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.
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