3 Oct 2021: Wheathampstead to Letchworth

The day started coolish as we met outside the toilets in East Lane car park, trying to avoid looking like we were loitering there. This was helped by the absence of Steve Brazier and his 70’s kit, who was checking out the facilities in Portugal. (No photos taken for this report so I though I'd include this one showing Steve approaching the beautiful Douro river valley in North Portugal. Gives a flavour of the glorious two-week tour we just completed: Carol)

Approaching the Rio Diuro

The route supplied by Carol Brazier went straight up to Lower Gustard Wood but we stopped first to show 2 members of the group the old railway station platform by the roundabout at the top of the village. After brief moments of reminiscence and thought of past lives in the slow and local lane we proceeded up to  Lower Gustard Wood slowing to a walking pace due to a deep flood across the road halfway up the road. Luckily only one member of the group didn’t have mudguards so most got through comfortably dry. Looping up to toward Preston and then Charlton way, with only a couple of navigational errors by our stand-in leader Mark K on the way, due to failing to read the route cues in time, we worked our way across to Little and then Great Wymondley passing through tempting smells of cooked breakfasts at Redcoats and on to the Golf Centre in Letchworth. By common assent the bacon at the Golf Centre is pretty special and several of our group had full English artery busting breakfasts. By this time the sun had come out although the wind had strengthened.

Par 3 golf centre café

While thinking about leaving, low and behold,Richard Stubbs turned up having missed the start, so we waited for him to have his coffee and cake and then made our way back. A bright if headwindy passage south with spectacular skies was only marred by two of our group deciding to take their own route home, possibly losing confidence in their leader and heading for home and an early shower.  The foursome they left behind rode the rest of the route down towards Codicote and dropped down into the Kimpton Road by the Mimram and across to the Codicote Road at Kimpton Bottom and up towards Wheathampstead where Peter picked up his car. This left 3 who made their way home into Sandridge and St Albans in glorious sunshine. Great ride and great company!

Mark K