17 Nov 2019: Hatfield to Shephall

After too many dismal autumn rides – too much rain and drizzle or just continuous dark clouds, the forecast for Sunday was looking better. But still there were only six of us at the start in Hatfield. So away we went heading for Hertford by a southern route. And the forecast was right, as despite it being quite cold the sun was shining and the countryside looked beautiful in its autumn colours. We went by a relatively flat route via Welham Green, Tylers Causeway, Brickendon and then a lovely long downhill and into Hertford by West Street. This is a nice way to approach the town as it was one of the original old roads in and is lined with many delightful old buildings. In the town we headed for “Rose’s” cafe probably the best cafe for cyclists in the area. Excellent food, extremely prompt service and very reasonable prices. Once there we found fellow cyclists Gary and Rona who had somehow missed the start and Jon and Judy who had cycled there directly from Barnet.

When we left Jon, Judy and Eamon weren’t able to go on, so now there were seven of us heading for Stevenage. Once away from Hertford the route used quiet lanes through  countryside looking at its best as the sun was still shining. Through Bramfield, Watton, and then Aston, before the excellent Stevenage cycle lanes led us to Shephall. This is now just part of the modern housing in Stevenage, but amazingly there is still a little, pretty enclave of village green and a few old houses, which long predates the modern town. Here we lunched in The Old Red Lion, which was once the village local but is now a modernized chain pub. Still the food was fine.

After this it was time to head home. Out of Stevenage via a cycle path, which was once probably a country lane, then to Old Knebworth and across country to Codicote. A while after this we split up with some going to St. Albans via Wheathampstead and others via Ayot St. Peter and Welwyn to the start in Hatfield. The total distance back to here was approx 40 miles. It had been an excellent cycling day, cold but sunny, which was psychologically lifting after the dismal weather we had been having.

peteR 17/11/2019