22 Sep 2010: to Welham Green

Taking a welcome break from Christmas shopping, eight of us assembled at the war memorial on the warmest evening of the autumn, the last of the Indian summer (maybe the Commonwealth games should have been moved to England?).  It was a full moon, but no one had sprouted any extra facial hair or was behaving any more bizarrely than usual.  We set off down Hatfield road, suffering inordinate delays at the traffic lights, until we got to the former Mile House on London Road.  After crossing over the A414, we took the cycle path to Napsbury village, then though the back of London Colney, past All Saints Retreat to the bridge over the M25. 

Brian, who was in the lead, stripped off for his favourite ascent, Shenley Hill.  The famous tower came into view as we got to the top & sped straight past the Black Lion (now an Indian restaurant) through Well End, skirting Borehamwood, left at the Mops & Brooms & down to almost touch the A1 at Packhorse Bridge. Then back up to Ridge we paused outside the Old Guinea to regroup. The inside was lit like an operating theatre & it was evident that there were very few customers. Was there any connection there being a For Sale sign outside? We continued into South Mimms where the witty comments of the smokers outside the White Hart (“your wheels are going round”) were mentally recorded for future after-dinner speeches.

We crossed the M25 & headed north up the former A1, turned off at Water End, climbed past the Vets’ College, & noting that the railway bridge at Brookmans Park was closed to traffic (but not pedestrians) arrived at the Hope & Anchor at Welham Green at 9 p.m. Although it was almost empty it soon filled up, the clientele, which included a pit-bull terrier that was obviously not a bitch, attracted either by our presence or the beer at £2.50 a pint.  It seemed worthy of another visit.

10 Mar 2010: to White Lion, St Albans

Graham writes: Another cold and dry evening, the best weather for riding in my opinion, saw 6 of us spend an hour and a half cycling a loop around the south of St. Albans finishing up in the White Lion in Sopwell Lane, St. Albans. Apart from the usual 4 social derelicts with nothing else to do on a weekday evening (only joking folks!) we were joined by two regulars from last summer.

Steve started by zooming down Holywell Hill. I was ready to turn left and call it a short ride, but we continued past the Abbey station and worked through residential streets to Park Street, turning right into Park Street Lane. Crossing back over the railway, where trams will soon be seen, we went past the Gate pub, which may or may not have draft beer, judging by our last visit, and turned left down Drop Lane. Eventually rejoining the old A5, whatever number it has this week, we worked our way through the well heeled back streets of Radlett, joining Radlett Lane for the climb up to Shenley.

Avoiding sectioning as we passed the entrance to the old mental hospital, we were able to enjoy the unusual experience of descending Black Lion Hill rather than our normal grinding climb up it. We then continued up Shenley Lane to the East of London Colney, then Napsbury Lane and a right turn under the Midland Main Line to come out on London Road near the site of the sadly demolished Mile House. Riding back into St. Albans, Mark demonstrated that a winter laid up with spinal problems had not diminished his pothole avoiding skills (I think!!).

We locked our bikes in the pitch dark back garden of The White Lion, and repaired to the small bar, where the London Pride was in fine form. Conversational topics ranged from the usual cycle-techie subjects to this year's "Dunwich Dynamo".

Everybody left at varying appropriate hours and all got home safely.
This week's ride is to The Gibraltar Castle in Batford, on the north-east(ish) edge of Harpenden.