Wednesday 19 August 2015

Through The Hertfordshire Countryside

The old fool's been out on his bicycle again. Peering at his well-worn map, turning the pedals with his worn-out legs and snapping lots of photographs of the August landscape. I started off from Knebworth having taken the bike for a little ride on the train, then did a sort of untidy loop which returned me to Knebworth once more. Oh yes, there were some churches which interrupted my progress, but lets leave them for another day.


It's that time of year that I used to look forward to so much when I worked on the farm: when harvest work is almost done. There's still a bit to do but with the huge machines they use these days it shouldn't take too long. 


So I passed some working farms with equipment left around haphazardly to be tidied up at a later date.


This beautiful countryside is also well-supplied with houses like this, with perfect lawns and flower-beds, cars in the drive and signs warning you that there are security cameras in operation. Maybe they were taking pictures of me as I was taking pictures of them!


But most of the day was spent pedalling roads like this one. There was very little traffic which was just as well as there's hardly any room to pass anyway. The only problem with this part of the county is that there are an awful lot of high hedges restricting the views.


Suddenly I was biking through a coniferous plantation: most unusual for Hertfordshire. 


Every now and again there were little glimpses of the kind of untidiness that I love to see and photograph.


Then I joined the "Ayot Greenway", which is a posh name for what used to be the old Welwyn to Luton railway. It opened in 1858, Luton previous to this being the largest town in England which was not connected to the rail system. Soon though more lines were built to Luton, though this branch limped along till 1966. Now it's a cycle route and part of the National Cycle Network.


There were occasional views from the old railway line which suggest that it may have been quite a scenic route for at least part of its distance.


Then it was back to minor roads again to turn towards home. I spotted this nice old post-box dating from the reign of George V, attached to a farm building.


A different farm building: a beautifully preserved old barn. Whoever has kept this in such good condition without being tempted to turn it to some other use should be highly commended.


You'll notice that the cloud has been building during the afternoon, with the sun playing hide and seek. At times when the sunshine disappeared just as the road plunged into one of those leafy tunnels I was left in semi-darkness. OK, maybe it's time to take my sunglasses off! But I wasn't expecting to encounter this.....


Luckily the driver had climbed out unharmed, though how he managed to turn over I can't imagine. Lucky too that there was just room for me to squeeze through.


A little further along I came across a rather happier scene as there was a gymkhana in progress in Knebworth Park. So I was nearly back, I just had to cross the bridge over the A1(M) road.


Now where are they all going in such a hurry? I hope that they all....
......take care.

And you too,
Take care.



19 comments:

  1. So many things to mention in this one post. A beautiful place to ride. Good to see that abandoned rail lines are sometimes given over to cycling in Britain as they are in parts of the USA. And, coming across that toppled truck must have given you a scare until you learned the driver was OK.

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  2. My husband tries to do one or two of these rides a week, camera at the ready - keeps those old legs strong! He tries to stick to bridle-paths and quiet roads, but I still wish he would wear a helmet - I wonder if you do?

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  3. Great photo's John and wonderful scenery with lots of large fields. I had
    heard of Hertfordshire of course, except had no idea of where is so had to go and look it up on a map! :)

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  4. What a fantastic bike ride. You see the most beautiful places, and the skyscape was lovely. Quite a crazy scene with that overturned truck. Thank you for such a wonderful view of it all.

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  5. What wonderful photos...I love them all...love the sky, love the fields...LOVE that old barn..and the untidiness in shot sometime before it. Just simply love them all...

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  6. Looks like a very nice bike ride.

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  7. Thanks for taking us along on your tour. Very unusual to see an overturned truck! (you don't see that everyday!)

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  8. I liked the"untidy" house and old barn best--the coniferous forest had rather a hobbit look to it.

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  9. Just beautiful countryside and good for you to be keeping fit cycling. The disused railway lines make great walking and cycling paths.

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  10. Interesting, your major highway roads are configured in the opposite direction from ours in the US. The old well preserved barn glows with its brown patina. Untidiness in the garden reflects the creative spirit of the gardener. Enjoyed every photo and explanations -- thanks -- barbara

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  11. Love these lanndscapes, wonderful photos. Would be nice to walk or bike there.
    Car accident looks really bad, how to do it correctly arrived at bust ...
    Fortunately did not happen badly.

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  12. A nice ride, remember encountering a mobile home trailer blocking the road like that!

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  13. Wow - such rich and lovely landscape!

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  14. I'd rather be on those leafy Hertfordshire lanes than on the A1(M). Can't imagine how that van turned over although it does look a bit top heavy. I love the preserved barn - so beautiful:)

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  15. Beautiful buildings and scenery John. And blue skies - we don;t see manyof those up here at present.

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  16. Lovely ride and glad you weren't in the way at the moment that truck toppled. Geesh, he must have been going rather too fast, to manage that! Good that he was unharmed, though shaken I bet. If you'd been in a car you would have had to turn round; that's the beauty of bikes!

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  17. Some lovely photos, I love the house surrounded with greenery and the barn is lovely too. We lived in Hertfordshire when we were first married and my elder son was born there so it's a county I'm familar with.

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  18. Thank you for taking us on your journey through Hertfordshire John. Yes, I know what you mean about high hedges and narrow roadways! Glad to hear the driver of the toppled van escaped apparently unharmed. Glorious countryside and I do so like the old homes kept "au natural" rather than the pristine versions. Happy weekend to you.

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  19. I completely lose myself in your posts. I start off with the present day and end up all over the place in your past blog posts. Thoroughly enjoy them .. thank you. Kind regards, Louise S, Cheshire.

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