|
|
Summary of routeThis is a 45 mile circular route starting at St.Marks, Colney Heath, which takes in up to 42 churches. The route passes through Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Hertford, Ware, Great Amwell, Stanstead Abbots, Hoddesdon, Broxbourne, Cheshunt, Goffs Oak, Cuffley, Northaw and North Mymms. The route has been chosen to avoid busy roads and hills (!), and to use cycle paths where possible. This table summarises the churches visited on this route. Starting at St.Marks at 10:00, you can expect to reach St.Mary, North Mymms by 18:00, In 1999 I finished at 16:30, though in 1998 it was 17:50. In 2001, the route was optimised in Ware and we finished at 17:30, having lost about an hour earlier on due to punctures and mechanical difficulties. I have now included the extra 2 churches. You will need to check your blue list to ensure they are all open. 1 Colney Heath St.Mark's Close St.Marks 197 062 2 Hatfield Bishop's Rise St.John 220 069 3 Hatfield Bishop's Rise St.Peter (RC) 220 076 4 Hatfield Woods Ave Oxlease Methodist Church 225 078 5 Hatfield St.Albans Road East St.Luke 227 088 6 Hatfield St.Albans Road East Christ Church URC 229 089 7 Hatfield Birchwood Ave St.Michael 226 094 8 Hatfield Birchwood Ave Birchwood Avenue Methodist Church 223 094 9 Welwyn Garden City Hollybush Lane St.Mary 246 112 10 Letty Green * Chapel Lane St.John 286 109 11 Hertingfordbury St.Mary's Lane St.Mary 309 119 12 Hertford St.Andrew St St.Andrew 323 126 13 Hertford Cowbridge Cowbridge URC 324 128 14 Hertford A414 All Saints 328 125 15 Hertford Railway St Society of Friends House 328 127 16 Hertford St.John's St St.Joseph's (RC) 329 129 17 Ware Baldock Street Salvation Army 356 145 18 Ware Church St St.Mary the Virgin 356 145 19 Ware High St Leaside Methodist/URC 358 144 20 Ware New Road Christ Church 360 145 21 Great Amwell St.John's Lane SS.John & Mary 372 125 22 Stanstead Abbots Cappel Lane St.Andrew's 387 122 23 Stanstead St Margarets Hoddesdon Rd St.Margarets 380 116 24 Hoddesdon Whitley Rd St.Cuthbert 380 098 25 Hoddesdon Rye Rd Riverside Church 384 097 26 Hoddesdon Middlefield Rd Hoddesdon Methodist 375 096 27 Hoddesdon Burford St Baptist Church 375 092 28 Hoddesdon Amwell St SS.Catherine & Paul 373 089 29 Hoddesdon Lord St Friends Meeting House 372 088 30 Hoddesdon Charlton St.Augustine (RC) 373 085 31 Broxbourne Churchfields St.Augustine 372 069 32 Broxbourne Mill Lane Broxbourne URC 368 069 33 Wormley Slipe Lane Wormley Free Church 365 052 34 Turnford Cheshunt Wash St.Clement 364 037 35 Cheshunt High St United Reformed Church 358 030 36 Cheshunt Churchfield Path St.Paul (RC) 355 028 37 Cheshunt Churchgate Rd St.Mary 349 024 38 Goffs Oak St.James Rd St.James 328 033 39 Goffs Oak Newgatestreet Rd Goffs Oak Methodist 321 031 40 Cuffley Northaw Rd E St.Andrew 304 027 41 Northaw St.Thomas a Becket 278 023 42 North Mymms St.Mary 222 044 * Optional HatfieldStart at St.Marks[1], Colney Heath. Go down the High Street towards Welham Green. At the roundabout by the Queen's Head, turn left up Roestock Lane. Keep going along here, then take the subway under the A1(M). At the top of the subway ramp, turn right up the path (Lane End) by the Hotel. Keep going up the lane, crossing a road, until you come out at Willow Way. Turn left, then immediately right to the main road. St.John[2] is directly opposite. Leave St.John to the North up Bishops Rise. Just past the mini-roundabout at the top of Woods Avenue, on the right, is St.Peter(RC)[3]. Leave St.Peter, back along Bishops Rise, then turn left at the mini-roundabout, down Woods Avenue. At the bottom of the hill, just before the next roundabout is the Oxlease Methodist Church[4]. Leave the church, and continue along Woods Avenue, which is left at the roundabout by the church. Go straight over the next two roundabouts, and St.Luke[5] is just off the second of these two roundabouts. Leave St.Luke North East up St.Albans Road East, and at the fork in the road turn right into Christ Church URC[6]. Leave Christ Church to the right, continuing up St.Albans Road East to the mini roundabout, and turn left into Ground Lane. Continue along here as it becomes Homestead Road to the roundabout. Turn