Saturday 18 April 2026 - Old Hatfield

Peak spring - lush grass, bluebells, cow parsley, hawthorn in bloom, chestnut candles, lilac etc etc.  Sunny and not too warm, warm enough to show off our new club jerseys.

Fourteen of us met up in Fleetville, the Further Faster group of eight set off first and the six Fabulous riders shortly after.

The Fabulous group ambled along the Alban Way, with a stop to admire the new goods van at Smallford Station, part of a long term project to celebrate the history and heritage of Smallford in general and the railway in particular.  [Lost Rails tells you more about former railway lines in Hertfordshire.  Keep an eye out for the old telegraph pole on the Alban Way! Also keep an eye out for pop-up cafes, usually listed on Facebook.] 

We had another stop to enjoy the tulips at Clarke's Road greenspace, then onward to the end of the line, across the Great North Road and over the East Coast Main Line, then north along the A1001 until we turned off onto NCN12 and doubled back through Old Hatfield.

We were first to Salisbury Square, still a construction site but beginning to emerge. The herras fencing is robustly installed and was strong enough to lean our bikes against, and we headed into Sustain Coffee Roasters for coffee.

We had just got our order in when the Further Faster group arrived.

They had headed out via Colney Heath - getting across the A414 at the longabout signalled crossing, then underneath the A1(M) and the A1001 by the Bullens Green underpass.  They wended their way through South Hatfield and Oxlease, getting onto NCN12 and going under the railway via another colourful underpass.  One member of the group had to head back for a noon appointment, the rest joined the others in Sustain.  

This is a super place to visit.  Coffee and other hot and cold drinks are served on Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings in the exciting setting of an actual roastery, with sacks of beans all around.  Some of purchased roasted beans.  The staff are lovely and took our group photo.  More about Sustain here.

Eventually we prised ourselves away from coffee and chat and headed back along the Alban Way in one group.

Saturday 7 March 2026 - International Women's Day season opener

 A few days before our first ride of the year the forecast was showing sunshine and warmth, alas, Saturday dawned damp and chill, after overnight rain.  We had sixteen riders, split evenly between the Fabulous and Further Faster groups.

The Further Faster group left first, heading along the Alban Way, then up NCN6 to Watford Road and off onto the lanes.  Ragged Hall Lane was in an even worse state than usual, flooded and gravelly and potholed. The group were relieved to make it to the Holly Bush unscathed.

Time to turn in the direction of coffee, down via Noke Lane to the Watford Road, along through Chiswell Green and down Tippendell Lane to Greenwood Park and the Lazy Llama.

The Fabulous group followed on the same route up to Potters Crouch, stopping to admire the daffodils at East Farm.  The duckpond is full but the ducks were elsewhere.

From Potters Crouch they took the more direct route to coffee, coming down Chiswell Green Lane, admiring the Royal Entomological Society's large mini-beast and the cherry blossoms and keeping a sharp lookout for the potholes and gravel banks.

The faster group had reached the Lazy Llama first, but we had plenty of time for group chat and a group photo.

It was too cold to hang around though, and we made our way back to St Albans, shedding riders along the way.

Saturday 22 November 2025 - last ride of the season

Somewhat warmer than earlier in the week, but also wetter and windier.  We had quite a few staying home with the nasty cold that's going around and the poor forecast meant a few others were sensibly cautious and likewise stayed indoors.  So we just had a large group not a massive posse out riding today.  We actually split into two groups.

The six Further Faster riders headed off along the Alban Way, then north across Oaklands and onward. Nashe's Lane is a challenging bit of uphill, tactical group selfie and breather at the top.

Along the lanes and down to Coopers Green Lane then up through Symondshyde Woods, always a pleasure to ride through woodlands even on soggy November mornings.

Down Hammonds Lane and along Drovers Lane, as they waited to cross the onto Ferrers Lane, who should they see by the Fabulous four descending across Nomansland.....

The group of four took a canny back-doubles route over to Sandridgebury Lane, using the Green Ring to get them to the Ancient Briton and using the Green Man to get across the junction.  Then they slipped through Ellis Fields to get to Sandridgebury Lane thence to Sandridge and the track along past Heartwood and through to Nomansland.  A shimmer of bright red hawthorn berries and some scarlet rosehips stood out from the grey-brown backdrop as they were gently pushed along by the southerly breeze.

