Hill 1 - Stoney Lane

Stoney Lane a deceptive climb, in more ways than one. 1.5km long with a false flat it never relents, with an average gradient of 8%, hit it too hard and you will pay before the end – it is also tricky to find. I lived and cycled in the area for a couple of years before the first time I ever took on the climb, with the club on a Thursday night ride. 

How to find it. 

Stoney Lane runs parallel with the A5209, Parbold Hill road. From Ormskirk head through Newburgh and then turn left off the main road into Parbold. Cross the railway and past a row of shops on your right. Follow the road round to the right onto The Common, this little drag can sap the energy from your legs so take it easy. At the top of the Common turn left, Stoney Lane is your first road on the right. 

What to expect. 

The steepest part of the climb is the start, but it is only short so out of the saddle for a quick dig to get over the 13% gradient, the road bends around to the left and then the right and the slope settles down. With the lactate starting to build in the legs you are faced with a long stretch averaging 6%.

The road narrows to a single track as you head under a tree canopy. Just before halfway up the climb you pass a couple of houses and a duck pond on your left, here you hit a false flat, the gradient lowers to 3%/4% and gives your legs a little respite. As you pass a farm on the right the hill heads upwards, the road bends left and the gradient head up too, to around 10%. This is toughest bit as the previous kilometre will have taken it's toll on your right are reflective road markers slowly counting down the final minutes of your climb. Past the last marker the road bends right, the gradient eases and you have a final few hundred metres to power to the end of Stoney Lane and the Rigbye Arms pub.

 Who to beat? 

The strava segment is known as The Real Stoney Lane – at the time of writing our best current club rider is 2013 hill climb champion Tom Hanlon with a swift 4 minutes 17 seconds. However Tom is 17 seconds slower than our "own"  Martyn Gordon who now races on the amateur circuit.