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Surrey hills ride, best day?

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  • August 8, 2016 at 4:20 pm #26111
    kev-s

    Was thinking of heading up to Surrey hills one day for a nice road bike ride

     

    Now ive been up there a few times on the weekend to go out on the mtb and i found there to be way too much traffic on the roads for my liking, be it other roadies, mtb’s, lots of cars etc…

     

    Traffic normally dosent bother me (commute through a busy major city everyday) but Surrey hills looks like a bit of a nightmare especially when descending with the amount of traffic

     

    I want have an enjoyable ride and not have to keep slowing down/keep an eye on the traffic etc…

     

    I normally ride the Southdowns so see very little traffic and tend not to get held up

     

    So what day is best to go when its quiet? would pressume during the week but with holidays who knows! 

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  • August 9, 2016 at 12:05 pm #876353
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    Daveyraveygravey

    I live in the South Downs too

    I live in the South Downs too (up from Shoreham) and was up in the Surrrey Hills this weekend, didn’t find it too bad but I left at 6 am.  Am happy to share routes etc with you if you want to get in touch?  It is busier around Dorking but there are options to get you pretty close in less well-trafficked roads.

    I had a great ride out west the other week to Butser Hill, following the small lanes that lie around the north edge of the Downs, very very quiet.  

    You can also head east and find plenty of quiet country lanes.

    August 9, 2016 at 12:03 pm #876351
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    esnifador

    I used to live in Farnham, so

    I used to live in Farnham, so did a reasonable amount of cycling around the western end of the Surrey hills, and it was never especially busy, so maybe it’s a bit quieter when you get further out of London. Plenty of cars overtaking a bit too enthusiastically on the main routes, but once you got onto the lanes it was generally pretty quiet.

    August 9, 2016 at 10:28 am #876349
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    arfa

    Interested to know where you
    Interested to know where you found to be busy on the mtb (I am guessing Leith hill) as I ride Holmbury and Pitch hill most weekends and have yet to come across a day that I would call busy ?
    In terms of times, when I am riding road, sunrise is your friend as before 10am there is very little traffic. That said, there are some roads I actively avoid, notably the A25 (and Newlands corner as a result) as it is too busy and traffic can be fast. There’s a far more pleasant substitute in the shape of Staple/Combe lane. There are lots of quiet hills in the former of Barhatch, Hound house road, Lawbrook lane, Whitedown, Radnor road, Leith hill road, Chapel lane, High barn road, Critten Lane, Crocknorth, Green Dene etc…..
    I could go on but there’s plenty to choose from there. The only other suggestion I would make is for strobing lights as many of these lanes are canopy covered and it helps others see you earlier, useful if descending at speed.

    August 9, 2016 at 9:48 am #876347
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    sergius

    I’m out arond there pretty

    I’m out arond there pretty much every weekend – it’s never that busy IMO.  I’ll generally do 60-70 miles in and around box/ranmore/leith hill.  Box Hill is normally on my way home back into London so it’s often 11am or so by the time I get there – even then it’s only really busy up by the cafe at the top – I’ll overtake maybe 10-15 people on the way up.

     

    You are never going to fly down it that fast anyway – the speed bumps + sharp hairpins and cars will put paid to that idea.

    If you like nice fast descents I’d say Newlands Corner and Ranmore (main road not common) are some of the better ones around there.

    August 9, 2016 at 9:37 am #876345
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    thereverent

    Sundays are ok if you go

    Sundays are ok if you go really early (top of Box Hill by 8am etc).

    August 9, 2016 at 7:52 am #876343
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    Jem PT

    I live a couple of miles from

    I live a couple of miles from Box Hill – so I know how busy the Surrey Hills can get at the weekend! If you can avoid weekends you will do a lot better. There are quitter hills out here if you are adventurous.

    August 9, 2016 at 7:41 am #876341
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    CXR94Di2

    I would suggest you dont go

    I would suggest you dont go there if you’re preparing to go down hills at quick speeds, you never know what is round the next blind bend.  Its the South of England near London, is there a quiet day?  I have never experienced one whilst visiting that part of the world, thousands of vehicles everywhere.

     

     That is why I live further North in the countryside đŸ™‚

    August 9, 2016 at 7:04 am #876339
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    dottigirl

    You can find quieter roads
    You can find quieter roads any day, there are plenty of different routes with hardly any traffic. However, if a trip to the Surrey Hills for you has to include going up Box and down Headley, you’re going to be more restricted in your choices.

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