And as they came down the hill towards Ferrers Lane, who should they see but the Further Faster six at the junction......

So both groups arrived together at West End Barns and were soon ensconced with coffee and other hot beverages and scones, flapjacks, sausage rolls etc. The staff are very friendly and kindly take group photos!

From here we reformed our ride-groups and returned along along a multitude of ways, one heading off for a cross-country ride home, two others heading back via Ayres End, the rest returning to Sandridge then splintering homeward via Sandridgebury Lane, House Lane and Jersey Lane.

Distances covered by individual riders therefore vary considerably, but the core element of the ride was round about 12 miles.

Wednesday 22 October 2025 - Glow Ride

We took part in the national Cycling UK My Ride Our Right campaign with a women-only special ride from the city centre, down the new Active Travel Fund cycle lane and around part of the Green Ring.

The campaign is based on a Cycling UK study carried out in the spring, following up government figures that found that the increase in cycling by men had not been matched by increasing numbers of women cycling.  If women don't feel safe, they won't cycle.  Busy roads, aggressive driving, dark corners - to enable half the population to feel that cycling is an option, we need cycling conditions without these deterrents.  Oh, and male harassment we can also do without.

What needs to change?

• We need better networks of direct routes separated from traffic.
• We need to listen to women’s voices around the planning and design of routes, to make sure they work for them.
• We need better promotion of the new Highway Code, to foster more respect on our roads.
• Small things can make a big difference to women’s perceptions of safety – like improving lighting, reducing speed limits, and making sure cycle parking is in a good visible location.

The Glow Rides were held throughout the UK, more than 60 of them, on or near Wednesday 22 October. In St Albans, ten women gathered in Civic Close ready to glow.

We had a huge flag - just visible in the left of the picture above - and a rather splendid cycle-mounted 'feather', as well as stickers and some smaller flags.

If anything, our ride demonstrated that cycling after dark can be enjoyable - we set off after the rush hour and the roads were quiet.  We had bright lights and excellent reflectives.

Whilst it was a delight to ride in company, some sections of the Green Ring are very dark indeed: Verulamium Park and Everlasting Lane on our ride, and of course the Alban Way.  Another issue the ride highlighted was some of the junctions - we stayed on road from Branch Road across Verulam Road to Oysterfields, which is safer and smoother than twisting and turning off and on the footways at junctions.  The new cycle lane and signal-controlled crossing of London Road are great!

The weather forecast was not great, Storm Benjamin was coming our way, and when we felt the first spots of rain as we came up the Harpenden Road we split off for home from there, with five of us returning to the start point.

As cycle campaigners and advocates, we are have two seemingly conflicting arguments:  - Cycling is healthy, efficient and good for the economy and the environment, so cycle.

- But also - cycling is not as safe / does not feel as safe as it should.

It was a very enjoyable ride, with courteous and competent drivers.  And.... the leader experienced two close passes on her way to the start.  

So we will keep advocating for cycling and campaigning for safer conditions.

Here is the report of the national night of rides from Cycling UK: Cycling UK’s glow rides a huge success! | Cycling UK.

Saturday 18 October 2025 - we are Sustained

Cold, grey day and everyone feeling tired in the middle of a busy month, so the option of a straightforward, flat ride was welcomed by all.  It was a pleasant ride along the Alban Way, the green and gold of the leaves making up for the grey sky.  We had a pause at Smallford Station to admire the art - currently posters by members of the St Albans Art Society.  We particularly commend the bicycles by Clare Pinney.

Onward, all the way along, over the East Coast Main Line, along the stub of the Great North Road and then southward into Old Hatfield on NCN12, the Great North Way.  We went all the way through and about-turned into Salisbury Square.  The north side of the square is still being developed, so we had to wiggle our way along between the building and the site fencing to reach Sustain.  This coffee roastery serves coffee and other drinks on Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings.  The food selection is limited, but how cute are these cookies:

The coffee is superb and the welcome is warm, we sat and chatted for quite a while.

