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.