Hi,

Once again I’m down in London next week for a night, and it’s eating into my Rapha Rising time on Strava so I need to get some climbing in. What hills are there in central London within easy range of a Boris Bike stand so I can do some climb reps instead of sitting in a hotel room with a meal for one?

I’m staying in Southwark – the nearest decent hill I can think of is around Euston Road area – anything closer and preferably steeper?

Highgate village via Dartmouth Park Hill> Crouch End > Alexandra Palace

Not sure which is closer South to Crystal Palace/Dulwich or North to Hampstead, there’s a hill there with a Strava segment where you do 10 reps, will get name tomorrow

Highgate/Swains Lane, Anerley Hill/Crystal Palace/College Road and Richmond and Greenwich Parks are probably the best hills in centralish London, all outside the cycle hire zone as far as I know though. Highgate will be closest to a bike station, but furthest from you in Southwark.

There are some ok climbs around Penge/Crystal Palace/Sydenham/Dulwich that you could get a loop in, but the ‘best’ climbs in London are probably around Highgate/Hampstead/Muswell Hill/Alexandra Palace. Short, but steep and quite tough, and excelent for reps. Swains Lane in particular is a good climb; it’s used for a hillclimb race every summer. Not that easy to navigate if you don’t know the area though.

the nearest decent hill I can think of is around Euston Road area

Where? That area is flat! Maybe you mean Pentonvile rise up pat Kings Cross toward the Angel, but that’s not that much of a climb. Loads of traffic up there too. Not a great place to ride.

The Overground network could get you up to Gospel Oak, where you could start your loop round Hampstead/Highgate etc, and get you back to Rotherhithe/Surrey Quays for Southwark, as it’s not that far from those stations.

Theres a decent Hill of sorts on the Common at Hampstead.

From the bottom of East heath road where it meets South End Road cycle 1/3rd of way up before taking a right hander at a Y fork in cycle track & then go down hill between highgate ponds to millfield lane turn round at the gate and cycle all the way back up to Spaniards Road gate & turn round and go back down to the start on east heath road. You cant get lost its the only cycle route signed on the common, theres a 12 MPH speed limit as well but theres so much other shit going on around and about the last thing any one cares about is some one going fast on a bike.

I used to complete 6 Reps of that route and it takes about 15 mins per shuttle at a fair pace, its about as hilly as you are going to get, i think the point on Spaniards Road where the gate acces is located is the highest point in ye-Olde london Village.

If you can do College Road (Dulwich to Crystal Palace) or Anerley Hill (South side of Crystal Palace) on a Boris bike then you’re a champion 🙂

Hampstead could be interesting, and it’s only a mile and a bit from the Boris Bike station so it shouldn’t prove too expensive.

Good skills discoduck! Have saved that for a trip down to London soonish!

North London Alps as suggested by iffoverload.
Get to HighGate via the Heath*.
*note – bonus climbs & cuddles at dusk! 😉

Swains Lane – Peaks at 18% – http://www.strava.com/segments/620830?filter=overall

Highgate West
East Heath Road
Highgate Hill

All great hills and can easily get to them on a Boris bike…

If you can do College Road (Dulwich to Crystal Palace) or Anerley Hill (South side of Crystal Palace) on a Boris bike then you’re a champion

that would be a good one, Up Denmark hill to Dulwich then up College road, over the top of Past the tRansmitter and the bus station, down Anerley Hill, then turn round and do it the other way…. Good luck on a Boris bike Though

Ride up the down escalators in the trocadero