left into Birchwood avenue, and St.Michael[7] is almost immediately on the left. Leave St.Michael, continuing up Birchwood avenue. Just before the next road junction you'll find the Birchwood Avenue Methodist Church[8] on the right. Leave the Methodist church back along Birchwood avenue, then right at the roundabout back up Homstead road. At the top of the small slope take the path to the left, and follow it round, crossing over the railway and along a short stretch of the Great North Road to the traffic lights. Turn left down the Hertford Road (A1000) towards Welwyn Garden City. Welwyn Garden CityContinue straight on, over the A414 and straight at the traffic lights. Turn right up Ascot Lane, just after the cycle path crosses the road. It is best to cycle up the path at the left hand side of the road. Take the first left turn up Hollybush Lane. When the lane emerges amongst the houses, turn slightly right to follow the road up to Howlands. Turn left then immediately right to continue up Hollybush Lane. St.Mary[9] is a short distance up on the right. Leave St.Mary, continuing up Hollybush Lane, and take the first right turn into Homestead Lane. At the end of Homestead Lane turn right into Cole Green Lane. Go straight at the roundabout towards the B195. Just before the B195, turn right onto the cycle path, then right again to enter the Cole Green Way. Follow the Cole Green Way for a few miles towards Hertford. The Cole Green Way passes under A414. It then goes over a small road, and from the bridge you can see a pub on the left. Shortly afterwards you'll find a path on the right. If you go up this path you'll come to St.Johns[10], Letty Green. I've not put that on the list as it will be closing soon, but if it is on the blue list, take the bonus ! Continue along the Cole Green Way over another road, then up a ramp to cross another road and down the other side back onto the way. When you get to the next bridge over a road you'll be able to see St.Mary, Hertingfordbury on the right. HertfordImmediately after going over the road, turn right down a steep path to the road and turn right. Just up the road on the right is St.Mary[11]. Leave St.Mary and retrace your path back to the Cole Green Way. Continue along the Cole Green Way. At the end of the Cole Green Way, turn left down the track towards Hertford. At the top of a short steep slope turn left onto the road. Continue down the narrow road (with cars parked everywhere) almost to the end. Don't go onto the dual carriageway at the end, but turn left onto the pavement just before the end. Follow the pavement along the left hand side of the A414 until you get to a pedestrian subway. Use the subway to cross under the A414. Turn right at the top of the subway exit ramp, and you'll find St.Andrew's[12] almost immediately on the right. Leave St.Andrew's, continuing along Andrew Street to the traffic lights. Turn left at the lights and you'll find Cowbridge URC[13] a short distance along on the left. Leave there back the way you came, to the lights. Go straight at the lights and take the second left turning on the left, in what looks like a small square (up Fore Street). Take the second on the right up Church Street. At the end of Church Street on the right is a subway under the A414. Go through the subway, and at the top of the exit ramp turn left and left again to go to All Saints[14]. Leave All Saints, back the way you came, until you get back to Fore Street. Turn right into Fore Street (it's one way). Follow the main road, left then right into Railway Street. Just before leaving the one way system, take the right hand pavement a few yards to the Society of Friends House[15] on the right. Leave there to the right continuing along Railway Street (which is now two way) to the small roundabout. Turn left and continue along Railway Street. Take the second left turn into St.John's Street to find St.Joseph's(RC)[16]. Leave St.Josephs, back to the Railway Street, and turn left to continue along it. Go straight at the mini roundabout and follow the road round a right hand bend. Take the next left turn along Talbot Street. Continue straight along here, doing a left-right dogleg into Tamworth