26 Jun 2011: Sylvia Clifford Ride (aka Herts Hilly 100km)

We couldn't have chosen a better day for a Herts Hilly 100km ride and six of us met at 9.15 at the Bull in Wheathampstead. Today this place was very popular as the Ramblers have an annual walk starting from here.

Bill enjoyed his breakfast

The day started quite cloudy, but very warm and humid and we were glad to be cycling rather than walking today.  This year it was decided that we would do the circuit in an anti-clockwise direction.  Most people do it clockwise so we were expecting to see the others coming towards us as we went around.  I explained to the guys that lunch at Puckeridge, where we had stopped last year doing it clockwise, was too near for our route and we all agreed that Weston would be a good stop today.  With destinations sorted out and without further ado, we all set off on our version of the Sylvia Clifford memorial ride 2011.

As we made our way up towards Codicote via Ayot St Lawrence, the clouds departed and never returned.  Soon the Hertfordshire countryside was basking in glorious sunshine, and equally quickly, the South Herts CTC was roasting in the mid-summer sun. The lanes were great and the ride became a hunt for the shade, as we came into Hertford.  First stop, the ever-wonderful Rose Cafe (those who have an eagle eye will notice that this stop is not on the official route (and nor were any of the others ).  Some had wondered at the closeness of the stop, but it actually turned out to be just right.  Bill loved his grub and there were appreciative murmurs from everyone in the group.

Soon we were off to Weston and the hilly part of the ride began with Bengeo Hill.  We carefully missed Chapmore End (a mistake on my part) and rolled on towards Thundridge. The countryside was stunning; there were lavenders, blues, greens and bright red fields everywhere.  It really did seem that, no matter where you looked, the view would be stunning.  We made our way towards Puckeridge via Cold Christmas and Standon.  Soon there were comments like "here we go again" as we approached each hill on this roller coaster section.

After Puckeridge, the hills began to take their toll on the group and it was evident that maybe this wasn't such a great idea in this heat.  However, we were doing well, as we sweated our way through Great Munden, Woodend and Cromer.  Lunch soon became a topic of conversation as we made our weary way towards Weston.  We happened upon the Rising Sun at Halls Green, and before we knew it, we were having lunch.

Bill took advantage of this timely stop to have a kip and re-charge his batteries. This was a great stop as the ladies were very good to us and stocked us up on water (with ice cubes), so our spirits were lifted as we headed for our next stop at Emily's in Whitwell.  What happened before lunch happened after lunch and the ride, although very pleasant, became a little gruelling and was beginning to wear upon our spirits.  I wanted to stick with the route, but everyone needed a rest, so we missed out Ley Green and headed for Whitwell.

We reached the tea stop along with several thousand other cyclists and rather than wait in a queue at the cafe, we decided to visit the local pub instead: The Maidens Head. This was a good idea.  There was a lovely garden, the drinks were very affordable (70p for orange squash) and this was the most relaxing break of the day.  It took a lot of persuasion to get going again.

For here, we made our way back to Wheathampstead via Lilley Bottom, Winch Hill, Darley Hall, Chiltern Green, Peters Green and Gustard Wood.

I really enjoyed the ride, but from the tea stop onwards it became clear that we were a tired bunch as a result of the challenge and I have never been so pleased to roll into Wheathampstead.  A great ride with some great people.


26/06/2011

19 Jun 2011: Hertford to Hatfield Forest

What a relief that this Sunday looked like being a dry day, exactly as predicted four months ago when this picnic ride was planned for Bike Week.  The River Lea path wended through countryside that was green again after recent rains, as eight of us headed along to Ware.  We opted for the top lane from Ware to Babbs Green and John commented that not a single car had passed us on that stretch - perhaps they were all dusting down their bikes, or more likely having a lie-in.  Either way, it made for an idyllic ride with the wind pushing us along and we soon reached Sawbridgeworth.

The Shed in Sawbridgeworth

The Shed Coffee House provided some rather too comfortable sofas to relax in and it was a struggle for some to leave.  Our numbers swelled to ten as Carol & Steve caught up with us here and, being slightly ahead of schedule, I decided to put an extra loop in and took the group into some lanes some had never explored, as the Hertford start put us further East than usual.

