1. Starting off on Hempstead road in Watford, you head left down towards Cassiobury Park and to the Grand Union canal.
Once you reach the canal take a right and follow the tow path all the way to Hemel Hempstead (this part of the route can be bumpy in places so good suspension is a must, also make sure you have a puncture kit handy)
Once at Hemel leave the tow path (if you see the Fishery Inn you have gone a little too far, but it's no disaster consult your map and either double back or cut across town), you should now be on the A4251, follow th paths to just before the roundabout and head up the side road and cross the A4146 ant the traffic lights, cut though the car park (you should now be in Hemels water gardens), follow these up to the bus station and take a right, cross over road opposite the market and turn left and head up Middland Road until you see a green post (should be a footpath sign but the sign is missing) there is a sign hidden from the road stating that this is a disused railway track and is for the use of pedestrians and cyclists.
Follow this accross the common until you get to a flight of steep concrete steps that lead up the railway embankment (there's no slope for cycles (odd for a cycle route) but there's enough room to push it up at the side as you climb) you are now at the begining of the railway line this will lead you all the way to Harpenden (you just need to negotiate the annoying cycle barrier, probably there to stop silly cyclists from carreening down the steps ^^) |