Anywhere in south Herts?
Discussion
Now, I'm not expecting an Evo photoshoot road, but is there somewhere in the North London/Herts area where you can actually escape the traffic on a road worth driving?
I'm purposefully keeping my car out in Essex for as long as possible whilst I move across to London, but eventually I'm going to have to bite the bullet. Can anyone recommend some areas that might dispell my images of gridlocked, speed-humped roads?
I'm purposefully keeping my car out in Essex for as long as possible whilst I move across to London, but eventually I'm going to have to bite the bullet. Can anyone recommend some areas that might dispell my images of gridlocked, speed-humped roads?
Yep, starts just up the road from Cuffley. Don't be seduced by the Northaw Road and The Ridgeway through Cuffley - speed bump alley. The kind that have a knack of removing chassis crossmembers and important parts of the exhaust system.
Have a look at the Dunstable Hoon thread if you want a run out around Herts in the next couple of weeks.
Have a look at the Dunstable Hoon thread if you want a run out around Herts in the next couple of weeks.
Not really in the South of the county but the run from Baldock to Buntingford along the A507 is good. Try combining it with the B1037 which comes out of the West side of Stevenage and joins the A507 at Cottered. Also in the area is the road that runs from J9 of the A1M to Cottered via Weston, Halls Green and Cromer.
Further Northwest is the B1039 from Royston to Saffron Walden.
You can combine all these in a nice big loop starting and ending at J23 M25 South Mimms services, not that I'd know of course
Further Northwest is the B1039 from Royston to Saffron Walden.
You can combine all these in a nice big loop starting and ending at J23 M25 South Mimms services, not that I'd know of course
That sounds like a good plan. I'll work out this theoretical loop and give it a run sometime soon Also try the B656 from Welwyn (A1M J6) to Hitchin via Codicote. Worth doing when its clear though as there's very little overtaking opportunity. Watch out for the garden centre exit too. Off camber with old folks pulling straight out onto an NSL. I usually dawdle past at 40 and nail it again afterwards.
dougc said:
Also try the B656 from Welwyn (A1M J6) to Hitchin via Codicote. Worth doing when its clear though as there's very little overtaking opportunity. Watch out for the garden centre exit too. Off camber with old folks pulling straight out onto an NSL. I usually dawdle past at 40 and nail it again afterwards.
Good call. Really great with some fast sweepers but only about 2 good overtaking opportunities (you can do 3 cars in one go if you've got a quick car though). Really good fun when it's clear, really annoying when you get stuck behind someone doing 35 mph.I'll have to check some of these out and for that matter add them to Dave's google map. There have been a few suggestions in this thread too:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
(middle of page 4 sort of area)
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
(middle of page 4 sort of area)
dougc said:
Not really in the South of the county but the run from Baldock to Buntingford along the A507 is good. Try combining it with the B1037 which comes out of the West side of Stevenage and joins the A507 at Cottered. Also in the area is the road that runs from J9 of the A1M to Cottered via Weston, Halls Green and Cromer.
Further Northwest is the B1039 from Royston to Saffron Walden.
You can combine all these in a nice big loop starting and ending at J23 M25 South Mimms services, not that I'd know of course
If the road to Cottered is the one I'm thinkingof, then it is certainly worth a hack! Very entertaining and reletively quiet too. Further Northwest is the B1039 from Royston to Saffron Walden.
You can combine all these in a nice big loop starting and ending at J23 M25 South Mimms services, not that I'd know of course
I did the 656 and 507 this morning, got up early especially to have a go on some empty roads. The 507 was great, I only wish it had been clear and bone dry. As it was, there was a lot of fog and the road was greasy so self-preservation mode kicked in 
On a clear, warm, dry day it should be great.
Next weekend then
On a clear, warm, dry day it should be great. Next weekend then
Ok, I've now been exploring.
The B158 was quite good, particularly the last bit before Hertford - there were a few interesting looking side turnings that I didn't have time to explore. However the area's best bits definitely lie beyond.
The very last little bit of the B158 from Bengeo to Wadesmill was very good - starting to get genuinely rural and there are a series of twisties devoid of any trees. Unfortunately this just dumps you out at the A10, so what I would recommend is the next thing I tried...
