George and Jean met up at Kentish Town station with Andrew, April, Elinor, John, Ignacio and Elin. David joined the train at Mill Hill and Alex met us at Harpenden Station.

We coasted down the hill to the Lea Valley and up the other side through Bower Heath and Peters Green. We then rode through Wandon and Breachwood Green to join the long road along Lilley Bottom.

After crossing over an A road we passed through Lilley and then down a very long hill into Hexton where we ate lunch in the garden of the Raven.

Map of the ride

After lunch we struggled back up the long hill but after Lilley branched off to a different way back through Great Offley, Kind Walden and Whitwell (home of many watercress beds).

Somewhere near Whitwell, we noticed that David was missing - George went back. For while the rest of us heard nothing, but eventually they reappeared, telling us they had extracted an enormous rusty screw from the back tyre.

A little further on, there was quite a hissing and Elinor's tyre went down. But that too was fixed while we cooled off on the grassy verges.

We eventually reached Ayot St Lawrence for out tea stop at the Brocket Arms.

After tea we passed Shaws Corner (former home of Bernard Shaw, but now a museum). The lanes here are very attractive and pass through Gustard Wood and Mackerye End. At the Lea Valley we crossed by the ford and went up Station Road into Harpenden, catching a train at about 6.30.

More photos of the ride are here