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.