A beautiful Spring day had 13 Windmillers cruising around the lanes – Maurice, Andrew, Rod, Charles, Victor, Lawrence, Simon, Deborah, Suzanne, Alan, Nick, Graham and Martin – on a pleasant circuit devised by our maestro Maurice.
Charles hosted the charity box once again – thanks Charles. And thanks again to energy restorer Victor who dished out Cadbury’s Roses chocolates to anyone in need – a habit which we hope he will continue……
Nick was met on his clockwise route after Nuthampstead with a report that Maurice was not far ahead and, sure enough, we met him chatting to Bridget Tarrington outside her house, who had been busy working on her lovely garden. Bridget said she was getting walking-fit for a tour of the Yorkshire Dales in June which Ken Worthing and John Bagrie have organised – 6 days of walking and at least 12 pubs to be visited en route.
From Nuthampstead the AC route went via Anstey, where we gave Keith a shout, but there were no red kites to be seen in the meadow behind The Blind Fiddler, where 10 were seen on a ride last year. But we did see another rare species in the guise of Windmillers Rod and Lawrence:
Not long afterwards, Andrew and Simon were encountered near the Brent Pelham Royal Observer Corps cold war nuclear bunker, constructed in 1961, of which there were many dotted around Hertfordshire as can be seen here: https://www.subbrit.org.uk/locations/hertfordshire/ .
This is how one commentator described the bunker in 1998:
‘In a square compound on the West side of a field boundary 75 yards North of a sharp bend in an un-named minor road.
OPEN All surface features remain intact. the hatch is open. Internally some of the furniture in non-standard including an office desk and table. Other artefacts remaining include the cupboard, some electrical items, wiring and kitchen utensils (1998). When visited in May 2007 externally there was little change but internally the post has been damaged by vandals.
An Orlit B in good condition stands against the field boundary outside the compound. There is a bed inside.
Opened in 1961 and closed in 1991.’
The Orlit B above is a look out post which can still be climbed but it is empty inside. If you wish to venture down the ladder into the bunker, this is what you might see: https://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/threads/roc-post-brent-pelham-nov-2015.32110/ . Best of luck!
Thanks again to Maurice and Andrew for organising this, our first Spring ride, of 2021.
Martin
The Windmill Cycle Club 