22 May 2022: Wheathampstead to Letchworth

 It was good to see Steve & Jackie again as four of us met at Wheathampstead car-park on a bright sunny morning. We headed north to Gustard Wood then turned left along The Slype, skirted Kimpton then went past Breachwood Green. We crossed Lilley Bottom then went up to Preston and down the steep hill towards Charlton. A strange sight en-route to Gosmore was a cyclist sitting on a folding chair at the roadside. How he carried it I do not know. After the steep hill to St Ippolyts, we went north via  Great Wymondley to Letchworth, where we took the off-road cycle path to the golf club (Steve & Jackie declined to use this and took the road). 

At the start

Because the sun was shining, we sat outside and consumed coffees and snacks while admiring the beautiful vista of the 9-hole golf course, which surprisingly didn't appear to have many players that morning.  Carol had a go on Jackie's gravel bike after coffee and was pleasantly surprised by the wide flared drop handlebar. Afterwards we headed south, saying goodbye to Steve & Jackie at Crouch End near Nup End while we descended to Kimpton Mill and returned to St Albans. As it was dry and we are still using our touring bikes,  we used Sheepcote Lane by-way where I noticed that the burnt-out car at its entrance which I had reported two weeks ago had now been removed.

In the sunshine

A great ride and back home by 1.30

Steve B

08 May 2022: Hatfield to Rushden

 Sunday morning was bright but very chilly to start – the Met Office forecast had said it would feel like 7°C at 8.30am and riding from St Albans to the start point in Hatfield, yes, it did!   But, by 9am layers of clothing were coming off and the sun was beaming down on the six of us as we rode off. 

The route out took us via the Alban Way and A1000 to Ascots Lane and past the QE2 in WGC, to Panshanger and up Archers Green Lane to Tewin. From there the roads were very quiet up to Burnham Green, then we took White Horse Lane, and various quiet lanes between Woolmer Green and Datchworth Green to Bragbury End. 

Closure for repairs of the normally very busy A602 meant we were to enjoy the rare treat of ambling across the empty junction at Bragbury End onto Aston Lane.  

After riding up through Walkern and on to Rushden, we were all ready for what was an enjoyable coffee stop at Mill End Plants and Cafe.  Quite a few riders from other clubs turned up as we sat outside, including from Verulam and Stevenage CC.  

Mill End café

However, the proposed route home did not go down well with the coffee drinkers.   It seems clear, ride leaders just have to be prepared to bend to popular opinion on certain occasions and it was equally clear this was one.  My route back was deemed to be just too long and no fun. Ahem. Anyway, Carol suggested an alternative, shorter route, with the benefit of picking up a new way to get under/over/through Stevenage.  So, the shorter route back was agreed and Carol volunteered to show us the way.

The return initially took us back down the road through Walkern and continuing south into Aston village.

Near Walkern

At this point, just to the west of Aston on Broadwater Lane, the closure of the A602 showed us just what it could do, with this narrow lane now carrying stupid levels of displaced traffic.  Just then, in the midst of the chaos, a flinty stone or errant nail chose this moment as to bury itself in Steve’s front tyre.  So, we stood together just off the road at the entrance to a gated property, making conversation and gazing at the endless stream of cars flying around the lane.  Of course there was also time to make encouraging comments to Steve and Carol, as they fixed his puncture.   

The route then took us along the very useful cycle path/footway along the southern edge of Shephalbury Park, that took us to Stevenage Road and the turn into Old Knebworth Lane. The lane is now a freshly resurfaced, smooth and scenic gentle climb up to Old Knebworth, with the big old house visible through the trees off to the right.  Climbs don’t come much nicer than this.  

From there we headed back to St Albans via Codicote and Wheathampstead. Mark took a different route after that and Philip later preferred Ferrers Lane, while Phil,  Carol, Steve and I rode the new gravel path from the cricket ground to Sandridge.   Home by around 1.40pm, after 46 miles, including the bit to the starting point.  A very nice ride on a lovely Spring Sunday.   Thinking about it, the route I’d had in mind for the return through Weston and the Wymondleys would have been a fair bit too long. Plus it was good to learn a handy new route. 

