Nickey Line

"Screw loose and a bit wonky" I overheard as we gathered at the cycle racks at Harpenden station.  Not an accurate depiction of the leader, as I thought at first, but the outline of a mechanical incident resolved by the group who cycled out from St Albans to the start of the ride.

We had hoped the new ramp at Ambrose Lane might give us easy access to the Nickey Line, but the work is not quite complete.  You can't make out the lettering on the works sign, but it is rather charming "Cyclists please dismount  Pedestrians please take care through the works".  Nobody tried to ride down the steps...

We enjoyed the ride down to Redbourn, although the tarred surface is only through Harpenden, it gets more rustic once you are out of town.  All the better to enjoy the abounding nature - the violets were very pretty.

The Hub was obscured by a cloud of blue as we approached, and once we had locked our bikes it became apparent that the Ashwell CC had got in ahead of us.  Being a cyclists' refuge as well as an excellent café, the Hub staff just asked us to take a seat and in no time at all the blue jerseys at the counter had dispersed. and while their coffees were dispensed, our order was taken.

Quite how they managed to fit the seven of us, the hordes of lycra lads and several locals without bicycles but with prams into such a tiny space, remaining calm and welcoming throughout ... an impressive achievement to match the excellence of the cake and coffee.

The next stage of our ride took us along the main road - on the footpath, not yet widened to shared use standard, but we did not have to share it today, so no problem for us.  A discovery - the bakery at Redbournbury Mill is open on Saturdays.  We stopped, we shopped.

Getting across the ford was considerably more challenging that getting down the Nickey Line steps, but teamwork made hauling the bikes and ourselves up the bank a slick operation.  The climb of Beesonend Lane also proved less challenging than you might think.  We rode back to St Albans using the bridleway through Childwickbury.  Distance covered actually over ten miles, and fourteen or more for those who rode to the start.

Highfield Park

Four of us got the 2014 ride programme off to a good start with a very gentle amble on a mild spring day.

Along the Alban Way, we stopped for a fettle at the Hill End Garden of Remembrance, a poignant stop.

The history board next to the arch tells you the history of Hill End Hospital.  You can find out more about Highfield Park - including a map and the history of the hospitals - on the Highfield Park Trust website. We carried on along the Alban Way to Hill End Lane, then headed down Hixberry Lane and into the Park.  Through to Highfield Lane, around the corner and into Winchfield Wood.  We then linked through to Herons Way bridleway, and onto Napsbury Lane, and round to Ayletts for our coffee stop.

As no-one needed to return to Morrisons, the rest of the ride was into St Albans City Centre along the London Road cycle route.

Green Ring Recce

Seven riders set off, we were delighted to welcome three ladies to their first Fabulous ride.  The objective was to circumnavigate the proposed route of the Green Ring, paying special attention to the three small sections currently out for consultation.

Strictly speaking, we failed in our objective, as we did not actually wiggle past the oak tree at the back of Morrisons.

Well, we know it well, and we had already shifted our meeting spot to the sunny side of Hatfield Road, so hey!  Off we went up Woodstock Road, and our objective was again modified to accommodate the closure of Jennings Road footbridge, we diverted via Blenheim Road and Sandpit Lane.  Being fabulous, it did not trouble us to walk the footway up the hill to Lemsford Road, but it was a relief even so to get a bit further away from the horrible traffic and wend our way through an autumnal informal path.

Our next opportunity for muddy trails through trees came on the next consulting section, across Bernards Heath, firstly from Sandridge Road to Harpenden Road and then through to emerge on  NCN 6 (see left).  Those of us with local knowledge opined that Everlasting Lane would be too muddy even for intrepid explorers such as ourselves, so we reconnoitred Ladies Grove.  Some of us were even bold enough to ride up through Oysterfields and Temple View to check out the third consulting section, a link across the park.

The picture (left) is misleading on two counts – that is not a temple, it’s a lamp post, a hospital chimney and a litter bin, and that is an existing path, not the proposed one, which is off to the left.

After all this hard work, we were ready for our coffee stop at the Inn on the Park and thereafter an easy ride through the park and along the Alban Way back to Morrisons.  You have until 12 December to get your Green Ring three sections comments in.  Our coffee stop was an impromptu planning meeting, so watch out for dates, but expect at least two rides from Harpenden in 2014 as well as the usual Fleetville rendezvous.

