Home from home, was Maurice’s considered opinion of the Golden Fleece as he sipped his pint and savoured his lunch following Thursday’s ride. Having steered eleven Windmillers around a 30 mile loop of north east Herts, with a little corner of Essex thrown in, and all on a fine autumn morning, he had good reason to be cheerful.
We were revisiting an old route of Maurice’s from pre-gpx days, all quiet lanes, byways and canny short-cuts through pretty villages. And while a gpx had been distributed ahead of the outing, seemingly cobbled together from memory by Andrew and Graham, it was by no means an accurate portrayal of our intended route. So it was just like the old days, we followed Maurice.
Half way round, we pulled in for refreshment at the Silver Leys Polo Club, some three years having passed since our last visit. As ever, the hospitality was good and we enjoyed coffee and cake while watching some expensive looking horses being put through their paces.
It was on the return leg that we pulled in to admire the Lady in the Bath, outside a premises on Ermine Street, part of the old A10. Formerly the Fox and Hounds pub, this now sells “Affordable Junk” and merits a mention on the Hundred Parishes website.
For the record the turnout was: Alan, Brian, Charles, Deborah, Graham, Howard, Keith, Maurice, Nigel, Rod and Simon.