Eamonn

01 May 2022: St Albans to Chorleywood

Well it should have been to Chalfont St Peter, but events took over somehow!

On a bright April morning, warm enough for bare legs,  I threaded my way through the gathering of about 50 Verulam riders who seemed to have established the forecourt of the Alban Arena as their meeting point, to the Waterend Barn.   Of course, this was the first time this year we were using our new departure time of 9 a.m. as agreed at our recent AGM, whereas previously we had met half an hour later. Avoiding the junk market in St Peters Street, we headed out through Bedmond, Abbots Langley, Hunton Bridge and Chandlers Cross to go down and up the steep dip to the cross-roads at Chorleywood. Here, instead of going straight on as usual, we turned right along the A404 main road for half a mile                 before turning left onto the common to go down under the railway bridge and past the shops and up the hill towards our destination of The Madeira cafe in Chalfont St Peter where Philip was looking forward to an encounter with a Portuguese tart. But as I slipped onto my small chain-ring to ascend the hill, my chain came off and jammed. I decided that the best way to resolve the situation was to break the chain at the speed link, extract, re-thread and rejoin it. Although I had my chain pliers with me, and so easily break the chain, it took me a while to do the rest (mainly caused by me temporarily losing one of the rollers of the severed links), by which time the others had turned back to look for me.

Chain pliers

Deciding we had lost too much time, we had our elevenses at Rootz café on the nearby parade which appeared very busy but served us quickly. 

Rootz café was next door!

After consuming some of their very good coffee, we returned via the standard route through Flaunden, Rucklers Lane and Bunkers Lane and got back to St Albans  at about 12.30 after only 32 miles. Carol took the photo below to capture the yellow rapeseed and lilac bluebells against a rather grey sky. 

Rucklers lane

Steve B 

24 April 2022: Wheathampstead to Lower Stondon

 Four of us met at the Wheathampstead start, and in order to retain warmth generated on our respective journeys there, quickly headed up the climb to Gustard Wood. After Kimpton and Whitwell we took the Lilley Bottom road to Hexton, which reminded us all how lucky we were to be able to ride in that beautiful area. After going the wrong way near Shillington we back tracked and picked up the correct road to Lower Stondon. By the time we reached the clubhouse the sun was making its presence known and we were all thinking we should have worn bib shorts and short sleeve jerseys.

Sitting at the terrace outside the busy clubhouse, three enjoyed paninis/sandwiches. However something went wrong with my roast pork order and, so that we could set off without undue delay, it was refunded- with apologies. 

Lower Stondon sunshine

We returned to the Stondon turn-off and headed for Hitchin, where one rider's legs were feeling the strain and decided to head to Hatfield by train. The rest then picked up the sign for Gosmore but not before we debated whether this route would lead to Pinnacle Hill, which none of us wanted to take on.  However as the only alternative was the busy Codicote road, we stuck to the plan -which thankfully did not involve Pinnacle Hill. By now the clouds were more abundant resulting in less warm weather and all of us grateful that we did not wear bib shorts and short sleeve jerseys! At Preston we took the short cut to Whitwell (ie not passing The Strathmore Arms) and took the direct route via Ballsclough Hill back to Wheathampstead. 

Tired legs? Well, the elevation was 2,600 feet from St Albans, so I think perfectly excusable at our ages. Mileage was 42.

Philip

10 April 2022: St Albans to Chorleywood

Determined to add some excitement on Saturday evening, I went into my garage to check the tyre pressures on our bikes and was horrified to find that my rear tyre was completely flat. After levering off one side of the tyre and extracting the tube, I was mystified to find that I could not blow it up with a hand pump to find the puncture point. Putting it under water and then pumping air in revealed a large hole of about a quarter-inch diameter. Mapping back this location back to the tyre revealed that the tyre wall had blown out and well as the bead separating from the tyre wall. But this was a new Nutrak tyre bought only a week ago and used only on two 40+ rides, with a mileage of less than 60 miles! Fortunately I hadn't thrown the old tyre out so switched it back. Also fortunately the blow-out had occurred in my garage and not when I was riding the bike.

Tyre blow-out

On Sunday morning it was bright but cold and we met Gary and Eamonn outside at the Waterend Barn after passing a dead rat on the paved area outside  the Alban Arena.