Road. Continue to the end of this and turn left at the end. The road is signed as a no through road, but don't panic. Follow the path over the railway line, then turn right. Follow the short road, then track, across the fields towards the river. WareGo right along the river towards Ware. By a large weir, cross over the river on a wide bridge. Follow the access road through the river-works until you come out onto the public road (Priory Street). Turn right and follow the road until you get to the High Street. Don't be distracted by St.Mary's opposite yet, as a short distance on the left is the Salvation Army[17]. After the Salvation Army, cross the road to St. Mary the Virgin[18], watch out when crossing the one-way street. Turn left on leaving St.Mary's, and go east along West Street. When it rejoins the High Street, keep on the pedestrianised area, and look out for East Street. Just as you enter East street you'll find Leaside Methodist/URC[19] through an archway on the left. As you come back out the archway, turn left up East street, then left up New Road. Christ Church[20] is a short distance up on the right. Leave Ware by going back down New Road, turning left at the High Street to the roundabout, turn right to go over the river. Just after the top of the bridge, leave the road and go down a small steep slope to the towpath. Stanstead AbbotsContinue along the towpath for a couple of miles. Continue along the towpath past a lock, then 1/2 a mile later take the path to Amwell on the right. At the end of the path, turn right along Amwell Lane, and follow it round to the left up a steep hill. SS.John and Mary[21] is just up on the left, opposite a pub. Turn right out of the church down the little lane, and take the steep path down to the left which crosses the New River by a small bridge. Turn right onto Amwell Lane and continue along to the end. Turn left towards Stanstead Abbots. Cross the railway line and river and continue along the bricked road to a small roundabout. Turn left up Cappell Lane. St.Andrew's[22] is a short distance up the road, on the right. Leave St.Andrew's the way you came, back over the river and railway line. Continue up to the roundabout, passing Amwell lane on your right that you just came down. Turn left at the roundabout into Hoddesdon Road. St.Margarets[23] is a short distance along, on the right. Leave St.Margarets, continuing along Hoddesdon Road. HoddesdonTurn left at a fork in the road just after the school, down Old Highway. Turn right into the second road on the right (Whitley Road). St. Cuthberts[24] is almost immediately on the left. Leave St.Cuthberts back to the Old Highway, and continue down to the end. Turn left onto Rye Road, then take the first turn to the right where you will see Riverside Church[25]. Go back along Rye Road and continue along it, past the junction with Old Highway, until you get to a pair of mini-roundabouts. Hoddesdon Methodist[26] is diagonally across the two roundabouts. Leave Hoddesdon Methodist south, towards the town centre. (Back over the two mini-roundabouts). The Baptist Church[27] is in a fork in the road shortly after it becomes Burford St. Leave the Baptist Church, turning to continue down Burford St., but almost immediately turn right into Roman St. Follow this round into North Rd, then turn left to come out on the main road (Amwell St). Turn left onto the main road, and take the roundabout exit straight across. Take the first right turn as you get towards the top of the little slope. Here is SS Catherine & Paul[28]. Continue round on this road till you get to the junction with Lord Street. Turn right and you'll find the Friends Meeting House[29] a short way down on the left. Leave the friends meeting house back up Lord St, and continue straight across the road junction into the pedestrianised area. This is the High St, turn right and go to the end. Cross the main road to get to St.Augustine(RC)[30]. BroxbourneOn leaving St.Augustine, turn left and continue down the main road for a little over a mile. As you come up a small rise in the road you will see New Road on the left. Turn off here and continue along New road, following it round as it becomes