Open Studios

A beautiful late-summer morning, six of us turned out for a ride to Wheathampstead.

We set off eastward  along the Alban Way, then we turned north and went by way of Oaklands College and Jersey Lane (where a tree stump has been sculpted) to Sandridge.  Coleman Green Lane and Beech Hyde Lane got us to

Wheathampstead, and our destination, Rachel Jeffrey Jewellery, based in the old mill building.  Beautiful jewellery in the showroom, and a warm welcome.  We couldn’t go into the studio as there was an enamelling session in progress, but we could peer in from the outside window.

A little bit of post-ride research on Wheathampstead led to this charming silent film of a postie cycling round the village and surrounding hamlets.  I did recognise quite a few of the locations, not necessarily from today’s ride.  Perhaps we’ll need to plan a heritage ride for 2016 – more heritage here.

We took our refreshments in the sunshine outside Ushers bakery, lots of vintage motorcycles kept coming past, which was interesting but not very tranquil.  So we took ourselves off to visit the Crinkle-Crankle Wall.

Our homeward route was by way of Brewhouse Hill and Ferrers Lane.  We bypassed Sandridge by cutting the corner through Heartwood Forest, admiring the rebuilt road and tussling with the kissing gate onto the bridleway.  Then back to St Albans along Sandridgebury Lane.

The round trip to the start point was 14 miles.