A cycling adventure

Twice a week Mr Mustard goes for a longer ride than the usual round trip through Ridge which takes about 1h 15m. He looked at the Sustrans cycle routes overlayed on an Ordnance Survey map and decided to follow the square formed by Monken Hadley at the bottom left (Mustard Mansions are just below that, off the page), Enfield Island Village at the bottom right, Ware at the top right (where?) Welwyn Garden City at the top left and then back to the start.

Mr Mustard has a hybrid bicycle which is a cross between a mountain bike and a road bike, you wouldn't want to do this loop on a road bike with narrow tyres but a mountain bike would be fine.

Looked at on the map it seemed quite possible as Mr Mustard had survived 3 hours in the saddle recently. 

The distance across the bottom is 8.22 miles as the crow flies, so about 10 by the time Mr Mustard had got lost.

Mr Mustard was tempted to get across to that blue line adjacent to Botany Bay, which is quite near the Royal Chase Hotel, by chickening out of the bumpy route by going up to Potters Bar and along the Ridgeway, but decided that the shortest route was the one he should follow, so not long after setting off he was crawling up Ferny Hill. You are rewarded with a view of the obelisk in Trent Park at the top.

Having rocketed downhill past the Pick you Own fruit farm ( opening in the third week of June, you'll need to book under the new distanced picking rule 

Mr Mustard turned left, crawled up Oak Hill, and crossed the road and went down the track (the one where clay pigeon shooting is advertised) and followed the obvious route. This becomes Strayfield Road at the end (it may also be that at the start) and you end up almost on Clay Hill. There is a right turn just before that junction which Mr Mustard missed. Here it is, seems obvious now but there really needs to be a finger post on the left as well. Mr Mustard will have to go there again next week to follow the proper route.

Below is the proper route. Mr Mustard will be buying a map.

Ploughing on blindly, crossing straight over Clay Hill Mr Mustard found himself on another track (Flash Lane) which took him downhill and then up again straight through Whitewebb Forest and brought him out in Cattlegate Lane. Unsurpisingly at that point there were no pointers as to where to go next and Mr Mustard had no idea where he was. Just up the road on the left there appeared to be a gap in the hedge, Mr Mustard was all ready to take it as he never minds going the wrong way but there was a security van there with a noisy dog in the back.

Having been in the eyeline of the noisy dog for long enough and having spoken to the security guard who didn't know where he was and wasn't letting on as to what he was guarding, Mr Mustard set off along Cattlegate Lane, past the Spurs training ground (one lonely camerawoman outside for some reason) and over the A10 at Bullsmoor Lane and down to Enfield Island Village by a much more boring route than he should have been on. Quite a nice place to live.

At the village he took a photograph as this is an impressive water tower.

At this point after some wrong turnings Mr Mustard fell over Sustrans Cycle route 1, hurrah. After following for a little while Mr Mustard lost his way again but by using his nose, rather than the eyes he should have been using, he got himself back on track here and could relax.

Looks a bit glum when that picture was taken but it was lovely today. Just inside there is a sculpture

Following route 1 was easy within the park as it is harder to get lost, another sculpture caught the eye of Mr Mustard

Mr Mustard pedalled on, past Dobb's Weir to Rye House, where he had to be quick to catch the duck family formation paddling.

From here it was necessary just to keep pedalling along the bank of the river all the way to Ware where Mr Mustard stopped to enjoy a sandwich (strapped to the crossbar) as he had been pedalling for 2 hours and 40 minutes at this stage and he was at the mid-point of his route.

Ware seems to be a much nicer place by bike (or on foot) then it ever seemed when Mr Mustard went there by car.

Mr Mustard pedalled on but stopped taking so many photographs. From Ware it is a hop and skip to Hertford following route 61 along the river. In Hertford Mr Mustard missed another sign so did a lap of the town and came back to where he started and then found where he needed to be and went down West Street which you cannot do in your car unless you live there, as it has the pesky 'flying motorbike' sign which almost no-one knows and it means 'no motor vehicles' and with an 'except for access' in this case which means except for access to proeprties adjoining the road, not for gaining access to the other end of West Street and not stopping!

There was a blue plaque in West Street so that had to be photographed. Sorry but it is slightly out of focus.

Life expectancy in 1800 was about 40 so getting to 96 was another great achievement. The house is grade 11* listed.

Mr Mustard pedalled on through Hertingfordbury, via the Cole Green Way and into Welwyn Garden City. Time for another sandwich and plenty of water.

To Mr Mustard, High Barnet to Welwyn Garden City on a bicycle now seems like nothing at all but he had been out for four and a quarter hours by now.

Now Mr Mustard knew where he was he set off southwards, out of WGC towards Hatfield, diverted off through Old Hatfield, the way route 12 goes, into South Hatfield, over the lovely cycle bridge, into Welham Green down Swanland Road, left just before the roundabout to go along Wash Lane which takes walkers and cyclists behind the South Mimms services, under the M25, and then a tired little climb up Dancers Hill, left up Dancers Hill Rd, right into Kitts End Road and a final slow climb to Hadley Highstone

which is a monument to the Battle of Barnet and 1.25km level ride home.

So very pleased to see home, 5 and 3/4 hours after leaving it and 3lbs lighter. It was a warm day. Mr Mustard had his string backed cycling gloves on, as you can see.

Mr Mustard might try that route again next week without all of the accidental detours and with sun cream applied.