Club ride reports - 18th November

Category 6 ride led by Bob Brown

A nice crisp, sunny morning greeted the 15 Wheelers who fancied a Cat 6 ride to The Country Bumpkin at Tewin. No more than 5 miles away as the crow flies, Captain Bob had devised a circular route via Brickenden, Bayford, Little Berkhamsted, Letty Green and Cole Green, but still less than 13 miles to the café stop. It was hilly thought! 
Despite having booked, the group found the place full of walkers who were in the process of eating all the pies! Facing a minimum of 40 minutes wait for any hot food, we had to settle for a slice of cake each. Still seemed to take 40 minutes!
Two opted to forego the return route via Datchworth, Benington, Whempstead, Watton at Stone and Datchworth again, and returned directly to Hertford. More left at Whempstead and others at Watton.  The remnants of the original group just about completed 30 miles by the time they got back to Hertford.

Cat 5 - PW

Got a shock!  Was expecting to ride the Cat 5 either on my own, or maybe with one other.  Therefore to get four was a wake up call especially as the four quickly picked up (literally in one case!!!) two more devotees.  Wasn't sure that I saw that coming!  From Hertford to Flint Cross via Dane End, Buntingford, Anstey, Shaftenhoe End & Gt Chishill, it was a somewhat hilly journey finishing with a 2.5 mile descent to the cafe.  Our group was intrigued as they knew not of a cafe at this place, but all ended up pleasantly surprised by what they found.  As I wasn't expecting to turn up in numbers, I hadn't notified the cafe of our visit so therefore the service could have been a bit faster but eventually we were on our way back south down the B1368 on a direct route to Puckeridge, then Hertford.