Routes out of St Albans?

jonny_trousers

I've just moved to St Albans and I can't wait to enjoy some good, local cycling. The problem is, I have no idea where's worth heading.

Any shared knowledge welcomed

fluided

Try this don't know what the routes are like

http://www.mapmyride.com/gb/saint-albans-eng/

Brakeless

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

I've just moved to St Albans and I can't wait to enjoy some good, local cycling. The problem is, I have no idea where's worth heading.

Any shared knowledge welcomed

If you head for sandridge/ wheathampstead then head towards Whitwell, there's loads of good cycling. You can also get to good hills at Dunstable Downs/ ivinghoe if you head for harpenden/redbourne and head out through little gaddesdon. Strava global heat map is always good to see what roads are most used.

thomasmorris

Do you have strava? Log on and go to the route planner (dashboard>my routes>create new route). On the left there are some settings where you can turn on global heatmap. Zooming and panning around it will show the more popular roads as red. Pretty useful for planning routes in a new area.

If you have a gps bike computer with maps or tracks you can download and follow the course on there. If not you can download the app to a smartphone and use from there.

jonny_trousers

Thanks guys!

At some point I'll join a local Saturday ride or two, but I feel I need to get out there on my own a little to get back in shape.

bflk

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

I've just moved to St Albans and I can't wait to enjoy some good, local cycling. The problem is, I have no idea where's worth heading.

Any shared knowledge welcomed

Used to live a few miles further north in Herts. Usually went up into Cambridgeshire but I also had one lovely route over to my folks in north Oxfordshire cutting across country, something like Woburn, Brickhills, Stewkley, Winslow and the Claydons and on to Stratton Audley/Launton. Lots of pretty quiet roads (mind you things may have changed since then).

t4tomo

Brakeless wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

I've just moved to St Albans and I can't wait to enjoy some good, local cycling. The problem is, I have no idea where's worth heading.

Any shared knowledge welcomed

If you head for sandridge/ wheathampstead then head towards Whitwell, there's loads of good cycling. You can also get to good hills at Dunstable Downs/ ivinghoe if you head for harpenden/redbourne and head out through little gaddesdon. Strava global heat map is always good to see what roads are most used.

Emily's tea room in whitwell is worth visiting!

jonny_trousers

Thanks again!

ultrastapler

Out st albans via the redbourn road and then left at the roundabout just before redbourn, then a right just before the M1 bridge will take you to Gaddesden Lane. This is the gateway to the Chilterns Cycleway and plenty of nice country roads and hills

jonny_trousers

ultrastapler wrote:

Out st albans via the redbourn road and then let at the roundabout just before redbourn, then a right just before the M1 bridge will take you Gaddesden Lane. This is the gateway to the Chilterns Cycleway and plenty of nice country roads and hills

You're a star!

I found some rural lanes and light hills towards Bedmond, but the roads weren't the best, they were mostly single lane and there were a fair few cars and vans haring around without much care.

rpherts

Ride north towards Sandridge, from here there are numerous quiet lanes leading north and west. From Wheathampstead the road to Codicote again opens up some nice routes, out to Datchworth in the east, or north and west.

Watch out for crap road surfaces, especially when it has rained heavily and there are floods/large puddles on the road. Some sections habitually flood, and the road surface has basically disappeared. Some of those puddles conceal potholes up to six inches deep (this is not an exaggeration). Also watch out for the classic Hertfordshire piles of gravel on corners.

As another poster said, Gaddesden is fine and opens up towards Ivinghoe and the Chilterns if you like it a bit hillier.

Generally avoid going south, roads are busy and you soon reach Watford or London.

jonny_trousers

rpherts wrote:

Ride north towards Sandridge, from here there are numerous quiet lanes leading north and west. From Wheathampstead the road to Codicote again opens up some nice routes, out to Datchworth in the east, or north and west.

Watch out for crap road surfaces, especially when it has rained heavily and there are floods/large puddles on the road. Some sections habitually flood, and the road surface has basically disappeared. Some of those puddles conceal potholes up to six inches deep (this is not an exaggeration). Also watch out for the classic Hertfordshire piles of gravel on corners.

As another poster said, Gaddesden is fine and opens up towards Ivinghoe and the Chilterns if you like it a bit hillier.

Generally avoid going south, roads are busy and you soon reach Watford or London.

Lovely, thanks!