Highs and Lows in the Chilterns

This ride will take you out of Hemel and into the Chilterns to explore the wonderful countryside and some of the lovely villages. It will take you high enough for some stunning views over the downs. The ride is a challenging, hilly route but the views repay the effort. You'll leave Hemel, heading for Potten End before cycling past Martin's Pond on the green. After losing some height, the route will take you through the lovely National Trust Ashridge Estate and past Ashridge House. The route then climbs to its summit, just before the Ivinghoe Beacon, where you'll have wonderful views across the downs and across to Whipsnade and the carved white lion. After cycling past the Pitstone Windmill, you'll arrive at the village of Aldbury which has been used as a shooting location in many films. You then gain height to re-enter Ashridge Estate before a gradual descent to Northchurch and Berkhamsted. The route then climbs back to Potten End where you retrace some of the outgoing route to return to Hemel. You don’t have to be the next Bradley Wiggins, but you’ll need to know your way around a bike and be fairly fit to take part in our Challenging rides. If you’re comfortable riding with other people and fancy a fresh challenge, these rides are perfect for you. They start at around twenty miles long, and are paced at between 11 and 12 miles an hour.