When we eventually took our leave we needed some cycle-cross techniques - walking, running up steps - to regain the Great North Road.  The traffic island at the traffic lights is small, we just managed to all eight of us fit on, but we didn't have our selfie queens with us today, so we did not quite all fit in the picture.

Back the way we came except for the Wilkins Green diversion to admire the Great Nast Hyde mansion.

From here riders began peeling off for home.  The route distance from and back to Fleetville is 11 miles.

Saturday 27 September 2025 - Dutch Roundabout plus

This was originally the 'plus one' ride, as we decided it would be nice to let our other halves see why we enjoy cycling.  Several of them were keen to visit the Dutch Roundabout in Hemel Hempstead.  As it turned out, only two significant others were free to come along, so it is the plus two ride, and this is why we made two circuits of the roundabout.

We met as usual in Fleetville, three fabulous women and two lovely men.  Along the Alban Way, up to the Watford Road, where we admired the flat surface where the big mounded manhole used to be before turning off onto Ragged Hall Lane.  More uphill, so we had a breather by scenic East Farm.  The duck pond has dried up, although we could hear - but not see - ducks.

We paused again at Potters Crouch to record potholes to report (done!) to Herts County Council for fixing.  Update: HCC advise the bigger deeper one has been fixed, within 24 hours of report made.  HCC have further advised that the smaller one will be fixed by 27th October unless too much bad weather.

We tackled the A4147 as two 'blocks' riding in tight two-abreast formation.  This makes it easier for drivers to overtake as we are shorter, they need no more width but less length to get by.  This worked well, but we were still glad to get onto quiet Westwick Row.  Here we paused for a chat with a horse rider.

It was the first time the men had seen the Quietway, and it is so nice to ride!  Over the A414 using the signalled crossing, along past all the new industrial buildings and... there it was in all its glory, the Dutch roundabout.  No pictures, just circuits.  Then northwards on the northern section of the Quietway, and thereafter by lanes to Holtsmere End and down to Redbourn and into the Hub.  Such a lovely cafe and cyclists' refuge.

We came back the more direct route, down the A5183 to Redbournbury, across the fords, admiring the bucolic scene of cattle grazing in the water meadow.

Up Beesonend Lane to the A1081 / NCN6, which brought us back to St Albans.

We had ridden about 18 miles from Fleetville to the Ancient Briton.

Saturday 20 September 2025 - autumn celebration

Twelve of us, all going further faster.  After a blazing hot Friday, Saturday was grey and cool enough for long sleeves on most of us.

We set off along the Alban Way, and at the Galleria we turned off for the College Lane campus of the University of Hertfordshire.  Out the other side of the campus and alongside the A1001 for a bit, then we ducked under both the A1001 and the A1(M) to emerge in Bullens Green.

As is traditional for cyclists, we assumed the Road Closed sign did not apply to us, and we were, as is generally but not always the case, correct.

We emerged onto Tollgate Road a few at a time in between the motors, most of which were being driven with consideration.  The tail end nearly got absorbed into a large group of roadies that were waiting on the corner of Colney Heath High Street.... 'Oh, they've waited.... braking.... oh, it's not them... pedal again'.  Amusement for all concerned. They came past us soon after, but going too fast for us to hitch a tow.

We crossed the A414, some by the longabout traffic lights, others opted for the scenic route over the footbridge.  Along Barley Mow Lane and through Tyttenhanger Green and up Highfield Lane, then off-road through Winchfield Wood.

Along Highfield Park Drive, up London Road, then down the Heronsway bridlepath.

A brief tussle with Napsbury Lane, then we were turning into Ayletts and heading for the Celebration Garden.  The Autumn Festival was over, leaving only the pale grass where the tea tent had been.  Plenty of dahlias still blooming though, so a group photo and a wander.

Then it was off to the Roots coffee bar, where we enjoyed hot drinks and various baked goods and a good old chat.

From Ayletts the group began to shed riders as we headed up London Road, then along Drakes Drive - where the nice cycle path just ends abruptly.  With no easy way to join the road, which was clogged with cars, we continued at walking pace on the footway until we could turn right into the cul-de-sac section of Cell Barnes Lane.  This is a through route for walking and cycling, and Hill End Lane was peaceful.  The Camp Cycle Route got the remnants of the group back to Fleetville, round trip of 21km / 13 miles.