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We'll be visiting friends for the weekend next month and will be trying to get a ride in on the Saturday. Looking for a hilly loop of 50 miles, start and finish just north of Epsom. Any suggestions? Anywhere's going to be busier than home (mid-Wales) but it'd be good to avoid roads that are horrendously busy. Ta!
The May Flyer sportive route is pretty nice, on quietish roads and avoids the honey pot that is Box Hill.
You can download the route [url= http://www.swrc.org.uk/mayflyer-sportive/ ]here[/url]
Thanks dknwhy. That looks like it might do. Any other suggestions gratefully received though, and avoiding Box Hill is definitely a good idea 🙂
If you don't like busy roads, stay off the A25 - it's the main route through Surrey Hills, fast and twisty and not everyone who drives down it appears to be capable of remembering there's lots of cyclists around and driving accordingly 😯
Busy how? Box Hill is a private road, with few cars, but lots of cyclists. Don't really see why you'd avoid it - it's one of the seminal climbs (albeit a very easy one). The cyclists aren't really an inconvenience in the same way as a busy road in terms of cars - you may pass a couple, or be passed, and they'll be a queue for the cafe at the top (don't stop - I never do). It's the obvious way to go back to Epsom.
Up farm lane, over up ran more, up over leith hill and back up over box hill, coffee in bikebeans and then back to epsom. Job done.
Thanks for all the suggestions. Didn't realise Box Hill was a private road. Just figured it would be busy with folk driving to the top. Anyway, looks like we'll probably be giving it a go.
If you're going out from Epsom doing a reverse Box ride is much better, no rshole action and cleaner nicer riding.
Just figured it would be busy with folk driving to the top. Anyway, looks like we'll probably be giving it a go.
Nah, the cyclists mean it's a pain to drive up. It's got speed bumps too, so not many drivers.
I'd go from Epsom up past the race course, down Juniper Hall road, past Boxhill station, up onto Ranmore, down into Dorking, up to Coldharbour, down into Holmbury St Mary, over Holmbury Hill into Peaslake, stop for cake, down into Shere, up over Coombe Bottom, Crocknorth, down Ranmore, up Box Hill, down via Headley Down back into Epsom.
I'd suggest this route from epsom.
Can you see it ?
[url= https://app.strava.com/activities/127091239 ]Surrey Hills Road Route[/url]
My route is fairly similar to njees. I think he's cut out the far loop.
I have indeed, wasn't sure how far mine would be by the time you'd done Epsom and back, reckon you'd be way over 50 miles if you did the extra to take in Barhatch etc. depends how much you want to do really nasty climbs OP!
Didn't realise there were so many Epsom based stwers, should probably organise a ride someday.
Nope Epsom is 15 miles away. But it's a way out or back in.
A lot of Surrey Hills based STWers I think, I'm 30 miles from Epsom, but I do ride through it if I'm riding up to town, so know the routes I'd choose!
We did a Surrey hills MTB ride years ago, and a smaller impromptu one in December, certainly a number of folk round here.
Couldn't be seen out with non Epsom folk, what would the neighbours say.
Blimey! Didn't realise there'd been so much activity in my absence! Thanks for the additional routes. Nasty climbs? Er, no [i]real[/i] inclination towards nastiness. Plus, we will have time constraints. Obviously, that's my main concern, not my rubbishness 😉
You should do Barhatch. It is a stinker relatively speaking largely because it's a perfect ramp test; starts off of at around 3%, so easily rideable in your big(ger) ring for the first 1.5km but then kicks up to 21% average for the last 500m and the steepest bit is the last ramp.
You should also do Box Hill as it's a lovely ride up. It's about 6% so easy gradient but the tarmac is super smooth so if you want to cane it, it's a great test of strength. Starting in Epsom would mean you ride up it last thing and then come into Dorking via the back of Headley Common and loop down the route that the Olympic Road race took on it's nine circuits.
So my suggestion would be:
Epsom to Headley Common
Headley to Dorking via Headley Warren Nature Reserve
Dorking and up Ranmore Road
Along Ranmore left down Green Deene and onto Combe Lane Down to Shere
Tea and Cake at The Dabbling Duck (which is lovely)
Head south out of Shere up Sandy Lane and then up Hook Lane (long climb)
Up to Walking Bottom, turn sharp lef down to Peaslake
Up Radnor Road turning left into Holmburry Hill Road into Holmburry
Dog leg right/left up Pasture Wood Road
Left and then bear left into Abinger Lane down to A25
Straight over up White Down to Ranmore Common Road turn right
Bear left down Ranmore Common Road heading to West Humble
FOllow down to A24 cross over and up Box Hill
Follow all the way to the end, turn left
Head back via Headley Common to Epsom.
That's probably close to 50 miles on good roads, quiety, pretty etc. It doesn't take in Barhatch but you will get all the other really good climbs in (White Down, Hook Lane, Box Hill, Ranmore Common etc)
A few ride examples to help you get the idea (they are starting from Horsham which is about 20 miles from Epsom so you'll need to think creatively when mapping it together)
[url= https://www.strava.com/activities/194337532 ]Ride One[/url]
this, though I probably wouldn't go out as far as shere, I would try to take in white downs lane on the way back to ranmoreI'd go from Epsom up past the race course, down Juniper Hall road, past Boxhill station, up onto Ranmore, down into Dorking, up to Coldharbour, down into Holmbury St Mary, over Holmbury Hill into Peaslake, stop for cake, down into Shere, up over Coombe Bottom, Crocknorth, down Ranmore, up Box Hill, down via Headley Down back into Epsom.
box hill is fine btw, easy, but a very nice climb nonetheless
In which case the alternative would be Peaslake - Hoe Lane, A25, up White Down, right at the crossroads and down Ranmore Common from there. Personally I prefer Coombe Bottom and Crocknorth, but I really hate White Down and Barhatch Lane!
white downs is the toughest hill I've ridden in the area so far, no idea how much harder the others are but if they're a lot worse than white downs then I think they'd kill me
I'd say Barhatch is the only one worse.
I'd agree with that.
Some great ideas here for the OP.
Some of the climbs onto Ranmore road are steeper than you think and if you piece together some of the more popular climbs from Staple Lane towards box you will get a good workout.
If you are coming from Wales, most climbs here are going to be realtively short in duration and with some steeper kicks - and if you take some of the suggestions above, there is the odd wall. It ain't the Ardennes - but in the spring it can feel like it. Enjoy!
I would also add that imho the tea shack on Headley Common is a much nicer stop than at Box hill and usually quieter
~I'm in Ewell (Borough of Epsom & Ewell). I've got a great killer route on GPX, 100 miles taking in all the climbs in the area although I can't seem to lay my hands on it at the moment.
Yes I know it's twice what you want but some others may be interested.
Obvious plug for my club's [url= http://www.twickenhamcc.co.uk/tcc/surrey-rumble/ ]Surrey Rumble[/url]
It's an excellent ride which I'm sure you'll all enjoy. Doesn't go up or down Barhatch.