Meet at the Green Bridge (or Stamford Hill Rail for Hackney people) for reasonably pacey circular ride through some the leafy suburbs of North London and Hertfordshire. We'll wind our way up through the green open spaces of Arnos and Oak Hill Parks, for tea in Barnet before a brief but sharp ascent toward the picturesque Hadley Common and on in to Herfordshire, the county of opportunity. An early lunch outside St Albans, before following a series of leafy disused railway lines (bar a brutally modern interruption at Hatfield) heading east through Welwyn, and Hertford, to Ware. We'll join the NCN1 for the return leg along the Lee Valley via the wiggly path over the only remaining hill at Nazeing, and a gentle descent along the towpath back to Mile End.
Mostly on cycle track, bridleways and towpaths, with some short sections of busy road. Leave your super-thin slick tyres at home and if it's been wet a few days before expect to have to clean your bike afterwards!
Rated moderate/hard for the length rather than any hills, only two small hills of any note all day. Although St Albans (slight detour, 25mi; First Capital Connect £8), Hertford and Ware (41mi; Greater Anglia £9) offer rail drop-out points, we'll be keeping up a reasonable pace for those that intend to do the full, circular route via pedal power.
Meet 9am on top of the Green Bridge in Mile End Park or 9.30am outside Stamford Hill Rail.
Ride leader: Nick [nick.perry@amulation.co.uk]