All the cycling data and info you'll need to climb York's Hill (SW #15)

York’s Hill Climb Summary

Finish of the York’s Hill Climb        

This may be the narrowest road of Great Britain’s 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs - it is very narrow - 2 cars cannot pass on this road.

 This brief (700 m) climb is surrounded throughout by thick forest and vegetation which at times is similar to Harry Potter’s Forbidden Forest.

The roadway surface is poor in spots (with some debris on the day of our visit), albeit brief and there is very little traffic on the climb (we did encounter a car on the descent which slowed us down appreciably).  

. This is an interesting and fun climb.

Steepest ½ kilometer begins at meter 200 (14.5%)

York’s Hill is a segment of the word’s oldest cycle race, dating to 1887.

RoadCyclingUK.com:

“York’s Hill kicks us off with some history – it plays host to the oldest continuing cycle race in the world: the Catford CC Hill Climb. Situated just south west of Sevenoaks, the hill climb has been running since 1886, and is played out over a climb which averages 12 per cent over 800m.

Of course, that doesn’t tell the whole story – the whole hill is 1.9km long, terminating at the B2042 junction and it gets steeper the higher you go, with two sharp stints of 25 per cent to really sap the energy from the legs as you approach the top. This is a climb where it pays not to go too hard, too soon.

The road cuts its way up the hillside, with embankments towering over either side of the narrow lane, making this a claustrophobic experience which only adds to the difficulty of the climb – one that’s really well worth the effort in visiting and conquering.”  More

CyclingUphill.com:

“York’s hill is the venue of the one of the world’s oldest cycle races – Catford CC hill climb in Kent, S.E. England. The full climb is 0.8 miles, climbing 353ft / 108m . But, it is the last half a miles of the climb which is the really interesting part. It is one of the steepest climbs in the south of England. The climb starts off innocuously enough, but as you near the top, the road gets steeper, until you hit the really tough 20-25% section at the end. York’s hill makes a great event for the Catford CC hill climb. The steep section is usually thronged with spectators who take great delight in watching the suffering of the competitors.”  More 

The climb makes the Dangerous Roads list:

“Located in Kent, in South East England, the York’s Hill is one of the steepest, toughest and most spectacular finishing climbs in professional cycling.

The surface of the twisting road is asphalted. It’s one of the steepest, toughest and most spectacular climbs in the country. The climb is 0.6km long with an elevation gain of 74m. The average gradient is 13 per cent but the maximum gradient is 25 per cent. It hosts the world’s oldest bike race (August 20th 1887), the Catford hill climb.”  DangerousRoads.org - York’s Hill.