This is the hilly one: about 124 km with roughly 1,850 m of climbing, nearly all of it packed into the middle 70 km. It heads south from Islington to the North Downs on the Surrey and Kent border and strings together a run of well-known climbs before heading back to London.
Where it goes
The first 25 km cross the river at Blackfriars and head south through Camberwell and Dulwich, over the hill at Crystal Palace and out through Elmers End and Eden Park to West Wickham. A long drag then brings you up onto the Downs, before the route dips into the Woldingham valley and climbs out again. Next comes a descent off the scarp, a steep climb back up above Oxted, a short run along the ridge, and a drop down Titsey Hill past Limpsfield, over Limpsfield Chart and along the Pilgrims' Way above Westerham to Brasted. From Brasted the route heads south over Toys Hill to the lanes around Four Elms, back up to Ide Hill, down to Sundridge and then up the scarp once more to Knockholt. The last of the hill country takes you past Cudham, through Downe and past Keston, and from West Wickham you retrace the outward roads home.
The hard bits
- The climb north out of Oxted (km 46–48): the hardest of the day, about 160 m in 2 km with sections around 15%.
- Toys Hill (km 65–69): about 150 m up from Brasted, averaging around 4% with steeper pitches.
- Ide Hill (km 73–80): about 150 m, steadier, approached from the south.
- Sundridge to Knockholt (km 84–88): about 145 m, with a steep middle section over 10%.
Add the long drag up from West Wickham (around 180 m over nearly 10 km), the climb out of Woldingham (about 130 m) and Crystal Palace on the way home, and it's a properly hard day. The highest point is about 265 m, on the ridge above Oxted.
Planning
The villages in the hills are small, so don't count on a shop exactly when you need one. Carry two full bottles and enough food for the middle section; the nearest towns for a proper refuel are a short detour off the route. Low gears help on the steepest climbs, and late spring to early autumn is the best time to ride.
Weather: rain changes this ride more than most. The descents off the Downs and the Greensand Ridge are narrow, steep and often shaded, and in the wet they collect mud, gravel and leaves, so you'll be braking hard and going slowly. After a wet night, check whether the rain has cleared before you set off, and expect the tops of Toys Hill and Ide Hill to be colder and windier than town.