Sunny start today

A junk market had set up on St Peters Street, so we didn't cycle through the market place but instead charged down Catherine Street and along Bedmond Lane to the tin church at Bedmond . Here we paused for some wardrobe changes as the temperature was rising. We then went through Abbots Langley to Hunton Bridge to be held up at the traffic lights at the A41, where Eamonn mentioned that the car waiting behind us and revving its engine had cut him up when it passed him under the railway bridge. When the lights changed we set off to cross straight on, but the car, a red Ford Mondeo, shot past us to perform a left turn towards Watford right in front of Carol who had to brake sharply. We were all shocked by this reckless manoeuvre and stopped on the opposite side to regain our composure. Eamonn steadied his nerves by consuming a banana and Gary starting munching a seasonal hot-cross bun. Turning right from Langleybury Lane into Old House Lane we paused again because Carol's  chain had jammed. Continuing, we  went down the steep down and up of Bottom Lane to skirt the edge of Sarrat. This led to a discussion about the author John Le Carré, who was associated with the village, as Eamonn had read several of his books. (the link goes to an interesting old article from 1999) After a third pause when we were approaching Chorleywood, Carol realised that we were way behind schedule and proposed that we have our coffee stop there. After getting to the centre we chose one of several cafés because it had some outside seats in the sunshine (and we had used it before many years ago.)

Not Maple Cross, but Chorleywood!

It proved to be a good choice, as the coffee was strong and quickly served, despite the café not being an efficient greasy-spoon type (these are probably prohibited in Chorleywood). Anxious to keep to our schedule, we returned via Chandler's Cross, Hunton Bridge and Bedmond getting home at 1:10. Here we took a photo of my offending tyre and attached it to an email of complaint to Tredz, from which we had bought it. To our surprise, considering it was Sunday afternoon, we received a reply half an hour later from them to say that they would send a replacement tyre as soon as they got one, as they were  currently out of stock.

So a shorter ride than usual, but very pleasant in what turned out to be warm spring sunshine.

Steve 

20 Mar 2022: Hatfield to Cheshunt

We set off on a bright but cool morning going south through the University of Hertfordshire (in its better days known as Hatfield Polytechnic) using the cycle-path alongside the old A1, cutting under it through the tunnel, as usual littered  with abandoned beer-cans, to Bullens Green then Welham Green. 

Outside the start

We passed by the now re-opened Hope & Anchor on the way to Bell Bar where we turned north to cross the A1000 to get to Woodside. We then passed through Little Berkhamsted and Newgate Street, and then down the hill under the railway line and the subsequent long ascent into Hammond Street. This is a recently built estate consisting of a maze of little roundabouts and dead-end roads and almost inevitably I lost my way. But using my trusty OS app on my phone I managed to find my way through to the cycle-path going south by Bury Green School which joins the B198 dual carriageway at a roundabout. But just before the roundabout I took the cycle-path heading east, crossing over the A10 dual carriageway using the Millennium cycle bridge, to get to the end of the path which is opposite to Cedar’s Park. At this point I realised that only Phil was behind me; of Eamonn and Gary there was no sign. We waited for some time, during which I phoned each of them, but neither answered. While Phil went back along the path, I went into the park and found the café to be packed with a long queue waiting to be served. So I returned to the park entrance to see the others approaching along the path. The cause of the delay had been a bolt falling out from Eamonn’s front rack (these are not very common in Britain but are popular with French cyclo-tourists). Against the odds, Gary had found the fallen bolt and its washer on the path. (You can see from Eamonn’s forks that he had plenty of spare bolts had it not been found.) 

Eamonn's fork

Anyway, it was refitted, but this also took time. I suggested that we go to another café, so led them into Cheshunt and headed north up the B176 looking for a suitable establishment, which we soon found. In contrast to that of Cedar’s Park it was deserted. 

Nonetheless they were very fast in attending to our needs, and once again Gary could not resist the protein overload of liver, bacon & onions, while Eamonn and Phil had two poached eggs each. My coffee was excellent so the Cross Café seemed worthy of a revisit. 

