9 Aug 2020: St Albans to Letchworth

As it was a very hot weather forecast for Sunday we decided to do an early ride from St Albans setting off at 9 o'clock so we could get home before the heat of the afternoon. Steve H bravely rode up from Harrow to join us at the start outside the Blacksmiths Arms. We headed north past Sandridge then through Mackerye End before going through Preston towards Gosmore. We travelled  along the unusually named "Half Handkerchief Lane" before passing through St Ibbs (yes there really is a place called St Ibbs) and Titmore Green to reach the Par 3 Golf club cafe at about 11 am.We sat in the shade at an outdoor table where it felt quite cool, a good choice for a hot day.

Shady golf course

Afterwards we took a direct route back, via Crouch Green and Kimpton Mill reaching St Albans at about 1.30. Steve H joined us for a cold drink in our garden before setting off back to Harrow.

41 miles was quite enough on a hot day,

Carol

 

2 Aug 2020: St Albans to Eaton Bray

Four people turned up for the start at 10.30 in St Albans at the usual spot outside the Blacksmith's Arms. It was good to see Peter out and about again after a 6-month absence during the lockdown. Ronny said we were expecting Gary to join us, so after phoning him and waiting until 10.35 we set off. My phone rang on Sandridge Road and it was Gary! We had a bizarre conversation whereby he asked me where we were as he was at the War Memorial on time at 10:30. When Gary subsequently joined us on Sandridge Road it turned out his watch was slow, hence the confusion. Even though  hadn't been cycling recently he kept up well as we headed out over Nomansland Common before passing through Harpenden and Pepperstock to reach Markyate. We climbed the easy way to Dunstable Downs, where Ronny and Gary left us to return home, then had a glorious downhill all the way to Totternhoe before a stop in Eaton Bray for our picnic on a green under a shady tree.

Shady spot for our picnic

We took a fairly direct route back through Edlesborough, with good view of the White Lion from the road near Dagnall,

Whipsnade White Lion

then climbing up to Studham and taking the long descent along Gaddesdon Row (passing the new cyclists' cafe at Jockey End) down to Redbourn and along the A5183 back to St Albans.

43 miles on a hot day

19 July 2020: St Albans to Ley Hill

Three fearless cyclists set out after a rainy early morning on another ride limited to a maximum of 6 booked riders. However, by the time we met at the War Memorial in St Albans the rain had passed. Our destination was Ley Hill and we started heading south using the route through Serge Hill, Bedmond, and Abbots Langley. I followed Old House Lane and found the views around it quite nice (after the M25 crossing). My curiosity as to why I hadn’t come along it during other group rides was answered by the steep downhill and uphill part in the middle. A bit further on, the wind at our backs helped us to follow the small valley along Bottom Lane (and other named lanes) through Belsize and Flaunden. Another valley had to be crossed to get to Ley Hill and I decided Flaunden Bottom, as I couldn’t remember going along Ashridge Lane before. While it was nice to go down the hill by the Green Dragon, the uphill made our lunch well deserved.

We all brought our picnics with us and found some nice benches on the green. Three benches close to each other, but well spaced for social distancing, were ideal, as the grass was still very wet.

After the break we continued heading north through Whelpley Hill, where the sign for the Coronation Hall caught my eye.

Corona - Nation Hall?

From there I thought it would be a nice downhill into Berkhamsted. However, geography didn’t follow my imagination and hence we had another valley to cross before reaching the upper parts of Berkhamsted. From there we followed the usual route along the railway to Hemel Hempstead and Bunkers Lane. With traffic back to pre-lockdown levels, I didn’t stay on the main road for long, but used the diversion through Potters Crouch. Around St Michael's Church in St Albans our paths diverged for our individual ways back home.

Ronny
19/07/2020