New Website Notice for Edinburgh Bicycle

Please note that the Edinburgh Bicycle Co-Operative now has a new website. To visit the new website, please follow this link.

If you have bookmarked a page from the old website, please update your bookmarked page so that you can go straight to our new website. Thank you.

The Edinburgh Bicycle website team.

Tour de Herts
A loop packed with heritage

From CyclingPlus issue 182
by Rob Lampard

Sometimes it is hard to believe that the historic market town of Hitchin is only 35 miles north of central London, especially when you get out on your bike and take in the delights of the surrounding Hertfordshire countryside. Rolling hills, woodland, rich agricultural land and even working watercress beds can be enjoyed on a ride starting at the weekday commuter station of Hitchin. Add to this some sleepy villages, some great pubs and a tea room to pig-out in and you’ve got yourself a great ride.

To start this 26-mile circular tour of North Hertfordshire, leave Hitchin train station and turn left onto Walsworth Road. A few hundred yards later you pass Paul’s Bikes (on the left), ideal if you’ve forgotten your spare inner tube. Carry straight on along this road, passing the handsome church of St Mary’s (on the right), and up a short climb to a big roundabout. Take the second exit, signposted Codicote (B656), then at four miles turn right onto the B651 to Whitwell and St Paul’s Warden. At this junction you begin a gradual climb which takes you through Hitch Woods, known locally as Bluebell Woods, but there is a pub on the descent that definitely makes the effort worthwhile. The Strathmore Arms, in St Paul’s Warden, has an idyllic setting, with a large garden and great food. It is a favourite with cyclists on club runs, especially the appropriately named Lantern Rouge CC, whose members often spend more time drinking in here than they do riding their bikes ... or so I’ve been told. This CAMRA rated hostelry is part of the Bowes-Lyon estate and is a stone’s throw from the family home, which was the birthplace of the Queen Mother (Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon).

At the bottom of the hill turn right into the village of Whitwell, which presents the only chance for a café stop on this route. The Higgletea Piggletea Tea Rooms are set amidst Water Hall Farm, in the heart of Whitwell, and are reached by taking a small right hand turning just past the village shop. As you leave Whitwell, continuing along Lilley Bottom, towards the village of Lilley, you will be able to see the watercress beds and might also be able to spot the resident heron which waits patiently, amid the greenery, for its dinner. The road follows the course of the young river Mimram, which feeds the watercress beds, and apart from one little ‘hump’ is pretty much flat all the way to Lilley, providing a relaxing opportunity to spot deer herds and the occasional group of hares playing in open fields along the way.

The picturesque village of Lilley is a good place to stop for lunch as you are roughly half-way round. The Lilley Arms, on a left-hand turn past the church, does good pub food and is ideal for non-motorised visitors, having a rail at the front for tying up horses and a sculpted bike rack round the back for metal steeds. If you fancy making a weekend of it then the pub, which dates back to the 16th century, also does B&B. But, beware, not only is the pub steeped in history, it also has three resident ghosts. Shortly after leaving Lilley, towards Hexton, you climb Gravel Hill (the easy way), but care should be taken on the descent, particularly at the bottom, where the route crosses the B655 before entering the small collection of houses making up Hexton, built to serve Hexton Manor.

There is a sharp left turn at The Raven (which serves food) and the road then meanders through hedgerows until reaching a short but very steep climb that brings you to a T-junction at Higham Gobion. Turn right here, passing the church, and follow the road to Apsley End where there are two right-hand turn close together. It is the second of these that you take, up a short climb, which will be signposted Hitchin and Pirton. Before entering Pirton, take a right up the short, sharp, ascent of Priors Hill which passes a water tower at the top.

Carry on across the next two junctions, skirting the village of Pirton, on your left. At the third junction go straight across signposted Hitchin) but take great care of oncoming traffic when crossing their lane as it is on a blind bend. Follow this road until you reach a T-junction and take a left onto the B655 towards Hitchin. Cross the mini roundabout and at the next roundabout turn left and follow signs for town centre, from where the station will be signposted. There are plenty of coffee shops in Hitchin and if the weather’s fine you could simply si out in the market square and watch the world go by.

Back to the Route Guide Index