Saturday 18 July - boats and trains

Fantastic summer morning to be out riding, thankfully much cooler than recent weeks. A great day to look splendid in club jerseys.  Two groups heading west, nine going Further Faster and five going a bit further than usual.

The FF group set off first, along the Alban Way and following the NCN6 route up to Watford Road, then on up Ragged Hall Lane.  At Potters Crouch we turned down Blunts Lane to loop along to Serge Hill and Bedmond.  Then south to Abbots Langley, descending via the High Street and Gallows Hill Lane to the Gade Valley, here the river is part of the Grand Union Canal.  The West Coast Main line also runs along the valley, and (Kings Langley) Station Road,  Primrose Hill and then Railway Terrace got us to Nash Mills.  Here we crossed over the canal and continued north along London Road, between the railway and the canal, then crossed back over to gain Apsley Marina and a coffee stop at Darcy's.

The return route was south along Belswains Lane and then up Bunkers Lane and onto the A4147 Hemel Road and off at Beechtree Lane to rode through the Gorhambury estate.  23 miles.

The FF groups has been tackling tougher rides recently as several members are going on tour later this summer!  The ride was a first for Teresa as she was using Ride with GPS to plan and navigate.  Good to have three leaders with this larger group and also some GPS experts to assist.

The Fabulous group this month were all experienced riders and we decided to go a little bit further......

We also headed west and up Ragged Hall Lane.  

There was a little too much excitement in the early part of the ride, with a runner overstepping the edge of the Alban Way and taking a tumble right in front of us, fortunately we were already slow as we were waiting to pass when the way was clear of oncoming runners.  Then on Berners Drive a parked driver flung her car door open without checking if cyclists were present - two cyclists coming in the other direction had to take avoiding action, fortunately they had also been riding cautiously near a potential hazard.  A driver on Abbots Avenue had no such consideration and deliberately passed Rona extremely close as he squeezed by between her and an oncoming vehicle.  Glad to say we also experienced considerate drivers who 'read the road' and drove accordingly, especially the young man who slowed right down and yielded as we carefully emerged from Berners Drive, which has no sightline whatsoever.  Also the driver on Ragged Hall Lane who understood that we could not safely swing up onto the gravelly passing space and stopped while we came carefully through.

From Potters Crouch we took the direct route on up Bedmond Lane to Bedmond where we paused for a photo, admired the Tin Church and exchanged friendly greetings with two bunches of Gregarios - more of them later!

We then headed down East Lane, it was delightful descending into the shady wooded depths but it required concentration as the lane is very gravelly.

From the M25 underpass to the Leavesden Hospital cemetery East Lane is filtered, so only walkers and cyclists can get through. It gets very muddy in the winter and a bit overgrown in the summer, but still passable.  Down past Parmiter's School on the cycle path, a wiggle along then under the A405 North Orbital Road to Bucknalls Lane, which took us over the M1 and past the BRE.  We took the bridleway across Bricket Wood Common, highlight of the route, emerging on Mount Pleasant Lane on the bend by the railway bridge.  A short way along Station Road we turned into Bricket Wood station, where we could see bicycles piled high around the tearoom.  We locked up on the platform cycle stands and headed in.

The tea room staff were almost but not quite swamped, there were Gregarios and a few 'normal' customers occupying every available bit of seating.  We were still made welcome and our drinks and baked goods were served to us on the platform bench, which was comfortable and sociable for us and also meant we could see our bikes.

The Gregarios look great in their azzurro (Italian blue) jerseys, they are based in Hatch End and their choice of coffee stop was entirely appropriate as they style their ride group as 'the blue train'.  Our jerseys impressed them and a couple came over for a chat.

It was getting on for twelve o'clock by the time we were ready to head back, one of our number decided she liked the look of the dark green train and caught the northbound Abbey Flyer!  The rest of us followed the Abbey Way route back to St Albans.  16 miles.

June rides - 6th and 13th

June was very busy, we had to split our rides with the Further Faster group going out for a long ride over to Whitwell on 6th June and the Fabulous group looping around to Ayletts on 13th June.

Two super rides, but we've not found time to blog them.  Images of Cell Barnes Orchard in Highfield Park.

Saturday 16 May 2026 - cold snap

Grey clouds with some sunshine meant base layers and waterproofs were favoured for today's ride.

Seven Further Faster riders set off eastwards along the Alban Way and made a tour of the former De Havilland airfield, now Salisbury Village and Hatfield Business Park, to emerge on Coopers Green Lane and then ride up through Symondshyde.

Big lowering skies as they rode across Nomansland, to turn into West End Barns and join the Fabulous group for delicious hot drinks and baked goods.

The Fabulous quartet set off northwards around the Green Ring to Batchwood Drive and then through New Greens on NCN6 and onward up the Harpenden Road.  They diverted into Childwickbury to admire the stunning rhododendrons.

A further detour was made to enjoy St Mary's Church, built in 1866/67, designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, the architect whose other works include the Midland Hotel at St Pancras station, at the behest of Henry Heyman Toulmin, the shipping magnate who owned the Childwickbury estate at the time.  The church was used for both worship and schooling, with a schoolroom being added in 1885 by the subsequent owner of Childwickbury, John Blundell Maple.  In 1901 there were 140 children on the estate.  The school closed in 1926, but the schoolroom still serves the community and there are regular services in the church - details on St Mary's website. 

From Childwickbury it was a short hop further up the Harpenden Road, enlivened by freeing a dropped chain that got stuck, then a roll along Ayers End Lane and down to West End Barns, where they were soon joined by the Further Faster group.

If you have not seen any swallows yet this year, pop along, as they are nesting in one of the smaller buildings.  The cafe barn is only open at weekends, but at other times you can access the Cake Shed for cold drinks, local produce and tray bakes, and cakes on Mondays and Thursdays.

We headed back to St Albans by various routes, another super morning of cycling achieved.

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 the Camp, Highfield Park - these cycling routes being a revelation to some of the group.  Through Tyttenhanger Green to the A414 longabout signalled crossing and lovely smooth tarmac through Colney Heath.  Then underneath the A1(M) and the A1001 by the Bullens Green underpass, with a thank you to WelHat Council for clearing flytipping that had been obstructing the cycle route.  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.  Both groups had enjoyed the spring flowers and birdsong and encounters with courteous drivers and path users.

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.