 50 THE fugliest device I've ever seen....) so he shouldn't get too lost if we drop him ;-)


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## mulville (18 Oct 2012)

and bump..................ok what do people think of Chalkpit Lane compared to Toy's Hill?


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## Sittingduck (18 Oct 2012)

Never done it but have heard of it. Where is it, in relation to Toy's?


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## ianrauk (18 Oct 2012)

Sittingduck said:


> Never done it but have heard of it. Where is it, in relation to Toy's?


 

near Oxted if I remember rightly


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## mulville (18 Oct 2012)

http://app.strava.com/segments/645908

and the dog leg is a killer !!!!!


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## dodd82 (18 Oct 2012)

Anyone ever ridden this one?

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=honey+lane&ie=UTF-8

It's Woodridden Hill, in Waltham Abbey on the way to Epping. 

I'm new to cycling, so this probably doesn't mean anything, but I've found it incredibly hard - am puffing rather hard and peddling rather slowly by the end of it!


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## Bassjunkieuk (18 Oct 2012)

mulville said:


> http://app.strava.com/segments/645908
> 
> and the dog leg is a killer !!!!!


Curse you.... I haven't ridden it but it's certainly close enough for a punt if I get some quality time! Mind you looking at the strava times with a 10mph average being the top I may need to get my front derailleur working again


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## Sittingduck (18 Oct 2012)

Looks a bit testing... have done the known climbs that flank it: Flower Ln/Ganger's, to the West & Titsey, to the East. Both are ok when you settle into them but each have a steep section. The lower section for Titsey ramps up nasty & a killer right-hand bend on Ganger's.

I'll have to give this chalkpit a go, soonish!


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## gaz (18 Oct 2012)

Sittingduck said:


> Looks a bit testing... have done the known climbs that flank it: Flower Ln/Ganger's, to the West & Titsey, to the East. Both are ok when you settle into them but each have a steep section. The lower section for Titsey ramps up nasty & a killer right-hand bend on Ganger's.
> 
> I'll have to give this chalkpit a go, soonish!


The steep bit on titsey always catches me by surprise.


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## Sittingduck (18 Oct 2012)

Something like 17% right at the beginning...! I have only climbed it twice but took it nice and easy on the second try and acellerated as I got closer to the top... this tactic seemed to work ok.


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