Arnison Avenue via Bowerdean Road

This is another climb you need to know about. You wouldn't look at a map and think - let's go there. But this is a good way to get through High Wycombe without taking on anything brutally steep or busy with traffic. It links nicely with the roads off the Flackwell Heath ridge (especially if you use Bassettbury Lane to bypass the A40 by Wycombe Marsh). The climb itself ramps up continuously, and what starts as an easy climb ends up being a bit tough by the top. As you climb you see houses perched seemingly vertically above you on other roads, and in the upper reaches there's a slightly threatening church tower looming above you, always in sight. There's a set of traffic lights lower down that might disrupt your rhythm, but that's long before things get steep. I can't give this climb more than 3 stars, but I can't recommend it enough as an interesting route through Wycombe, if it works with your route. I'd choose this over Hatter's Lane / Totteridge Lane, any day.