Apples!

Some rides really are fabulously fabulous – this was one of them.  Apples were advertised and my goodness, they were delivered on this ride!  We were also keen to take in the resurfaced Alban Way too.  And, the weather forecast had changed from wet to sunny.  First we headed east – here are three of the septet gliding smoothly along.

Another remarkable feature of this particular ride – we allowed a chap to come with us!  His local CTC group is looking at running 5MTF style rides, so this was important outreach opportunity.  Our man is also a pomologist, so we benefited from his expertise as we plundered the windfalls in Highfield Park.  In fact, he enjoyed the orchard so much he asked us to leave him there and carry on without him.  The pictured section of orchard is near to Hixberry Lane, mainly cookers and a few desert trees. This was the orchard of the Herts County Mental Hospital, built in the late 1890s.  Further west we cycled through the old Cell Barnes Hospital orchard too.  Both these hospitals had farms to provide food and therapeutic work for the patients.  Find out more at the Highfield Park Trust website.

Having gathered bagfuls of apples, we meandered through the autumnal beauty of Highfield Park, picked up the London Road cycle route and in no time at all, we were ensconced in the Dahlia Coffee House at Ayletts.  We recommend the date slice and the availability of lactose free milk.

Our return route looped round by Sopwell and Cottonmill to take us to the western end of the Alban Way for more smooth tarmac enjoyment as we returned to Fleetville.

Open Studios

Three of us convened to peruse the Open Studios listing.  There was a studio only about 100m from Morrisons, but we felt we could and should go a bit further than that, yes even as far as Wheathampstead!  How could we resist an artist called Bel Bluemel? 

Off we went, Alban Way, Oaklands, House Lane and up past Nashe’s Farm, and round through Symondshyde Woods.  We followed a path through the church yard and out into a lovely little green with a play area.  Hmm, leader now had no idea where she was, but made a good guess, and we popped out at the Open Studio just as the door opened.  And yes, it turned to indeed be that Bluemel, the cycle accessories manufacturer! 

We enjoyed our visit, we bought artwork and we turned for home.  More uphill, bike needed to lean against a sign to rest after the effort.  Back to Sandridge via Nomansland, and there we parted company to make our separate ways home.

This was a fairly arduous ride, October will be shorter, slower and flatter.

The Dahlia Café

Devil Cake

We took the hint from the Sunday riders and decided on a nice short route in the heat. Although it was actually a bit cooler this morning.  Our quartet headed west along the Alban Way for a change, through by Berners Drive, Gorham Drive and Butterfield Lane to New Barnes Mill.  A cheery greeting from some fast chaps on lightweight cycles coming along in the other direction.  We’d be going faster too if we were going downhill!

A bit of a slog up Napsbury Lane and then a scamper down and voila! we are at Ayletts Nurseries.  Astonishingly, this is our first 5MTF visit to Ayletts, although we were none of us individually strangers there. We picture for your delight the Devil Cake.

Painted nails

We also show you the pink lemonade in the clutches of today’s youngest rider (age 12) who has painted her nails most beautifully.

The Dahlia Café was popular with cyclists today, we met a couple from the Forty Plus.  Refreshed by cake and companionship, we allowed ourselves a little shopping time, then headed back to Fleetville using London Road, Highfield Park and Camp cycle routes.

Bike Week Ride

We were very cheerful at the start – it was sunny!

Come on it's about to rain! Eleven ladies arrived, including five who had not been out on a 5MTF before. We were waved off by Jon and Neil from the Saturday Saunter, and as if that wasn’t enough male company for one morning, we timed our exit onto the Alban Way to coincide with the departure of a Beaver pack on wheels. They decided we looked faster than them and waved us through ahead!

We headed east to Ellenbrook, and then turned west again along the lanes through Wilkins Green to Smallford. We rode steadily along Station Road and Hatfield Road to get to Notcutts, where we rather swamped the cycle parking.  We took up quite a lot of the café too! In fact, we made such an impression that the manager came over to see us…..to ask if she could have some of the Bike Week leaflets that we were waving around!

We did wonder if we would get drenched on departure, but the rain held off, and we got back on the Alban Way, and then went round through Highfield Park and back to Fleetville by the Camp Road Cycle Route. Ride distance was 8 miles.