Cycle club ride to Mardley Heath, Hertfordshire

On  a cold and icy morning members of Verulam Cycling club, based in St Albans, Hertfordshire, enjoyed an early Christmas lunch at the hamlet of Mardley Heath at a public house called the Robin Hood and Little John, Robin Hood being a goody, robbing the rich to help the poor. I have noticed in my statistics there are bloggers looking at it from around the world which is very pleasing. Those who are unfamiliar with UK pubs may find it strange  to have names on public houses, some of them are named after horses, i.e, White Horse, lions, Red Lion, Scew Bridge, etc, which is near to where I live and is named after the angle it was built at to cross the main line railway. The Robin Hood and Little John is a nice country public house and  a centre where the local community meet. After a nice meal the club headed for home before darkness fell, it being almost the shortest day for daylight, which is December 21st in the UK. I hope you have enjoyed my blog this year and hope to continue in 2012. Have a nice  holiday and a peaceful New Year and get that bike out!

A cycle ride to Datchworth, Hertfordshire

This morning, on a rather cold and damp Sunday, I had a cycle ride to the village of Datchworth in Hertfordshire and visited the parish church of All Saints. Next to the boundary wall is this object, a step enabling a horse rider to dismount. I think the stone has been turned around at some time because it must have been a very thin horse to get between the wall and the top step! A nice ride of 25 miles.

More statues from Italy

The Italian people seem to like statues, hence the alpine soldier and many more. Off the mainland of Lake Maggiore in Italy there is an island named Isola Bella which positively bursts with them. Here's just a couple for you to see.

Alpine soldier

On a recent trip to Italy I came across this impressive statue of an Alpine soldier.The Italian Alpine  army regiment was formed in 1872 and is still active.

A view of the Matterhorn, Switzerland

On a recent trip to Switzerland I took a ride on the railway to Gornergrat, which is 10,000 feet high, and was very lucky to have a nice view of the Matterhorn which is truly a wonderful sight.

Roald Amundson. explorer

It is nearly a century, December 14, 1911, to be precise, that the Norwegian explorer Roald Amunden arrived at the South Pole and on December 16 planted the Norwegian flag at the Pole, in so doing he arrived at his destination five weeks ahead of the Englishman Robert Falcon Scott. Although Amundsen returned safely from this expedition Scott and his party perished. It took this picture on a trip to Norway but I can't remember which town is was in. If anyone knows I would be grateful to know.



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September 11, 2001 Memorial in Stresa, Italy

On a recent visit to the delightful town of Stresa on the shore of the Lake Maggiore, Italy, I came across this memorial to the people killed in the September 11 2001 tragedy which was erected by the Italian people in memory of those people who lost their lives. I know by my stats that there are a number of American friends who look at it so I hope you find it of interest.

Preston village pump

On my way to the Verulam Cycling Club's annual hill climb, an event which ends the cycle club's racing season, I passed through the village of Preston, where I took a photograph of the village pump, which was used to pump water from underground tanks to used for domestic use. Preston has an interesting history going back hundreds of years. If you are interested in cycling look up http://www.verulamcc.org.uk/ the Cycling Club,of which I have been a member for over 45 years. Hill climbs on cycles are a young man's sport so I timed the riders up the hill which pushing the button on a stop watch is much more conducive for my age which is 82 years.

Wells Fargo in England!

For our American friends I thought I would show you a Wells Fargo coach in the heart of Bedfordshire which was used in a film (not the real thing of course!)

A ride to a Discovery Centre

I recently  visited a Discovery Centre in Stockwood Park, Luton, although I cheated a little because it is in the neighbouring county of Bedfordshire. At the centre is a very interesting collection of horse drawn carriages and old motor cars set in very nice grounds. Among the exhibits is an old horse drawn London omnibus.  Hope you like it.

A visit to a scarecrow festival

A few days ago I visited the village of Flamstead in Hertfordshire where the villagers hold a scarecrow festival. Most of the villagers make a scarecrow and exhibit them in the front of their houses. The event attracts hundreds of people and the proceeds from the various stalls selling cakes, hot dogs, cups of tea, etc go to local charities. Visitors are encouraged to vote for the best scarecrow. The winner this year wasn't exactly a scarecrow but a very interesting layout of a Wild West show with Indians and cowboys. There was an exhibition of water colour paintings on show in the parish church and a concert by the Hemel Hempstead brass band the highlight of which was an invitation by the bandmaster to a very young girl to conduct the band which she did very well and managed to keep the beat right even though she had to have a chair on top of a table to see the band! Hope you like to see a few scarecrows. The man in the floral hat is real and is a Morris dancer, a traditional English dance performed with  much dangling of bells attached to the dancers' legs accompanied by a piano accordion and concertina.

