04 Aug 2019: St Albans to Eversholt

This week we met in St Albans and first stop was to be Leighton Buzzard garden centre, so a fairly direct route seemed called for. We took the main road to Redbourn, then through Gaddesden Row and Studham.  Whipsnade Zoo seemed to be doing brisk trade as we went past the entrance and down Bison Hill. Approaching Leighton Buzzard from the east we were astonished by the new housing developments. The garden centre used to be on the fringes of the town, but now new estates surround it.

After a quick refreshment break, Peter headed home, while the rest of us followed the twisting and hilly lanes through the pine woods and along the edge of the greensand ridge to the Brickhills. Tantalising glimpses of Milton Keynes could be glimpsed to the north. Then, through more pine woods, we arrived in elegant and posh Georgian Woburn. Our planned lunch stop in Flitwick was going to be a problem, as the pub was not offering sandwiches. So, spotting the village shop in Woburn, we bought food there before heading off through the deer park to Eversholt.

It was drinks and our own sarnies in the pub in the village. There was now no special need to go to Flitwick, and a revised route took us through Tingrith and under the M1 to Harlington. Getting to Lilley Bottom from the north is going to involve a stiff climb whichever way you go, but the easiest of the various steep hills is the A6 main road from Barton. So, slogging up there we were soon along the pleasant valley and into Emily's for a well earned drink. This time not too cluttered up with other sweaty cyclists for a change. From Emily's we took the usual route through Wheathampstead back home, a round trip of about 65 miles.

Richard 04/08/2019