30 June 2019: Panshanger to Royston

Well, Saturday had been hottest day of the year, at 34C a bit too hot for cycling. But a radical cooling change was forecast for Sunday. So in anticipation there were 8 of us at the start at Panshanger golf centre in Welwyn Garden City. First stop was to be at another golf club at Ash valley near Much Hadham. For a change I took the direct B1000 road straight into Hertford as, being early there wasn’t much traffic. Reaching Hertford very quickly we climbed up through the back streets of Bengeo with its smart “gentrified” housing. Then out along a country lane towards Sacombe Park, the grounds of Sacombe House, currently encased in scaffolding and probably being turned into upmarket apartments. Still the parkland setting is very pretty.

Sacombe Green

From there across both the old and new A10 roads and down to Barwick ford. Here Ronny displayed virtuoso riding skills by cycling through the ford without falling in, whilst the rest of us wimps went over the footbridge. Onwards took us through Much Hadham and then at about 18 miles we reached the Ash Valley golf club. This is in a very nice setting and has a nice low key ambience plus excellent mid morning grub.

Ronny

After this three riders turned back for home, while the rest of us headed north. By now we were on little lanes in mostly very open, quiet countryside, the temperature was ideal and we meandered on through Anstey to Barkway. Ronny now had to turn back, so just four of us did the last few undulating miles into Royston. Here we lunched at “The Manor House” a fine imposing Georgian building, now a pub run by Wetherspoons. This might seem a little ignominious for such a building, but at least it means it is restored and maintained and the public (us) can see inside. Plus it does good food at a very good price.

So, having fed and rested, we left Royston going west on the old main road a short way until we turned south across Therfield Heath.  This was easier said than done, as in reality it was a long hard slog of a climb against a headwind all the way to Therfield. Onwards through Sandon and Roe Green it all seems quite a remote part of the county. Then we were in Rushden and by now we had been cycling for about an hour into headwinds. So the original plan to press on to Old Stevenage for a tea stop was abandoned, because the opportunity to stop here and enjoy having tea at “The Mill” nursery was too much. Indeed it was so pleasant sitting and having tea at tables with tablecloths and proper teapots that we found it difficult to motivate ourselves to start cycling again.

However needs must and away we went cycling southwards. Soon we were at Walkern followed by Tewin and back to Panshanger where we had started. In all we had done about 60 miles and the weather had been kind, mostly sunny but not too hot with just a little too much wind in the afternoon.

peteR 30/06/2019

23 June 2019: St Albans to Hedgerley

Our planned route on Sunday started with a detour as the setting up of the St Albans Festival was in a full swing. Nevertheless we found our way out of the city and onto small country lanes to Bedmond. My three fellow riders were surprised by the nice areas in Abbots Langley around Hazelwood Lane, a way we seldom take. We continued our way to Loudwater.

In my planning I didn't take much care of the hilliness at this place and so we took the scenic route along Chorleywood common and the woods up to Berry Lane Estates, adding 50 meters of elevation to the tour. As our stomachs became already noisy, we had our breakfast stop a bit earlier than planned at the cafe in Maple Cross.

The hill to Horn Hill helped us to get warm again after breakfast, but then we also enjoyed the ride down into Gerrards Cross. Our route continued to be hilly through Fulmer and Stoke Poges, until we finally headed to our lunch stop in Hedgerley. We ordered our sandwiches just in time before the White Horse became busy.

The way after lunch continued on quiet lanes. We were surprised to see how much grass and other plants were growing in potholes and cracks of the road parallel to the M40. The blackberry bushes were in full blossom, which was nice to see and added some colour. The sky remained cloudy for the whole day, but it was dry and the temperature warm. We then crossed Beaconsfield, which was more busy, but soon we found ourselves back on quiet and empty lanes. The valleys of the rivers Misbourne and Chess added some more elevation to the tour, so we all looked forward to the coffee stop in Chipperfield.

There we got entertained by the youth on their bicycles (back-wheel riding). Eventually we had to go back on our bikes and took the direct way back to St Albans. When we arrived there, I had 86 km on the bicycle computer.

Ronny (PS see below the map for an update on the Welwyn Hatfield fitness festival event)




On Saturday 22nd Rona, Jean and Neil represented the club at the WelHat Health Festival where they had a stall.

Smiles all round!

16 June 2019: Hatfield to Bishops Stortford

It started raining as nine gathered under the bike shed outside Asda in Hatfield, but in the warm weather it didn't last long and jackets were soon removed. The usual picturesque route south went around the back of the M and S depot and through the industrial estate in Welham Green before branching east through the village of Little Berkhamsted and behind the Paradise Park zoo to Hoddesdon. We arrived at the River Palace café to find it heaving with dads being treated to a Fathers' Day breakfast. A quick re-plan took us backtracking to a different café on Rye Road called Anatolia's. The service could not have been more different to the previous week as all the food was produced in double-quick time at a very economical price. The café is like a Dr Who Tardis as it is huge inside, hiding behind a modest exterior.

After another change of plan, we cycled pasted the Rye House gatehouse where the Rye House plot took place.

Gatehouse

We decided the original planned lunch pub would not be a good idea as sitting in the garden in the rain didn't sound appealing so we headed to the usually ever dependable JD Wetherspoon outlet in Bishops Stortford pausing for a photoshoot near Perry Green by the Henry Moore statue.

Perry Green

Carol got a puncture just afterwards so the rest of the group went ahead to the pub. The road seemed exceptionally busy on the way into Stortford and it turned out the A120 trunk road was closed between Little Hadham and Stortford as the works have started on the Little Hadham bypass. Unfortunately we were cycling on the official diversion. 

As Carol and Steve approached the JDW pub the others came out after having been told of an hour wait for food, so we decamped to the reliable Bridge Café for lunch instead. 

We left Stortford via quiet lanes north, then west before crossing the now-opened  A120 and headed west through Wellpond Green where we saw the illegal camp set up by members of the Travelling Community. This hit the national news recently as they bought a field and have built a caravan site illegally.

Get the map out

Ronny's photo showed there was some fine weather around and eventually we had a coffee stop in Hertford before getting back to Hatfield in the late afternoon.

I forgot to switch my tracker on until we were on the edge of Hatfield so the map looks a bit strange. 

Lesson learned - next year set up a picnic ride on any special occasion day if we want to avoid any overloaded pubs!

About 60 miles and unusually no planned stops were used!

Carol