# What's the highest "mountain" near London?



## teuchter (Jan 10, 2008)

Can anyone tell me what the highest hill near London is?

Say, within an hour and a half's train ride?

I'm guessing it would probably be in the Chilterns?

And any suggestions as to where to start climbing it and how to get there (by public transport) would be cool.


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## braindancer (Jan 10, 2008)

Beckton Alp?

http://www.citiesofscience.co.uk/go/London/ContentPlace_1960.html

Climbing to the top of this slag heap rewards one with spectacular views of the east


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## Juice Terry (Jan 10, 2008)

Nearest to London is Leith Hill near Dorking, 970ft, some dude built a folly/tower on the top to make up the extra 30ft to classify it as a mountain.


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## gaijingirl (Jan 10, 2008)

There's also Walbury Hill (which is actually the highest)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walbury_Hill

highest point in SE England..

all the "Marilyns" in this region are:

Metres  Feet   Name                                    Map  Grid Ref    Date

   297   974   Walbury Hill                            174  SU 373616   ______
   295   968   Leith Hill                              187  TQ 139431   ______
   280   919   Black Down                          186/197  SU 919296   ______
   270   887   Butser Hill                             197  SU 717203   ______
   267   875   Botley Hill                             187  TQ 396553   ______
   248   813   Ditchling Beacon                        198  TQ 331130   ______
   240   788   Crowborough                             188  TQ 511307   ______
   240   786   St Boniface Down                        196  SZ 568785   ______
   238   782  *Chanctonbury Hill                       198  TQ 134120   ______
   217   713   Firle Beacon                            198  TQ 485059   ______
   214   702  *Wilmington Hill                         199  TQ 548034   ______
   214   701   Brighstone Down                         196  SZ 432847   ______
   200   656   North Downs                         178/188  TQ 804586   ______
   164   538   Cliffe Hill                             198  TQ 434107   ______

http://bubl.ac.uk/org/tacit/marilyns/region42.htm

I was just reading about the "Marilyns" at the weekend.


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## beeboo (Jan 10, 2008)

We don't really do mountains round here do we


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## chymaera (Jan 10, 2008)

teuchter said:
			
		

> I'm guessing it would probably be in the Chilterns?
> .



I doubt it, I think the highest point on the Chilterns is Coombe Hill, 831 feet, near Chequers, (The Prime Minsters weekend home.)


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## gaijingirl (Jan 10, 2008)

According to Wikipedia in the Chilterns, it's Haddington Hill at 876 ft - not that I've been there myself.


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## chymaera (Jan 10, 2008)

gaijingirl said:
			
		

> According to Wikipedia in the Chilterns, it's Haddington Hill at 876 ft - not that I've been there myself.



Could well be right Coombe hill may be the highest point in Bucks, not the Chilterns.


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## gaijingirl (Jan 10, 2008)

it goes on to say..

Their highest point is 267 m (876 ft) at Haddington Hill in Wendover Woods, Buckinghamshire, near Wendover; a stone marks the summit. A prominent hill is the nearby Ivinghoe Beacon, standing 249m (817ft) above sea level, the starting point of the Icknield Way and The Ridgeway long distance path, which follows the line of the Chilterns for many miles to the west, where they merge with the Wiltshire downs and southern Cotswolds. To the east of Ivinghoe Beacon is Dunstable Downs, a steep section of the Chiltern scarp that is the site of the famous London Gliding Club and Whipsnade Zoo. *Near Wendover is Coombe Hill which is 260 m (853 ft) above sea level.*


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## teuchter (Jan 10, 2008)

gaijingirl said:
			
		

> There's also Walbury Hill (which is actually the highest)
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walbury_Hill
> 
> ...




Yes, been doing a bit of research myself since I started the thread and came across the "Marylins". Made me laugh, that name; maybe you know already but the name for hills over 3000ft in Scotland is "Munroes".

I'm thinking I might attempt an ascent of Walbury Hill in the near future.


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## gaijingirl (Jan 10, 2008)

teuchter said:
			
		

> Yes, been doing a bit of research myself since I started the thread and came across the "Marylins". Made me laugh, that name; maybe you know already but the name for hills over 3000ft in Scotland is "Munroes".



I think it was an article in the Travel Section of the Guardian I read at the weekend which was basically for those who didn't want to do the Munroes - do the Marilyns instead...   it made me laugh too...


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## Stobart Stopper (Jan 10, 2008)

Claybury Park is probably the highest point nearest to central London, you can see the water tower from miles around.


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## Bahnhof Strasse (Jan 13, 2008)

Juice Terry said:
			
		

> Nearest to London is Leith Hill near Dorking, 970ft, some dude built a folly/tower on the top to make up the extra 30ft to classify it as a mountain.




Leith Hill, classic rave spot  

Till the fire


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## pogofish (Jan 14, 2008)

gaijingirl said:
			
		

> I think it was an article in the Travel Section of the Guardian I read at the weekend which was basically for those who didn't want to do the Munroes - do the Marilyns instead...   it made me laugh too...



Did they forget about the Corbetts? 

Marilyns?


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## _pH_ (Jan 14, 2008)

teuchter said:
			
		

> Can anyone tell me what the highest hill near London is?
> 
> Say, within an hour and a half's train ride?
> 
> ...



I used to quite regularly do a walk to Ivinghoe Beacon - train from Euston to Cheddington, then walk back to Tring via Ivinghoe Beacon. Lovely 

e2a: there's a footpath up the western face (off the B489) which is pretty steep if you fancy a bit of mountain climbing


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## _pH_ (Jan 14, 2008)

Or the N Downs is a good walk too, train to Guildford, bus to Merrow, walk up to Newlands Corner then along the N Downs Way to Dorking. If you're really energetic you can carry on to Reigate. Lots of nice views  

Leith Hill is nice, train to Gomshall (from G'ford/Dorking) iirc then walk via Peaslake/Abinger i think


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## teuchter (Jan 14, 2008)

pogofish said:
			
		

> Did they forget about the Corbetts?
> 
> Marilyns?


Corbetts are 2000ft plus aren't they? Don't think there's many of them near london....


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