01 Dec 2013: St Albans to Caddington

December arrived with a crisp, sunny day attracting thirteen of us to take to our bikes.  Even Rebecca found time to descend from her climbing wall at the Sports Centre and give her new rear wheel an outing. 

Wrapping up after lunch at Caddington

Jon & Judy were making their own way to Berko and, approaching Hemel, the unmistakeable sight of a Trice flag was spotted in the distance.  But there is more than one way through Hemel and while they took the cycle route to the Sainsbury’s bridge, the main group crossed the Grand Union via the curved bridge at Apsley Lock. 

Approaching Berko, some fancied a few more hills and took to Featherbed Lane, doubled back under the A41 and climbed up the other side to Little Heath before finally dropping down to the valley.  That was a good excuse for a Wetherspoons’ breakfast for some as we were all reunited in The Crown.

While a few opted for a slightly easier route to lunch, the main group wanted (or were served even if they didn’t) even more hills.  We climbed up to Potten End, down to Nettleden, up to Great Gaddesden, down to the Gade Valley, up to Gaddesden Row, down to Markyate (where we all met up again by chance), and finally up to Caddington.

The pub was crowded (as all good pubs should be), but we were well looked after and fitted in somehow, then it was quite a short ride back to St Albans in the light after a good day out.