Green Dene is one of those gateway climbs that gets you out of London and into the Surrey Hills proper. At 2.3km to the top, it’s long for the area and it has a less punchy gradient than some of the others on the list. Look out for the concrete bowl hidden in the woods towards the top. And make sure you enjoy the descent down the other side!

Njinga team member Kelly: “Green Dene is one of my favourite climbs, it's got a nice gentle gradient, the road is always quiet and I love climbing up from the busier roads into the quiet of the woods.”

Claire Moxon: "I love the Green Dene climb as it's not too steep and in through the woods is so lovely."

Staple Lane climbs the same ridge as Green Dene and is a favourite of many of our riders, and as such has similar stats, but looks and feels very different.

Staple Lane is a true classic of the Surrey hills and features in many sportives and social rides, raising up through beautiful countryside with some great views of London on a clear day towards the top. The climb finishes up in the woods so don’t get caught out early by what looks like the top and go too hard too soon!

Leigh: "Nothing too steep but still a good warm-up for the legs and gets the heart pumping. A perfect gradient where you can just find a good rhythm and sit in. The surface is not bad and the views at the top are fantastic."

Matt Drake: "I love Staple Lane, the way it winds up through the fields. On a sunny day, I don’t think you can beat it in terms of views. It is a climb of two halves. The first part finishes with a tough ramp to 10-11% and then a gentler second half through the trees to the end. Also, a great climb to descend. As you go down you can fully appreciate the wide vistas. Absolutely my favourite."

Another climb that starts from the A246 and gets you out towards the surrey lanes, High Barn Lane is less well known and much less heralded than some of the climbs in the area.

Taking a left onto High Barn Road on the fork with Beech Avenue you climb a narrow country lane before a short descent where a dog leg in the road strips you of all your momentum and you hit a more than 13% wall for a short sharp shock. Once over the short stretch, it's a gentle climb to the top and you are rewarded with some breathtaking views.

James Longhurst: "High Barn is my favourite climb, its always quiet and you won’t find it on any of the sportives or events. You pass the wonderfully named Badger’s Farm and once over the steep section, you can enjoy the climb out of the woods and into some stunning views on the way to Ranmore Common. On a clear day, you can see Wembley Stadium on your left as you get your breath back for more."

A mainstay of Surrey Hills rides and events, Coldharbour takes you out from Dorking towards Leith Hill, the highest point in the area. Coldharbour takes you most, but not all the way to Leith Hill so you have more climbing to enjoy too.

Coldharbour has a mix of very steep gradients, gentle rises and even a short descent. It's mostly climbed in the woods so always comes with some moisture and some interesting variations in temperature.

Otso Huovinen: "Coldharbour gets my vote, definitely not a consistent climb, you don’t quite know what’s ahead and whether you’ve crested it when out there for the first time. It gives you a feeling of “entering the funnel to the hill” as the scenery quickly changes from the flat field to the shadowy, fern-filled forest."

Togo: "Coldharbour has got a bit of everything from steep sections above 10% to less challenging gradients around 5% to false flats and short flat bits. It's the climb that just keeps giving until you reach the right turn just before the pub at the top."