Lack of traffic in these quiet, narrow lanes does seem to lead some drivers to expect a clear run.  I'm not sure if it was lack of thought or sheer devilment, but two cars decided to overtake us just as we were avoiding some very large pools of water and they soaked some of us near the back of the group.  It didn't get them anywhere as the lane became too narrow to pass the whole group, and they only succeeded in getting a very prolonged earful about their pathetic and inconsiderate driving habits.

After this excitement, it was good to reach Hatfield Forest where we grabbed a table by the lake for our picnic. 

Hatfield Forest

Flitch Way

The Shell House in Hatfield Forest is a fascinating folly built by Jacob Houblon in 1754.  It was built for picnics and summer parties for friends and family, overlooking their new lake in the heart of the forest.

Jacob’s daughter Laetitia decorated the interior and exterior with exotic and colourful shells, (mostly from the West Indies as they were used as ballast in the holds of slave ships) split flints, blue glass, coral and sands. The designer of the building is unknown, but it was of Italian influence.

Not exactly up to Ascot Races picnic hamper standards (forgot the Duchy Originals), but it made a change from the usual pub lunch, with the added excitement of wondering when that big black cloud would reach us.  It did give us a couple of brief showers as we slithered along a mile of the Flitch Way and found our route across to the new part of National Cycle Route 16.
 

NCR 16

Around Stansted Airport

This extends the Flitch Way as far as Birchanger and avoids the M11/A120 gyratory system by tunnelling under two slip roads.  From here we could follow more quiet lanes across to Little Hadham and our tea stop in the superb gardens of Hopley's Plant Centre, where some beautifully crafted African sculptures can be seen amongst the herbaceous borders.

The pond at Hopley's

Part of the large garden

Here we split up into smaller groups for the home run, while Carol & Steve headed off to explore the possibilities of cycling through Youngsbury Park near Wadesmill.

Jon
19/06/2011

12 Jun 2011: Hatfield to Shefford

Rain (didn’t) stop play, or how our group spent a whole day cycling in the rain.

The forecast was for light rain starting about 11am with a light southerly breeze. So just a little prematurely at about 9.15 at the start in Hatfield it started a light drizzle. Heedless of this ill omen and completely undaunted, nine of us set off for Ley Green, an out of the way hamlet near Kings Walden. The lure of this location was a new café which allegedly had opened in the post office there. I say allegedly as it seemed an unlikely place for a post office let alone a café. But café there was, bright and clean, recently created by expanding the post office. So we had a very pleasant elevenses after dripping our wet selves all over the formerly clean floor.

Rona with her CTC volunteer of the year medal

The Post Office cafe in Ley Green

At this juncture three of the party suddenly remembered they had pressing arrangements at home and (sensibly) declined to go further. Their place was taken by Richard who had just arrived and seemed strangely keen to continue cycling in the rain.

So we set off for Shefford in, by now, a steady drizzle. Shefford in Bedfordshire is due north of where we were so we skirted to the west of Hitchin and going via Pirton and Shillington, all nice rural places, we arrived at Shefford.

Richard arriving in Shefford

Still raining leaving Shefford

Luckily Shefford is blessed with a number of pubs, as the designated hostelry “ The Brewery Tap” seemed aptly named as it only sold beer and no food. So we moved to the White Hart which did excellent food.

Having fed, it was on with our damp clothes and head off again south in steady rain for Whitwell. Referring to the erroneous weather forecast again, this was now no light southerly breeze, rather a full on headwind to the point where in places we had to pedal to go downhill. So by the time we reached Emily’s cafe in Whitwell we were both tired and wet. Here it was gratifying to find we weren’t the only daft cyclists out and about as there was a contingent of veteran cyclists (that’s the bikes not the riders).

Traction engine clanking through Shefford

Veteran cyclists in Emily's cafe, Whitwell

After a pleasant cuppa we left in, by now, even heavier rain. For those of us who returned to the start it was about 57 miles in total but for some, who cycled to or from the start it was considerably more. 

It was not the ideal weather for National Gardens Open Day, nor Open Farm Sunday, but despite all the moaning about the weather we kept going regardless and it wasn’t too bad a day all things considered.


Peter 12/06/2011