St Albans Circular, 6 May

NINE miles

Travel

Train leaves St Pancras at 10.18. Arrives at St Albans City 10.52

Also calls at:

Elephant and Castle 10.04

Farringdon 10.14

Blackfriars 10.08

I will get on the train at Tooting.

Buy a return from Elstree and Borehamwood. £5 with a senior rail card

There are several trains an hour back to St Pancras from St Albans City 

The Walk

Mainly flat or gently undulating. One hill up to the cathedral. No stiles. Not much mud if the weather is dry this week, but rain is forecast for Friday.

We follow the course of an old railway and the River Ver to the cathedral where there is an opt out point after 2 miles. Much to see in St Albans, especially if you are interested in The Romans. There is a good street market on Saturdays.

NB They are screening the Coronation in the nave from 10.00 am onward so the usual guided tours of the cathedral will not be available on 6 May. You can stay to watch – it is free followed by a bring and share community lunch.

We will stop for a coffee in the Cathedral cafe.

We leave the cathedral and pass along ancient streets to open countryside and the spectacular display of bluebells in Hatch Wood about 2 miles further on.

From there we go down a quiet private lane and enter the Gorehambury Estate, We rejoin the River Ver and walk through the estate to re enter St Albans at Verulanium Park, . After the park we go through the old city centre and walk back to the station.

Food

We will stop for an hour at the cathedral where you can have coffee or an early light lunch . You will need something as we won’t stop for food again until about 2.30. There is no convenient pub lunch on this walk.

You should bring a snack or a second lunch to eat after we have entered the Gorehambury estate. The weather forecast is for drizzle and there is no shelter – but anything could change weatherwise between now and then.

We will call at The Six Bells pub for a cup of tea before the last section of the walk through the park and city. (They will not be celebrating the Coronation until 8th May.) Sue H