Anywhere in south Herts?

[Chris71]

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?

[Chris71]

dougc said:

B158 from Brookmans Park to Hertford.

Ahh - that's interesting. Glancing at the map, that's near Cuffley? The roads around Northaw seem quite promising.

[Chris71]

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)

[Chris71]

I'm told their are some excellent roads around the Hadhams (in between Hertford and Bishop's Stortford). B1004 perhaps looking at the map? They would join nicely with the B158.

Apparently there's quite a lot in between the A1 and M11 if you know where to look...

[Chris71]

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?

Edited by Chris71 on Tuesday 22 April 11:57

[Chris71]

I'm sure you can sneak through from the Botany Bay type area too. Unfortunately the only road I know that does (despite being great fun) is virtually corrogated with waves of tarmac just waiting to take out one of my chassis' outriggers!

[Chris71]

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!

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.

[Chris71]

Wish I was... still umming and arring over houses in the area, so the tiv is garaged in Chelmsford for the time being.

If I get very bored I might investigate the B651/2/3 with the shed though - I reckon I still drive that harder than my fun car!

[Chris71]

Decided to spread the gospel:
http://msnukcars.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!9147D27F...

[Chris71]

Mark83 said:

I live in Ware so the B158 & A507 already mentioned are my local runs.

Quite jealous - you have the '158 in one direction and the '1004 in the other.

ETA: If you, or anyone else, fancies popping down the PH Enfield meet is going to be on the 16th July.

I believe it's going to be at The Plough in Crews Hill, but not entirely sure just yet! We had some very interesting machinery and a nice bunch of people turn up last time (very chilled, not the usual cliquey car-club job).

Edited by Chris71 on Monday 23 June 11:54

[Chris71]

Scraggles said:

up the a10 towards ware, come off at some country crossing towards ashwell

lot of country roads, but can be fun to drive as long as no-one else the other way is coming

That sounds like the roads through the Hadhams - B1004 and so on. Some very good stretches round there. Depending on where you're coming from you can pick that up from the B158 through Hertford too.

[Chris71]

chris7676 said:

Drove on the "resurfaced" B1004 last weekend and was dissapointed, I think I had nicer drives there before they put the new thick-grained surface... B158 was still fine though.

Haven't gone that far out yet. The B158 just after Essendon was still quite lose last week as I discovered to my amusement. Fun as it is driving a RWD sports car on lose chippings, I flinched every time I heard something ricoche off the body work!