I thought I would be early, but waiting for me at the start already were Sue (on her new carbon bike) , Neil and Vish (on his 3rd ride in a row), soon to be joined by Mark (one of the Wednesday evening riders) and Richard. Judy had a head start on us and missed my hazard assessment: to watch out for the wrong sort of slippery leaves on the road. Not that they would have bothered Judy on her 3-wheel recumbent.
My warnings would be appropriate as I had planned an unusual route to our familiar coffee stop, using several cycle paths. We headed through Old Hatfield and under the towering viaduct, built to allow Lord Salisbury access from Hatfield House to the railway station, without mixing with the local peasantry. This being Rememberance Sunday, it's interesting that the grounds of Hatfield House were used to test the first british tanks during World War 1. Our first cycle path, from Mill Green to the golf course, was ankle deep in slippery leaves. I then found a very direct route to Panshanger via a couple of leafy cycle routes, with the additional hazard of stategically placed concrete posts, emerging on Herns Lane. Then it was lanes via Tewin and Datchworth Green to Watton-at Stone, and a loop around Whempstead, where we picked up Stuart. A small poppy-wearing procession through Dane End included a familiar face, then we climbed White Hill to arrive at the golf club just in time for the 2-minute silence.
Standon Ford
Wareside was quite close, so I headed north to cross the River Rib at Standon, then across to Much Hadham and up to Babbs Green, arriving at Wareside in time for lunch, where the local sausages come highly recommended. After lunch with the locals it was back to Babbs Green, then Ware and the road to Hertford and beyond. Just 43 miles, but a mild and dry day in good company made for a pleasant November ride.
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