St Albans to Harpenden, 16 May

c 9.5 miles

Trains: St Pancras: 9.51 arrives St Albans City 10.11 (Bedford train). Earlier stops include East Croydon 9.21, London Bridge 9.36, Blackfriars 9.42, and Farringdon 9.46. (South Londoners can also get the St Albans (slow) train at Elephant and Castle 9.34, then change on to the faster Bedford train at Farringdon 9.46. (Both platform 4) )

Frequent trains return to London from Harpenden.

With Freedom pass buy a day return to Harpenden from Elsetree and Boreham Wood

Food: Please bring a packed lunch to eat at Redbournebury Watermill. There are picnic tables and cover. Also  theoretically a WC – but the mill bakery  and loos  will be shut at 1.p.m..

We will stop en route at St Albans Cathedral for coffee .

There are tea shops in Harpenden High Street at the end of the walk.

The Walk: Mainly flat.  No stiles. About 25% on hard surfaces – permitted path through Gorehambury Estate, Country lanes and historic streets in St Albans.

We shall follow the River Ver to the Cathedral hill. 

After coffee we will walk down  ancient Fishpool Street and enter the Gorehambury Estate on the Hertfordshire Way.  We rejoin the river and proceed on the Herts Way to Redbournebury Watermill for lunch. 

After lunch we walk up the quiet Beesonend Lane and along footpaths skirting the edge of Harpenden. We end by walking the length of Harpenden Common to the station.

Drop out point: Some walkers may wish to stop after coffee to spend time sightseeing in St Albans.  As well as the Cathedral – where there are excellent free guided tours  – there is a comprehensive Roman museum, a hypocaust and a Roman amphitheatre. Saturday is also market day  – the market is by the medieval clocktower belfry on the High Street. 

Leaders Sue H and Elisabeth H