Churchfields. Cross over the (busy) road, continuing along Churchfields to St.Augustine[31]. From St. Augustine, continue to the end of Churchfields and turn right up Mill Lane. Go along almost to the main road and you'll find Broxbourne URC[32] on the left. Go back down Mill Lane and follow it round through a small car park onto the river towpath. Cycle along for a couple of miles until you get to a footbridge (shortly after a weir). Turn right and follow the track signed "Turnford Marsh 800m" up to Wormley. If you got the right one you will come out on Slipe Lane. Continue up this road almost to the main road. Wormley Free Church[33] is on the right. CheshuntGo back down Slipe lane a few yards, and take the small cut through on the right into The Springs. Turn right at the mini roundabout and continue along The Springs as the road almost immediately bears left. Continue to the road junction and turn left into High Road Turnford. Go straight over at the next mini rundabout into Cheshunt Wash, and shortly afterwards you'll find St.Clement[34] on the left. Continue along Cheshunt Wash for about a mile as it changes into High Street. Shortly after a mini roundabout you'll see the United Reformed Church[35] across the road on the right. The registration form may be down a short path on the left of the church (through a gate). It's not worth crossing back over the road, so nip down the pavement and turn right into Kilsmore Lane. A few yards along you'll find a cut through to Hobbs close. Take that and continue through to church lane, then go right. Shortly before the traffic lights you'll see a small path leaving at an angle on the left. Take this, going to the right at the end, and you'll find St.Paul(RC)[36] on the left. Go back along the path and turn left along the main road. Go straight over at the traffic lights then turn first left into Dewhurst Road. Follow this round to the end, then turn left along Churchgate Road. St.Mary[37] is a short distance down on the right. Goffs OakLeave St.Mary through the churchyard and then a path round the back of the playing fields, next to a high fence. Cross over Goffs Lane and continue along the path the other side into Rosedale Way. Keep heading in the same direction until you get to a mini roundabout. Turn left into Andrews Lane. Continue along as the road becomes a path. When the path looks like it has ended, go up onto the road and continue along the road (still Andrews Lane) in the same direction. Go across the staggered jucntion into St.James Road. Shortly up on the left you will find St.James[38]. Continue along St.James Road to the end. Turn left along Newgatestreet Road where you'll find Goffs Oak Methodist[39] on the right. CuffleyContinue to the end of Newgatestreet Road and turn right onto the road to Cuffley. This road is quite narrow and busy, but you can escape for a short distance on a parallel access road on the left. Continue straight through Cuffley until you get to a T junction at the end of the road. St.Andrew[40] is directly opposite. NorthawTurn right out of St.Andrew and follow the road to Northaw. This is a little over 3 miles, with a fair amount of uphill. At the top of the hill in Northaw is St.Thomas a Becket[41]. North MymmsLeave the church continuing along the road you were on previously. After nearly a mile, turn right along Well Road. Keep going along this road for nearly 3 miles to a T junction with the A1000. Turn right, then take the first left. Turn first right up Pine Grove. At the top turn right back towards the A1000. Just as you get there, turn left into Bell Lane. Follow this round a sharp right bend then turn left into Bulls Lane. Follow Bulls lane till you get to a T junction in Welham Green. Turn right up a small hill and then continue down to a mini roundabout. Turn left towards North Mymms. Follow the road towards Colney Heath until it crosses over the A1M. Shortly afterwards take the small road to the left through a gateway and up a small hill. St.Mary[42] is at the top of the hill. Go back down the hill to the road, turn left and continue along to Colney Heath. |
| Comments to: webmaster | NEXT | PREV | HOME | Last update: Fri Sep 13 20:42:24 2002 |
