09 Jan 2011: Hatfield to Hailey

9th January dawned bright and ten of us gathered hopefully at the start in Hatfield.  A hoar frost had settled during the night, although it was sunny and just above freezing, so the lanes seemed passable with care.

In Grubbs Lane

We were fine until the hill down from the Essendon Road, where we hit a frost hollow.  Jackie was near the back and her wheels slipped away on some ice near the side.   Not realising the extent of her injuries, she was keen to carry on, but slipped off again and it was then very obvious an ambulance was needed.

After a 50 minute wait (standing on one leg), one turned up and we were told they had come all the way from Canvey Island as the local service was inundated with other road accidents. They had also been flagged down on the way - it seems that even the main roads hadn’t been gritted.    We abandoned our planned ride while Jackie was hauled off to WGC casualty.  A broken femoral neck (hip bone) was found and has now been pinned.  We are all thinking of Jackie and wish her well for a complete recovery.

02 Jan 2011: Hatfield to Wormley West End

The morning of 2nd January was not horribly wet (like the day before) or freezing or snowy, in fact it was slightly sunny.  This was already the second organised CTC ride of the year, following on from our New Year's Day ride to Berkhampstead the day before.  Eight of us set off from Hatfield heading for coffee at Crews Hill.  So, down through the uni. to Welham Green and passing the unique swallow holes at Water End to Potters Bar.  The swallow holes are the only ones in the country, I believe, where a river disappears underground without being on limestone.  At Potters Bar we turned left through the woods on Coopers Lane, then under the M25 to our coffee stop at Crews Hill, with its over the top selection of garden centres. 

Water End

Theobalds Park

From here, my original plan to take the bridleway north to Goffs Oak no longer seemed like a good idea - too muddy with the recent weather.  So Jon, who has an expert knowledge of how to avoid the dodgier parts of Enfield, took us through Theobalds Park (until recently the resting place of Temple Bar: now removed to the precincts of St Paul's) and onto a new cycle path and magnificent bridge over the A10. 

Connect2 Bridge over the A10

Getting our money's worth here

This is a recently opened Sustrans initiative, part of the £50M Lottery-funded Connect2 scheme, providing access to a new school for children living in Cheshunt.  However, completing the journey into the Lee Valley was hampered somewhat at the unmanned level crossing, which was extremely rickety with two very tight gates to negotiate, before we emerged onto Cheshunt Marsh and the Lee Valley Park.  A completely new route for me, and one to keep in mind for any future rides into Essex as it avoids the busy roads south of the M25. 

Dodgy level crossing south of Cheshunt

Pony & trap at The Woodman, Wormley West End

We continued north in the park for a while, then re-crossing the railway, we climbed out through Cheshunt, passing Cheshunt Park, to our lunch stop at Wormley West End.  Here we chatted for a while with the pony and trap riders gathered in the car park.  We had made good time, so a pleasant lunch lingered on a bit - why not?  We then went our different ways home.  Not a long ride, but a nice one for winter with some interesting new routes and a bit of reasonable weather for a change.

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Richard.

26 Dec 2010: Hatfield to Wild Hill

The hill from the Essenden Road down to Wild Hill village was a sheet of smooth ice.

Richard at the Woodman in Wild Hill

Richard writes: Our Boxing Day ride to Hertford, followed by Wild Hill for lunch, was planned to have close stops so the ride could be kept short if the conditions were bad.  And the conditions on Sunday were helping to make this December the coldest for 100 years.  Thick snow and below freezing temperatures had been around for days. 

However, encouraging texts from others persuaded me to brave it to the start in Hatfield and the road surfaces on fairly main roads were in fact reasonable, though it was bitterly cold and well below freezing.  I wasn't expecting a great turnout in view of the weather and the holiday, in the event it was just me and Tracey, but others had sent messages that they intended to go to the pub.  It made sense to pick a short route to the Wetherspoons in Hertford and, if it avoided traffic, so much the better.  So off we set for the Cole Green Way.  The surface on the old railway was thick compacted snow with a rougher bit down the middle; we were doubtful about how rideable it would be, but both had off road bikes and decided to give it a go.  The crumbly snow was ok, but a bit of walking was needed on slopes and icy patches.  The view of the smaller lanes, where the track crossed them on bridges, showed they were completely unrideable. 

Arriving at the Six Templars gasping for hot drinks, we found that their equipment was out of order - cold drinks only were to be had.  Thank goodness the food was in order.  Then, once more a mainish direct route to lunch was the only choice, so along the lower Hertford Road to Essendon. Tracey turned off here - she wasn't chicken - she had not intended to go to lunch.  I now planned a quick visit to the Woodman to see who had made it and then home.  It was still early, so there was time for a slight detour down West End Lane and the surface at first seemed ok.  But this is a hilly, damp lane and it wasn't long before I was walking and that with difficulty.

In the end I walked the whole thing, passing five abandoned cars stuck in the lane.  Arriving at the Woodman, I found Jon snugly set up in the back bar.  Judy's brakes had frozen up and she had needed to go home.  So, a record for the smallest participation on a ride yet, but very character strengthening for those who made it.