Cross café

As we were way behind schedule, I led the ride back through the shortest route:  north to Wormley, then west to Wormley West End and along White Stubbs Lane and Tylers Causeway, which unusually seemed to be hosting a huge amount of motor traffic.. After crossing the B158 I pointed out the historic landmark of the residence of that cultural icon of the 1970s, Samantha Fox. Eamonn showed intense interest, making a remark that cannot be repeated here. Then it was back to St Albans through Welham Green and the longabout, where we derived pleasure at holding up the traffic at the lights while we crossed. I got home at the rather late 2:45.

Steve B

no map this week (Carol is away)!

13 Mar 2022: St Albans to Dunstable Downs

We set off from the Waterend Barn on a bright sunny morning heading north along the Redbourn Road, which was closed to motor-traffic for resurfacing from the Batchwood roundabout up to Hogg End Lane. We were pleased to find that the notorious pot-holes a few yards north of the Prae Hotel had at last been filled, and entered Redbourn without any cars overtaking us. We then took Lybury Lane to Flamstead, passing the usual fly-tips near the motorway bridge. We then took the curiously named Friendless Lane to Cheverell’s Green, skimmed the outskirts of Markyate and headed into Kensworth. 

Isle of Wight Lane

Taking the back road to Dunstable Downs along the equally curiously named Isle of Wight Lane, we sped down the hill to Dunstable and then to Tottenhoe so we could approach the gliding club without going along the busy B489. After climbing the steep hill that is the club’s driveway we noticed with apprehension several road-bike parked outside the café; we had clashed with a large group from the Verulam. However although the café was busy there was room for us and we were quickly served. On leaving we were approached by a club member who offered to show us round one of the glider hangars. This was very interesting, especially as to how to fit all the awkward shapes into a confined space. There was what was I had assumed to be a modern-art picture on the wall which was in fact showing the position of each glider shown in a different colour. 

Glider hangar

It was also confirmed to us that a cyclist that rode with us about 20 years ago, a plumber from  North London,  John M, was still a member. On departure, we cycled along a short stretch of the B489 to Dunstable to pick up the cycle path by the side of the bus-way to Luton and entered the town centre only to have to dismount due to what we assumed to be a carnival procession taking place accompanied by drumbeats and bagpipe “music”. We detected an Irish theme to the event and later confirmed that it was due to the proximity of St Patrick’s Day. We eventually got through and picked up the cycle-path parallel to the Lower Luton Road, emerging at Harpenden and then heading back along the cycle-path alongside the A5183 and getting home at 2 pm.

Steve B

27 Feb 2022: St Albans to Hawridge

 Six riders met at the Waterend Barn on a dazzling bright morning with not a cloud in the sky. Tim proudly displayed his new titanium bike from Spa Cycles, a Christmas present to himself, rivalling Ben on his titanium Croix De Fer from Genesis. In contrast, Philip was riding his steel-framed Sun bike from the 1970s with its 5-speed block. We headed north up the Redbourn road, negotiating the humps and bumps on the road surface  near the Prae Hotel, hoping they would be eliminated in the resurfacing work scheduled for March. Turning west into Hogg End Lane, we passed the usual flytips by the motorway bridge to enter the Maylands industrial area and went through to Piccott’s End.We went through Berkhamsted before climbing the hill to Hawridge and the new Cafe Velo, hoping it was not already overwhelmed with cyclists. It was busy, judging by the number of bikes hanging from the bike bars, but there was room for us both inside and out . 

Chiltern Velo terrace in the sun 

We also met Phil and Sue who had cycled directly from Bedmond to meet us. We sat outside facing east with a beautiful view over the valley, with the sun shining and complete absence of wind. After coffees, the eight of us cycled together until Tim left us to go home via Berkhamsted while the rest of us continued through Ashley Green, Bovingdon Green, and down Rucklers Lane.Most of us turned up Hyde Lane to Bedmond, but Phil and Sue chose to go home via Tom's Lane. We carried on to Potters Crouch where Ben pointed out that Gary’s rear tyre looked soft and it was indeed a puncture. As he was only a mile from home he decided to walk there and the rest of us got back to St Albans at 2 pm after around trip of about 36 miles.

