Four riders met in the Harpsfield Hall in Hatfield on a mild but dull December morning. Heading north towards Lemsford, we picked up Steve and Jackie C, who hadn’t quite made it to the start, then skirted WGC past the golf club to arrive at Ayot Green. We paused for a clothing removal stop outside the pretty church.
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| Ayot Green |
We went through Ayot St Peter and Codicote Bottom before heading north up Heath Hill, passing John I cycling down it. After a fine downhill through Old Knebworth we entered Stevenage near the former Roebuck Inn. We then picked up the shared-use cycle-path alongside Shepalbury Park where we saw a black squirrel (a grey mutant not uncommon in north Herts). This is one of the more pleasant areas of Stevenage with pre-war houses on one side and the park on the other, with the cycle-path being the old Shephall Lane. It was quite a contrast when we arrived at the Shephall commercial centre with its ugly sixties buildings, and Steve C seemed apprehensive after seeing the array of fully shuttered shops, with only a newsagent and the Co-op trading on the day. Fortunately the New Hyde cafe was also open, with just one table left that could seat the six of us. This was an establishment that had really put the G in greasy spoon, so Jackie was disappointed that there were no teacakes or similar, but the coffee was good and Phillip managed to order a low-carbohydrate mushroom omelette. Pleasantly surprised to find our bikes were still in place when we departed, we rode back though Aston End towards Watton and Datchworth, where we said good-bye to Steve and Jackie. Unusually for Hertfordshire, we were held up by a flock of sheep being moved along the road.
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| Sheep on the move! |
We headed back towards St Albans via Ayot Green and Water End. Here we stopped to admire the new footbridge, which is now about two feet higher than the road bridge and should keep pedestrians’ feet dry, then carried on through Coleman Green and Sandridge, where we stopped for a quick chat with Phil B who had been on a Verulam ride and was on his way back to Bedmond.
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| New raised footbridge at Water End |
A fairly short ride on a very mild day saw us back in St Albans by 1.20.
Steve B
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