When I started I hated hills, I too live at the top of a hill, one steepish way in, one not so but long the other is a an 8 mile detour, like numbnuts I have a very low granny gear 26th, though its hardly ever used these days, which mean i usually dont go lower than 38th front 26 rear, this is low enough for me to get up a short (about 1/2 mile) hill which peaks at about 16-18%, I will use a low gear if in the saddle and go up a 2 gears if out, and adjust as needed, you just need to get out and ride them, short intense climbs help, but you have to put the effort in otherwise there will be no improvement. I took me from june last year (absolutely loathing hills) to jan this to actually enjoy the challenge i did a ride today where the best part of the ride (about 18 miles was flat, not completely but pretty much) and I found it boring as a ride goes, enjoyable in the things i saw.