12 Nov 2017: Hatfield to Wareside

Eight people at the start in Hatfield, not bad for winter morning and especially as three were relative newcomers. Still, although it was cold, it was bright and sunny, which always lifts the spirits. So away we went heading for Dane End, which was to be our elevenses stop. We went at a sensible pace through Tewin Woods where we marvelled at the hyper expensive mansions which are there and on through Datchworth and Watton at Stone. Then instead of going directly to Dane End we went northwards towards Benington before turning northeast up a little used lane. The countryside here is glorious and in the winter sunshine it was almost idyllic, apart from the fact that it was a long steady climb. Eventually we were up on the ridge and an easy ride to Whempstead before some ups and downs leading to Dane End. Here our destination was the golf club, which is just beyond the village but up a very steep hill. However, once this was climbed we had earned our break and could relax in the clubhouse with coffee and food. After this our three ‘newcomers’ had to turn back as they had other commitments.

There were now five of us going to lunch at Wareside which is not far, most of whom were eagerly anticipating the Foxholes farm sausages.

So instead of heading southeast we went away from Wareside, back down the steep hill and northwest using very quiet rural lanes through Haultwick and Rush Green before swinging around to Puckeridge. Then we cruised through Standon where we looked at its famous ‘megalithic’ pudding stone (ancient fertility symbol) before crossing the river by the footbridge at the 3-foot deep ford. Then it was down the valley along a narrow and beautiful lane following the river Rib before crossing it again on another footbridge at Barwick ford. From there it was just a few more easy miles to Wareside. Lunch was at “The Chequers”, a much-liked proper old style pub where we met Jon and Judy who had ridden directly there, and the sausages were excellent!

After that it was homewards via Ware and Hertford and the “Old Coach Road” back to Hatfield. All told we had done about 38 miles mostly in sunshine and had got back easily before it had got dark.

peteR