What’s The Hype With Box Hill? #cycling #cyclist #roadbike

I took a bike ride up the iconic Box Hill, one of the most famous cycling climbs in the UK, located in the heart of Surrey Hills. I don’t ride it too much these days, it’s too busy and I live over the other side of the county, but every now and again I get the urge….

That legendary Zig Zag Road, featured in the 2012 Olympics and immortalised in Zwift, leads up to some stunning views and a couple of very decent cafes! But is the hype real, or is the hate justified?

Regardless of which side of the fence you fall, Box Hill is one of the most popular Strava segments in the country for a reason and it’s a must ride for any cyclist from beginner to pro.

📍Distance: ~2.5 km climb
📈Average gradient: ~5%
☕ Best café nearby: Destination Bike, a bit further on from the lookout!

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#CyclingUK #BoxHill #SurreyHills #BikeRide #CyclingVlog #RoadCycling #CyclingClimb #ZigZagRoad

Good morning everyone. Welcome back. Um I am out bright and early on this Sunday morning because I’m going to do something that I don’t often do these days and that’s ride up the iconic Box Hill. But first I’ve got a small matter of going down Tide Pit Shaw Lane which is quite steep and then going up White Leaf Hill the other side which is also quite steep. in a bit. I’m now on Hilltop Lane, which in a minute goes down a big hill and it isn’t a clever name. Um, I’ve been up white leaf hill. I hardly ever ride up White Leaf Hill because it’s a main road for people to get up to Kennier Drrome and Kater on the hill. So, it’s always busy and as I climb, you get in the way quite a lot. But this early on a Sunday morning, it’s it’s actually a really nice road to ride. Quite tough. I’ll put the uh graphic up on the screen, but it’s all right. It’s all right. So, I’m going out to Boxill a different way than I usually do. I would normally go out to Epson Downs Racecourse, uh through Langley Val and Head Lee and out that way. Uh but today I am going to go out through Merdam Bookham. Quite a flat route once we get down the top of Hilltop Lane um until the bumps start at Box Hill. So it should be a good ride. But we’re getting right to the top of Hilltop Lane now. So this is going to have to go upside down. [Music] [Music] Heat up [Music] here. Right. [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] We are on Nutfield Marsh Road and it is time for ranks number one and two of the day. Round number one. Why are some cyclists such utter utter bellins? It just I I don’t get it. I don’t get it. I understand that I am old, slightly pudgy, and not very fast, but I stopped at those lights uh that you just saw because they were traffic lights. I then let the lady behind me in the car go when they turn green and then I went only to be, shall we say, close past by cyclist coming down the hill without any word of a warning. And the only reason I knew he was there is cuz he had a free hub that was louder than mine. So luckily I knew to keep over and he overtook me in the middle of the road works and a single far road at speed like an idiot. So he got some abuse. I really wish they’d stop. And rant number two is a commute fail trying to take me down roads and paths that do not exist. So I’m on some went on some mad detour through Merm and now I think I’m back on a route. Although now it’s telling me to make a U-turn and go down some other path that didn’t exist. So this is turning out to be fun. It’s kind of a good job that I kind of know where I am. So yeah, rants one and two. Over and out. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Well, now I remember why I don’t usually come that way. Cuz ultimately that route is quite boring until you get past the uh they’re almost industrial towns of northeast Surrey. to like Red Hill and Mer and places like that. There’s not much of any interest. I think a lot of those towns were created to uh get people out of central London. Um but yeah, until you get to the places like I’m in now, like uh Bookham and places like that, there really is nothing going on. Um, so the race course and things like that are just so much more interesting. But we’re nearly at Boxill. Uh, so we’re going to give that a go in a minute. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat up [Music] here. [Music] Never get tired of that view. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat [Music] [Applause] up [Music] here. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] So yeah, we just done Box Hill come around the back the headley um and then turned off to go up to Walton on the hill. I usually go back the other way to Walton on the hill, but sometimes it can be a bit naughty on the uh main road. Drivers get a bit angry, so I come around the back roads, but there’s a bit of a climb to get up to it. I love Boxill. Uh I don’t really get the animosity towards it. It’s It’s true. It’s not particularly difficult and for any cyclist with a bit of experience, it’s not particularly hard to get up it, but it’s just a lovely road. There’s a lovely view at the top. It’s just nice to ride. Um, the thing that normally spoils it are the people that are on it more than anything else. Um, but yeah, it’s it’s just a lovely road. I don’t get the hate from outside the county, people that have uh their only experience of Boxill is either on Zift or they’ve ridden it in the ride ride London um when there’s just too many people on it. My favorite time to do it is New Year’s Day where everyone’s nursing a hangover. Look at that. [Music] But that’s the best time to do it. But I got to go up this climb to walking on a hill now. It’s a bit steep. So, I’m going to put this down. [Music] Crossing in the 217. Probably the worst kind of crossing ever. Horrible. Horrible road. And I’m sure those cameras won’t see me anyway. Have to wait for someone to come up behind me, which makes it even worse. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] Well, the sun’s breaking through now and it’s starting to get quite hot. Fortunately, I’ve only got one climb to do and then I am nearly home. Um, so we’ll end up doing probably about 73 74k. It’s been a good ride. Always love Boxill. Quite quiet actually. Quieter than I expected. Early down road. Last climb before I get home. Always a beast. Have to do that. Crack the way. [Music] Come on, mate. I’ve been here all night. That’s right. [Music] [Applause] [Music] So, that over there is the roundabout that will take me home. Probably just over a kilometer left to go. I’ve got all the way home and nearly got taken out by some idiot reversing at speed out of his driveway. Um, but apart from that, it’s been a lovely ride. I hope you enjoy the video. Um, not sure how it come out. There wasn’t a lot of filming. Uh, but do leave me a comment, drop a like, subscribe, and all them things if you did enjoy it. And, uh, I’ll see you in the next video. Bye-bye. [Music] [Music] [Music]