Steve

20 Feb 2022: St Albans to Great Offley

 There’s  no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing. That’s what the Fearless Foursome thought as they rode out across the precinct of the doomed Alban Arena, past the discarded bottles of the previous night’s festivities, on a distinctly cold and damp Sunday morning. I was already handicapped by only having 3 gears; I had noticed on my way to the start that my rear changer wasn’t working and inspection at the Waterend Barn showed that the outer casing of the gear cable had burst. Perhaps fortunately, I was using my touring bike with triple chainrings, so my lowest gear was 22/11 x 26 = 52 inches and steep hills would be a challenge. 

Steve's gear cable housing

We headed out through Nomansland and Marshalls Heath, and courteously pulled in on a narrow lane to let through a trailing Land Rover. To our astonishment, it was followed by at least ten others, all with shoulder-level exhaust pipes spewing their noxious contents into our lungs. Next time we wouldn’t be so generous. Continuing through Breachwood Green and Lilley Bottom we arrived at the café at Great Offley in a small complex of industrial units next to the Farm Butcher shop. The persistent rain meant we would not sit outside, as during our last visit; but inside their new internal seating area. This was in a separate building and had a rather Spartan barn-like ambience, and was definitely not warm. 

Barn Café

After consuming some rather watery and expensive coffees, we left heading south and immediately encountered an apparition of 5 warriors dressed in chainmail and carrying swords and round shields advancing across a field. Was this part of the British Army on manoeuvres?  We knew they were always complaining about having to use out-of-date equipment! (No, we looked them up later on the internet to see they were the Swords of Penda - an Early Saxon re-enactment group rehearsing.) The light rain persisted in being persistent, so we took the shortest route back through Whitwell & Kimpton. 

Windswept Gary near Kimpton

 

I anticipated having to get off on Ballslough Hill to Gustard Wood, but managed to ride up with a very low cadence and much honking (that means standing on the pedals, not making a donkey-like noise). After that everything seemed easy and we arrived home at 1:30pm after a short ride of just about 31 miles.

Steve B

30 Jan 2022: St Albans to Pepperstock

On a cold but very bright morning, dark eye-shields seemed a necessity. Ben, whom we hadn't seen for some time was riding a titanium bike with oval chainrings, not often seen after
Shimano introduced Biopace in about 1990. The frost showing in the verges had probably kept our number down, especially after the spills on black ice a few weeks ago. However, the roads had been dry and we encountered no ice, even at the scene of the recent tumbles at Ferrers Lane, near the Nomansland crossroads. After going down Leasy Bridge Lane we picked up the cycle-path towards Luton. This first section has a poor surface and our bikes were soon splattered with mud. After we got to Batford I suddenly realised that I didn't recognise the path or the suburban roads we were now on, which seems to be taking us up the hill towards Harpenden town centre. Calling on Mark to stop, I pointed down the hill to a wide path that would take us back down. After enquiring from two ladies emerging from the path if this would take us back to the cycle path, they replied in the affirmative but pointing out the no cycling signs. Waiting for them to leave we cycled down the footpath, thinking it was so wide it should be reclassified as shared-use.

Eric Morecambe is on the left! Look closely. Ben has caught a shadow.

Continuing along the path, we crossed over the road to Someries Castle and stopped at its highest point, the memorial to Harpenden's most famous son, Eric Morecambe, for a photoshoot and review of Mark's route. You. can see John Bunyan more clearly in the other photo. Thinking that continuing along the path would take us to Luton (horror!) we decided to retrace to the last road and thence via the East Hyde sewage works to Pepperstock.

John Bunyan alongside

At Harper's, we found the external tables bathed in strong sunshine, so quickly occupied one. Ben ordered a calorific luxury hot chocolate, sausage roll and flapjack, claiming that he had not yet had a breakfast, despite cycling to the start from WGC. After our snacks, we retraced  our route back to the sewage works, then ascended the long straight hill to Peters Green, descended to Kimpton and climbed to Ayot St Lawrence. Here we said goodbye to Ben and returned to St Albans via Wheathampstead.

Steve

23 Jan 2022: Hatfield to Hertford

Four of us set off from Harpsfield Hall on a cold dark and damp morning. 

