24 November 2018

24 Nov 2018: Hatfield to Hertford

Eight of us met for a morning’s ride over to Hertford, it was an overcast morning and some of us had experienced rain getting here, but we were glad we squeezed another fun ride in before winter. Suitably enough a fun fair was being set up in Hatfield Market Square and they were getting ready for turning on Christmas lights that night, so it all made for a colourful sight.

Dorris and Steve
Jean, John and Julie
This ride was going along some very familiar roads, but riding at this time of year can be tricky, you can never be sure of what the roads are actually like. Silky/rough/icy/full of leaves it’s Hobson’s choice, luckily for us they were OK and quite pleasant to use.

We took a slightly busy A1000 out of Hatfield and quickly left it at the Mill Green turn off to cycle up the path that meets the 414 and then back onto Gypsy Lane through the golf course, navigating the suburbs of WGC to get ourselves to Panshanger. We took the scenic route through the bottom of Tewin and headed out to Bramfield, everywhere looking suitably autumnal, with a lot of colour on show.
Jean leading on the hill to Tewin
Jon and Judy
From Bramfield we took the winding back road into Hertford, this is a nice route that gradually undulates with a drop at the end of it, getting onto the busy main road at Hertford North proved to be problematic, but after some waiting we all made it. Next it was a trip through a park then on to Rose Café.  I needed to check this place out as this café has bravely fought developers and have not been closed like all other shops around them.

After a lovely stop for brunch/snacks we made our way back out of Hertford via the lower Hatfield road for a bit before taking St Mary’s Lane which leads up to Hertingfordbury, a lovely road that has some great views, one of which being a lot of sheep in a wooded area (I think they must have escaped from a neighbouring field). We took our usual route from Hertingfordbury to the Old Coach Road, at Letty Green we said good bye to John and Judy (who headed back to Barnet). We joined The Cole Green Way to get back into WGC then made our way over to Ascots Lane, the A1000 and back to Hatfield.



A really good morning’s ride.
Neil 24/11/2018

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