From Hertford I nipped across to Ware (near enough the same town) and picked up the B1004. That was the best road I've driven in a long time! The first section (as far as Widford I think) was very good. The road then goes into a 40mph stretch, through a series of rather drawn out, but very pleasants villages. The last of these is Much Hadham and here you want to turn right to remain on the B1004 - and trust me - you want do that! The final stretch across to Bishop's Stortford is awesome. It's rather short on overtaking oppurtunities, but it's wonderfully twisty, reasonably good visibility and a couple of really memorable corners. Parts of it almost feel alpine. There are a few potholes here and there, but none of the 'tarmac moguls' that threaten to take out your sump on some b-roads.
I turned back at that point, but looking at the map you could have gone east towards Great Dumnow and Thaxted, north to Saffron Walden, west to Buntingford...
However, the next one I'd like to try is a slightly different area - going north from St Albans along the B651.
PS Can anyone recommend a way of getting to the Brookman's Park end of the B158 (from Enfield) without having to go through Potters Bar or the Northaw speed bumps?
The B158 was quite good, particularly the last bit before Hertford - there were a few interesting looking side turnings that I didn't have time to explore. However the area's best bits definitely lie beyond.
The very last little bit of the B158 from Bengeo to Wadesmill was very good - starting to get genuinely rural and there are a series of twisties devoid of any trees. Unfortunately this just dumps you out at the A10, so what I would recommend is the next thing I tried...
From Hertford I nipped across to Ware (near enough the same town) and picked up the B1004. That was the best road I've driven in a long time! The first section (as far as Widford I think) was very good. The road then goes into a 40mph stretch, through a series of rather drawn out, but very pleasants villages. The last of these is Much Hadham and here you want to turn right to remain on the B1004 - and trust me - you want do that! The final stretch across to Bishop's Stortford is awesome. It's rather short on overtaking oppurtunities, but it's wonderfully twisty, reasonably good visibility and a couple of really memorable corners. Parts of it almost feel alpine. There are a few potholes here and there, but none of the 'tarmac moguls' that threaten to take out your sump on some b-roads.
I turned back at that point, but looking at the map you could have gone east towards Great Dumnow and Thaxted, north to Saffron Walden, west to Buntingford...
However, the next one I'd like to try is a slightly different area - going north from St Albans along the B651.
PS Can anyone recommend a way of getting to the Brookman's Park end of the B158 (from Enfield) without having to go through Potters Bar or the Northaw speed bumps?
Edited by Chris71 on Tuesday 22 April 11:57
Chris71 said:
PS Can anyone recommend a way of getting to the Brookman's Park end of the B158 (from Enfield) without having to go through Potters Bar or the Northaw speed bumps?
You can get there straight from the A1, approaching the start of the the B158 from the North on the A1000 rather than the south.Edited by Chris71 on Tuesday 22 April 11:57
Turn right at Botany Bay, left at the next T junction, left again at the T junction after towards Northaw. Turn right at the green in Northaw. Then turn left at the crossroads on to the Ridgeway. Occasional mobile speed cameras along here. This leads you to the A1000 near Brookmans Park.
There isn't much on the B651 between St Albans and Wheathamsted, but don't know the road after there.
There isn't much on the B651 between St Albans and Wheathamsted, but don't know the road after there.
mr pg said:
Turn right at Botany Bay, left at the next T junction, left again at the T junction after towards Northaw. Turn right at the green in Northaw. Then turn left at the crossroads on to the Ridgeway. Occasional mobile speed cameras along here. This leads you to the A1000 near Brookmans Park.
There isn't much on the B651 between St Albans and Wheathamsted, but don't know the road after there.
Thanks. Are there any speed humps on that route? I hear nasty scraping sounds virtually whenever I drive the car enthusiastically, just on regular b-road lumps and bumps!There isn't much on the B651 between St Albans and Wheathamsted, but don't know the road after there.
The B651 is still worth a look I reckon. If nothing else it'll be the most direct route to the local TVRCC meet. I'm told there are some really good roads around Ayot St Lawrenece, just up from Wheathampsead.
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