Harpsfield Hall start

On the road to Lemsford, Philip commented on the proliferation of the aluminium cans in the verge, surmising that a mining company would soon aquire rights. Passing through WGC and its John Lewis (formerly the Welwyn Department Store) and M&S (to be closed in April) we traversed the White Bridge turning off on a dead-end road which degenerated into a cycle path over the railway line before reaching Bessemer Road. Here we climbed through the prestigious houses of Digswell, famous for its viaduct, to reach Burnham Green and Bulls Green. 

near Datchworth

Here we turned south towards Bramfield but avoided the village by turning towards Stapleford. Here we ignored the Road-Closed signs and mounted the pavement riding patiently behind an elderly lady before we could return to the highway and followed the road into Bengeo and finally Hertford. We arrived at the Rose café noting that there was one table left unoccupied, but by the time we had parked our bikes, that too was gone. Retracing our steps, we noticed that the Bebo Café looked inviting, so we settled on that and found a table upstairs. While three of us made do with coffees, Mark indulged in a calorie-packed megafeast of Eggs Benedict. 

cosy cafe Bebo

With no ladies present, the conversation degenerated into football and some rather risqué jokes. After leaving and leading the riders through the Castle grounds, I failed to notice some broken glass on the path which had consequences once I had crossed the A414 on the Toucan crossing, as my rear tyre deflated. After fixing this, we turned off by the football ground to pick up the Cole Green Way, which is now newly tarmacked to Hertingfordbury, but no further. Leaving the path here, we travelled along the Old Coach Road, the old A414, to go through Letty Green and climbed to Essendon and to Welham  Green. At the entrance to Colney Heath, Philip and Gary turned off to go under the A1(M) and back to Hatfield  and Mark and I returned to St Albans via the longabout, returning home at a rather late 2.30.

Steve

 

16 Jan 2022: Hatfield to Cheshunt (almost)

No blog for last week's ride  on the 9th, as Steve and I went away for a few days. Here's a photo of the aftermath of some hidden black ice near Nomansland Common on the day. Philip and Gary both fell off, fortunately with no physical damage. Two went home and the other five had a coffee in The Brewhouse café Wheathampstead before returning home using main roads.

Black ice on 9th Jan

On the 16th January it was very foggy as five of us left Hatfield and headed south past the University, then used the Bullens Green underpass to get to Welham Green and a wiggly route to Little Berkhamstead by which time the fog had cleared to show blue skies on a relatively mild day.

Fog cleared in Little Berkhamstead

After several more hilly miles we reached the edge of Goffs Oak where Philip had a puncture.

Puncture repairing in Goffs Oak

As we were delayed for a short while we decided to change the café destination to use The Cuffley Café instead of the planned one in Cheshunt Park. We were somewhat held up as there was a traffic queue all the way from Goffs Oak to Cuffley which appeared to be caused by people watching some fast and flashy cars parading.  The café was busy but we found a table for five and enjoyed our break. Afterwards we went back via Brookmans Park where the Hatfield people peeled off and Steve and I took the Colney Heath route back.

Carol

02 Jan 2022: St Albans to Abbots Langley

 BUT NOT DIRECTLY! It was a bright sunny day and the streets of St Albans were deserted as we left The Waterend Barn on our first ride of the new year. The planned ride was shorter than usual as we had anticipated poor weather at the beginning of January. As it was, we didn't need to take any shortcuts and pedalled through Bedmond and Kings Langley to Chipperfield where there was an opportunity for a photo shoot. 

Two Brewers on a sunny day

The first pub, the Two Brewers, looked so good, we went down past Blackwells and took another one outside the Windmill, where the director's instructions almost caused Steve to fall off as he was going so slowly.

Steve wobbling at the Windmill

We went through Commonwood Common then turned across Bottom Lane and climbed to Sarratt, before going through Chandlers Cross, passing the Langleybury Film Studios, then did the last climb up to Abbots Langley village. The aptly named Village Café served us drinks and bacon rolls in double-quick time and will be a contender for the fastest service of the year, I suspect. They also kindly made space for our bikes round the back of the premises. A great place to visit, but probably a little close for most rides. However on a bright day at the beginning of a new year it was fine to get back to St Albans at 12.30.

Carol