One Star Mother’s Day — without the family
Posted on Wednesday 17 March 2010 by Rona Wightman
Normally my in-house rent-a-mob boosts my attendance record and justifies the ‘family’ tag for the ride, but this year they absconded. However, our group of six bonded into a happy unit for a day’s spin in the Hertfordshire sunshine. Two St Alban’s residents, two from north London and two off the train.
Twists and turns through Victorian streets, a walk through the White Hart coaching inn yard and the Abbey grounds, and out of the city via St Michaels and the Gorhambury estate. A short stretch on the A4147 and then onto the lanes through Westwick Row and Buncefield, over the Ver at Redbournbury Mill and up the hill to Harpenden Common.
We dropped down to Southdown for lunch at the Brown Box cafe, a 40+ favourite. No frou frou Mother’s Day specials here: omelettes, burgers, jacket potatoes and mugs of tea set us up for the afternoon.
Round via Pipers Grove to Leasey Bridge, we doubled back on the old railway line to ford the Lea at Batford, then a steep climb brought us to the magnificent mansion of Mackereye End. Lanes to Kimpton, a long freewheel down the valley, then west on the Codicote Road towards Wheatampstead. We cut down across the landfill to ford the Lea at Marford. Back to St Albans by Sandridge and Jersey Lane, across to Fleetville and onto the Alban Way. We rode past the station however, to fetch up at the Signal Box for a signalling demonstration and a late coffee.
55km, so my penchant for challenging one star rides with railway flavour is sustained.
If the trend continues, see you on Mother’s Day 2012 (see blog for 2008!)