A visit to the city of St Albans

I recently had a visit to the city of St Albans which is only 6 miles from where I live. It has a very impressive cathedral and an ancient Abbey Gateway. If you are ever in the vicinity of St Albans it is worth a tour where you can be guided around the cathedral by an official guide (times 11.30 Monday to Saturday, 14.30 Sunday to Friday, 14.00 Saturday, 13.05 Daily highlights tour). Just down a pathway is the Fighting Cocks public house, reputed to be the oldest licensed premises in England, where you can get a refreshing drink. What more can you ask for!

Engraved seat at Redbournbury Mill

A short cycle ride to Redbournbury Mill, a working mill which grinds corn for the production of bread at its own bakery.  There is adjacent to the mill a water wheel which drives the mechanism for the grinding wheels within the mill.  There are two rivers quite close to one another, the River Red, which passes through the village of Redbourn, and the River Ver, which passes through the city of St Albans, the Roman city of Verulamium. I hope you can enlarge the pictures to see them more clearly. 

A field of Poppies and one of Linseed

I was out for a bicycle ride on a beautiful summer's day and passed these two colourful blooms, one of poppies and the other of linseed which is used in various products which are oil based. For those visitors to my site from around the world and with varying climates here in England at this time  of year the daylight hours are the longest of the year from 4am in the morning until about 10pm depending on the cloud cover. We have had very heavy rain showers of which I was caught in one on my bike which meant a complete change of clothes when I arrived home, but it is all about the pleasure of cycling! I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Codicote Steam Rally and Country Fair

I recently visited the Steam Rally and Country Fair in the village of Codicote in Hertfordshire which was very interesting and on display were steam engines and road rollers as well and ancient tractors. The picture (right) is of a steam powered lorry, it having a fire and boiler in the front of the vehicle which can just about be visible from the photo. When I was a young boy I just remember them delivering the beer to the local public house. They sure did make a smoke screen as they went along the road! A nice and warm drive for the driver in the winter! I think the owner of the engine above was about to sweep the chimney and his ladder was in place! Just a short cycle ride of 20 miles.

Stream and country fair

Just a ride with a friend

With the coming of nice weather in England I went for  ride with a friend which was very nice but I got a rather stiff neck looking up at him!

A Wicked Lady

• Just a few miles from where I live, in an area known as Nomansland, is a public house and restaurant named after Katherine Ferrers, a highway woman who lived in the village of  Markyate, who was bored with the life of a lady of leisure and to enable to have a bit of  excitement in her life had a go at being a highway women. Read all about her by Googling Wicked Lady. Another interesting event in the area is the creation of a new forest where thousand of  trees are being planted which is very good for the environment. (Google Heartwood Forest to read about this project.)  So on a glorious spring day with the warm sun shining I hope you enjoy reading about that wicked lady.

Someries Castle

Recently I took a short bicycle ride to Someries Castle, which is just inside the boundary between Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. It is an old manor house which is designated a castle, which boasts the fact it is the first brick built castle in England. If you want to read more look on Wikipedia and type in Someries Castle. The original occupants, if they were alive today, would wonder where the noise comes from because it is right next to the runway of Luton International airport. Just a 10 mile ride today.

About Sir Henry Bessemer and his birthplace

Sunday, February 13th, was a very windy and wet day. Undeterred by this I cycled, via the village of Preston (no, not the one in Lancashire) to the small hamlet of Charlton (no, not the one in London) to visit the home of Sir Henry Bessemer. Although it is now a private residence and not open to the public. Henry Bessemer was an inventor and a pioneer of a steel process as well as many other inventions. If you would like to read about him Google Henry Bessemer or Wikipedia under the same name. There are several towns in America which bear his name. So a hard ride home into a strong headwind with the thought of a warm fire and endless cups of tea to keep me battling my way home. Just another interesting former resident of Hertfordshire. Total miles covered: 29.

Queen Boudicca

I live in the  village of Wheathampstead in Hertfordshire. On the boundary of the village there is a place called Devil's Dyke which is an ancient defence against the Iceni tribe. Read about the history of Devil's Dyke by going to Boudicca + Wheathampstead. Hope you enjoy it. Not too far to cycle but an interesting place to visit. Sorry about the quality of the photo, I hope by enlarging it you will be able to read the inscription.

New Year Ride

It being the first day of a brand new year I decided to ride to the village of Whitwell, which has watercress beds, watercress being full of health giving properties. The River Mimram, which is pure water, flows through the watercress beds. Having got my purchase I cycled home on a very quiet morning. I suppose most people were getting over the New Year festivities. My only companions were a flock of black sheep who grazed contentedly in a nearby field oblivious to the damp conditions with their waterproof covering. Can you spot the odd one out? Home in time to see the annual New Year concert from Vienna with its elegant dancers. Wish I was as fit as they are! Have a good New Year. Miles covered: 16.