Rickmansworth to Hertford: Saturday Adventure Ride

Please read the ride description carefully, especially the travel arrangements.
Remember to bring your lights for your homeward journey.

Overview

Our late autumn Saturday Adventure Ride is a second chance to experience National Cycle Route 61, which we rode earlier in the year. For this ride, we are using the sections which are nearly all on sealed surfaces, with only a few short sections where muddy conditions might be expected. Most of the route is on traffic free shared paths, following disused railway lines- the Ebury Way, the Alban Way, and Cole Green Way. The gradients are gentle, so the distance will seem easy.

Travel Arrangements

We will reach Rickmansworth by taking the Metropolitan Line. You need to connect with the service which arrives in Rickmansworth at 10.12am. For those from the Ealing area, the nearest Met Line station is Wembley Park, the train departs at 09.47am.

For our return, we will take Greater Anglia train services from Hertford East to London Liverpool Street. Trains depart at 09 and 39 mins and the journey time is approx. 50 mins. A single off peak fare is £11. From Liverpool Street, you can connect to Elizabeth Line services via Paddington to Ealing, or with Metropolitan Line services.

The Ride

We ride down from Rickmansworth station to join the Ebury Way and follow this eastwards towards Watford. Skirting the town centre, we turn northwards on the Colne Valley Way, then ride on quiet country roads via Bricket Wood, How Wood and Chiswell Green. We reach St Albans in time for lunch at the Inn on the Park café. https://www.inn-on-the-park.com/

Riding on, we have an easy and maybe quite fast ride along the Alban Way, skirting Hatfield and heading towards Welwyn Garden City. Turning east, we join the Cole Green Way into Hertford, where we ride through the town centre to Hertford East railway station for our return home.

Train assisted ride following National Cycle Route 61 from Rickmansworth to Hertford.

Mainly traffic free shared paths; quieter roads; some short sections on busier roads; short sections on unsealed surfaces

Refreshment stop in St Albans

Money/card for rail fares & refreshments. Lock for your bike. Water & snacks for the ride. Lights for your homeward journey.

First-timers welcome!