16 May 2021: St Albans to Ivinghoe

Only five people were at the start for a ride on a day with a pretty poor wet weather forecast - some regulars we knew had other appointments, but plenty others seem to have wimped out. 

We took a fairly direct route out of St Albans and soon stopped to remove outer waterproof layers, apart from Clare who had optimistically turned up already in short sleeves at the start. After sneaking through the edge of Hemel Hempstead industrial area we made the long gradual climb to Ivinghoe Beacon passing The Dockey Woods bluebells en-route. 

We paused for a break at the top to admire the view across to Dunstable Downs and the White Lion. My photo didn't seem to capture it, 

Near the top of Ivinghoe Beacon

but Mark's one of me did!

Carol and the lion

A great downhill took us to Curiositea team rooms which initially looked overwhelmed with cyclists and many others, but miraculously there was only a short queue inside and we were served quite quickly. The sun even came out properly as we relaxed outside at the front. By the time I took the photo all the other cyclists had moved on.

Curiositea patio

As the rain was forecast to come through at lunchtime we took a very direct route back to St Albans through Aldbury and Berkhamsted, then Boxmoor and Nash Mills. About 37miles and home for a late lunch on a surprisingly warm and dry day.

Carol