St. Albans commute

[ajp233]

I will be relocating from the North East to St. Albans at the end of March and would like to continue my cycle commuting. Has anyone any experience of cycling from St. Albans to Borehamwood/Elstree? Any thoughts on what the best route would be? I don't mind a less direct route if it keeps me off busy traffic roads.

 

[Glow worm]

I'm not that familiar with the area although I have cycled the Alban Way from St Albans to Hatfield which is a nice route (but the wrong direction for you).

If I was planning to get to Elstree from At Albans, I'd take Sustrans Route 6 heading south out of St Albans through Brickett Wood. At Brickett Wood Common, you then need to leave route 6 and head east over the River Colne along a bridleway/ farm track, (at Little Munden Farm) then its a farm track then minor roads to Elstree past Aldenham School. That's just from looking at my OS map- locals may know more about the detail. One thing I do know is that the tiny yellow rural roads (on the OS maps) are fine around here and v. quiet (prob the same in the NE), but down there, it's a different story -the traffic can be mental even on minor roads.

One thing that may surprise you is just how rural some parts of that area still are, once you've escaped the Chelsea tractor nitwits - Brickett Wood is fantastic. Have a look at Bing Maps to get an OS map of the area to help plan.

 

[eddiemee]

I do St Albans to South Mimms every day, taking London Road(A1081) out of town, along the London Colney Bypass and down the B556. It's quite a mix of roads. London Road is usually busy and slow, the bypass is moderate and fast and the B road quite and fast.

You could take some of that route, but you'd probably want to turn off at the roundabout by J22 of the M25, turn right and then left onto the B5378. I don't have experience of that particular road, but I would guess that it's quiet, in poor condition and with the odd mental driver (based on the B556 a few miles away!).

Good luck.