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