02 Nov 2014: Hatfield to Hertford

When it rains it pours.  Sunday morning 9.15, the place ASDA Hatfield and the event a half day ride around the quiet lanes of Hertfordshire. Today we welcomed a new rider Alex who hailed from Muswell Hill. She’d been looking for some more challenging rides, and getting a little bored with the streets of London, so decided to give us a try-out.

Now the weather forecast mentioned rain, but I was under the impression that it would be heavy showers, not a downpour from 9.00 to about 11.30. Some brave souls came out today: Tracy, Steve and Jackie, Mike, Bill and a late arriving Peter (he went to St Albans to start).

So we headed out and I wanted to take some new roads through WGC, so as we came to the roundabouts just before Digswell Park I took a left along a winding road through the estate, which has a massive dip in the middle of it. This leads us nicely down to Digswell and just a skip across a busy road into the park. From here we headed over to Harmer Green Lane, which leads to Bulls Green and runs parallel to New Road. This lane is a lovely tree lined and leafy affair that goes past the train station. With all the rain it was somewhat like riding through the Amazon rain forest. I found it rather pleasant. When we got to Bull’s Green we lost Steve and Jackie. The rest of us pressed on, omitting the deviation that I had planned, for the rain didn’t stop.  It was going to be a straight run to Dane End.

Datchworth Green, Watton at Stone, Whempstead and Dane End, from here back to Sacombe Green and up the hill to the junction at Rowney Lane. It was a quick and easy blast from here to the golf club, where we all got cooked breakfasts (great scrambled eggs) and dripped admirably onto the furniture. We were all sodden and soaked to the skin.  A discussion ensued about heading on and the decision was reached that we should go to Hertford for lunch (rather than Great Wymondley).

So we made for Lunch via Sacombe Park, Stoney Hills and Bengeo, we alighted at the Six Templars and had good break there, it had stopped raining but spirits had been dampened and we were a rather subdued bunch. The route home from lunch was via the back road from Hertford to Hatfield and up through Letty Green the along the Cole Green Way back to Hatfield. 

A short ride under the circumstances and Alex enjoyed herself: 36 miles of dribbley fun.

Neil 2/11/2014