You may recall that back in May we reported that Sir Chris Hoy had launched a search for the Nation’s Perfect Hill to Ride Down – well, the nominations are in and a shortlist of ten has been drawn up, including Arthur’s Seat in the four time Olympic champion’s home city, Edinburgh, and Ralph Allen Drive in road.cc’s own home town, Bath.
Sir Chris and fellow judges including Etain O’Carroll, editor of the Lonely Planet Cycling Guide, whittled down the final ten candidates from hundreds of nominations that had been received under the initiative, which was launched to tie in with this year’s Sky Ride programme.
The accompanying gallery of images shows each descent in all its glory - anyone familiar with Edinburgh will point out that Salisbury Crags is actually shown in the picture from there, but technically it is a spur of Arthur's Seat, so that's why it's there.
Factors influencing whether a descent made the shortlist included its historical significance, the view from the top and the actual route.
Besides Arthur’s Seat, Scotland is represented in the list by the Rest and Be Thankful road, also known as the A83 west of Loch Lomond, which gives stunning views across the Highlands.
Another descent close to road.cc’s heart that makes the list is Cheddar Gorge here in Somerset, while in Southern England, Silver Street in Lyme Regis, Hampshire’s Winchester Hill and Ham Common in Richmond-upon-Thames all feature, as does Newlands Corner near Guildford.
That leaves just two more spots in the top ten to be filled, and both those descents are in Yorkshire – Holme Moss and Blackstone Edge.
While many will be delighted to find their own favourite descent has made the list, there is bound to be disappointment in some quarters, not least in the North West and also in Wales, which doesn’t have a single descent featured.
So, what are your thoughts on the top ten? Did your favourite descent miss the list? And of the ten that do feature, which one do you think will prove the most worthy winner once the decision has been made? Let us know in the comments below.
Well they seem to have quantity or readers. And you're welcome to have whatever opinion of me you like.
This design patent should be thrown out. It's pretty effing obvious to use a single loop, the material being carbon fiber is standard and a bottle...
I am up to date thank you. He may have won his legal fight but he's still a tax dodger.
but we don't
Here's a few of us on a 45 mile group ride. I'm the one in the middle in jeans....
There are places, though, where a bell is required equipment and lacking one can be a pretext for harassment by the police. NYC comes to mind....
The Met police have an all time record number of officers. Predictably they are still nowhere to be seen and show a complete disinterest in low...
Nor have I, I hasten to add! As the accused he could've got legal aid if his income was low enough, I think the bar is actually quite generous,...
Not helped by the fact they seem to have installed them in the wrong orientation.
Headlights are not that effective in picking out pedestrians, as the white lights on the poles are so blinding....