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Codicote to: Hitchin
[This is the correct report: The road is the B656 and not the A507 as erroneously stated in my earlier submission] 7 miles in Hertfordshire, although the mile or so from The Royal Oak to Hitchin is just straight. The road is national limit from the end of the 30 limit in Codicote. Some good fast-but-interesting bends, and a couple of tighter ones (I thought they were max 50 before but I deliberately did 'em at 50 and it felt really slow!), but in the main it's too quick and narrow to get your knee down in safety. The small straights have some up-and-downage to maintain your interest. The main fun of the road is not in one feature in particular but the feel of the road as a whole. A resident herd of deer can usually be seen at the western edge of Knebworth Park. The surface is generally good but there are some repaired strips which spoil your line in a couple of corners.
Harlow to: Baldock
Although not a biker, I drive a Caterham and enjoy the same types of roads. Excuse the copying to start with. Take the A414 from Harlow to Chipping Ongar which has some good bends but a few double white lines. At the Four Wantz roundabout (BP garage) turn left onto the B184 to Great Dunmow, when you get to the T junction after about 7 miles turn right on to the A1060 Chelmsford. Then after about a mile turn left back onto the B184. Go through Great Dunmow High street, it's a bit narrow but loud pipes do sound good. As you leave Dunmow turn right onto the B1057, which is on a left hand corner. This road will take you all the way to Finchingfield. The road surfaces are all pretty good and there are some good corner combinations with a left hander that just gets tighter and tighter between Dunmow and Finchingfield. When you get there, there is a good biker friendly pub on a big green that gets really busy in the summer. At the green, turn left onto the B1053 to Saffron Walden. This road is mostly empty even in the summer and has a few fast sections but plenty of corners with varied visability - there are several villages to be passed before arriving at Saffron Walden. When you arrive at the top of the High Street, turn left following signs to Bishop Stortford then right at the small roundabout and then straight over the first mini-roundabout and left at the second mini-roundabout (almost immediate) onto the B1052 heading West. At the T-junction, turn right onto the B1383 and first left (1/2 mile) onto the B1039 to Barley. There is a 30mph limit as soon as you turn onto this road - but opens up when you've past through Wendens Ambo. Keep going until you reach Barley, where you pass under the arch for the Fox& Hounds. Optionally, turn right here onto the B1368 and head to Flint Cross (take care here as there is typically a fatality each month between car drivers - nearly found out the hard way) where you take a right/left dogleg to Newton where the Queen's Head beckons. Otherwise, turn left onto the B1368 towards Hare Street where you turn right onto the B1038 to Buntingford. Then take the well known A507 to Baldock.
Baldock to: Buntingford
9 miles in Hertfordshire, nicely undulating with some great curves. The road's in two sections, divided by the picturesque village of Cottered with it's excellent village pub (The Bull) and less excellent 30mph speed limit in this otherwise national-limit road. Both sections give ample opportunity for knee-down, but the Baldock half is fastest (easy ton-plus) and has a little solid-double-white-line towards the middle. The Buntingford half is a little tighter and has a nice tight S-bend. The road surface is generally very good but is a little bumpy in places. The route is terminated by roundabouts at both ends so it's easy to go around for another go :-)
Henlow to: Hockliffe (On the A5)
Very nice road with a good surface for 99% of the time. Mostly wide open corners which can be taken at 80+ but a few that might catch you out. Some towns/villages to go through - so respect the speed limits and don't piss people off. If you don't want to do the whole lot, you can go as far as the Clophill roundabout on the A6 then come back. You can also come off the A507 onto the A5120 through Flitwick and onto Houghton Regis. Another nice piece of road.
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