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St Albans – Welwyn

33 km mixed-surface cycling loop144 m climbing2–2½ hoursGPX

St Albans, England, United Kingdom · Mixed

A rolling 33 km mixed-surface cycling loop from St Albans, England through Sandridge, Ayot Little Green and Handside, with 144 m of climbing. Mixed surface: 74% is mapped as paved and 25% as gravel or unpaved.

Route contributed by Richard Chapman · Created from a ride on Thursday 30th December 2021

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At a glance

Best for
Rolling day rides
Distance
32.9 km
Loop
Elevation gain
144 m
4 m per km
Riding time
2–2½ hours
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Easy
Bike
Gravel bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Mixed surface
74% paved · 25% unpaved · 1% no data
Traffic
Mostly minor roads
3.1 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 2.5 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more · 8.6 km on cycle paths or lanes
Food & water
Regular
195 cafés and restaurants · 29 shops · 1 water point · 6 petrol stations · 18 public toilets · 6 bike shops
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start and finish
St Albans

Map and elevation profile

Elevation profile

Total ascent
144 m
Distance
33 km
050100150m0 km102033 km130 m · highest, at 12.2 kmStartFinish · back at the start

Route description

  1. St Albans
  2. Sandridgekm 3
  3. Ayot Little Greenkm 11
  4. Handsidekm 14
  5. Stanboroughkm 15
  6. Hatfieldkm 18
  7. Smallfordkm 22
  8. Fleetvillekm 25
  9. St Julianskm 27
  10. St Albanskm 33

This 32.9 km loop starts and finishes in St Albans, passing through Sandridge, Wheathampstead, Ayot Little Green, and Welwyn Garden City by 13.5 km. The highest point is at 130 m around 12.1 km, with the lowest point at 69 m near 14.8 km. The route has an elevation gain of 144 m, with gentle gradients mostly under 5%, and only 0.1 km exceeding 8%. The longest descent lasts 2.1 km.

The surface is mainly paved (74%), with 25% gravel or unpaved sections, and 1% unmapped. Road types include 8.4 km on cycle paths, 8.2 km on paths, 6.2 km on minor roads, 4.8 km on quiet streets, 3.1 km on main roads, and a small section on tracks. Main roads without cycle lanes cover 3.1 km, and 2.5 km of roads have 80 km/h speed limits. The longest named road segment is Alban Way, ridden for 5.1 km.

There are several food and drink stops near the route, including The Wicked Lady pub at 5.4 km and The Waggoners at 12.1 km. Shops and convenience stores appear regularly, with Tesco Express at 0.3 km and Morrisons near 24.8 km. Toilets are available at 14.4 km, 25.2 km, and 30.6 km. Two railway stations provide bailout options: Hatfield at 16.6 km and St Albans Abbey at 27.5 km. There's a longest stretch without refreshments of 5.2 km from 6.9 to 12.1 km.

Highlights

  • Alban Way cycle path for 5.1 km
  • Highest point at 130 m near 12 km
  • Food stops at The Wicked Lady and The Waggoners
  • Bailout stations at Hatfield and St Albans Abbey

Along the route

Measured from the route line, the Copernicus elevation model and OpenStreetMap.

Places passed

  1. Sandridge 3 km
  2. Wheathampstead 6.7 km
  3. Ayot Little Green 11.2 km
  4. Ayot Green 11.7 km
  5. Welwyn Garden City 13.5 km
  6. Handside 14 km
  7. Lemsford 14.2 km
  8. Stanborough 15.4 km
  9. Birchwood 16.6 km
  10. Hatfield Garden Village 17.1 km
  11. Hatfield 17.5 km
  12. Salisbury Village 19 km
  13. Ellenbrook 20 km
  14. Smallford 21.5 km
  15. The Camp 24.7 km
  16. Fleetville 24.9 km
  17. Sopwell 26.6 km
  18. Cottonmill 26.7 km
  19. St Julians 26.9 km
  20. St Stephens 27.8 km
  21. St Albans 30.5 km

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Mostly minor roads and streets on the map; 3.1 km is on main roads without a cycle lane.

Roads
26% cycle path · 25% path · 19% minor road · 15% quiet street · 15% other roads and tracks
Main roads
3.1 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
2.5 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Cycle paths
8.6 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
Main roads used
Alban Way (5 km)
Surface
Mixed surface: 74% is mapped as paved and 25% as gravel or unpaved.
Gradient
10% climbing · 10% descending · 80% flat
Longest descent
2.1 km from 12.5 km, dropping 56 m

Food, water and services

Within a few hundred metres of the track, from OpenStreetMap. Opening hours change — treat this as where to look, not a promise.

No stretch is longer than 15 km without a café, shop or water. Along the route: 195 cafés and restaurants, 29 shops, 1 water point, 6 petrol stations, 18 public toilets and 6 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 0.3 kmPizza Hut Delivery · fast food · 260 m off route
  2. 0.3 kmTesco Express · convenience store · 240 m off route
  3. 0.3 kmShell · petrol station · 290 m off route
  4. 0.3 kmMeera Pharmacy · pharmacy · 280 m off route
  5. 5.4 kmThe Wicked Lady · pub · on the route
  6. 12.1 kmThe Waggoners · pub · on the route
  7. 16.4 kmTesco · petrol station · 290 m off route
  8. 17.5 kmTasties · patisserie · on the route
  9. 17.5 kmPremier Garden Village Stores · convenience store · 30 m off route
  10. 17.6 kmOne Hatfield Hospital · hospital · 60 m off route
  11. 24.7 kmTrek · bike shop · 140 m off route
  12. 24.8 kmMorrisons · supermarket · 60 m off route
  13. 25.2 kmToilets · 240 m off route
  14. 27.9 kmDrinking water · on the route
  15. 30.3 kmNKORA · café · on the route
  16. 30.4 kmSt Albans Market · market · on the route
  17. 30.6 kmCivic Centre Public Toilets - female · toilets · 130 m off route
  18. 30.6 kmRock & Road Bikes · bike shop · 530 m off route

Need to bail out?

  • 16.6 km — Hatfield (station), 1.4 km off route
  • 27.5 km — St Albans Abbey (station), 100 m off route

Whether bikes are carried depends on the service — check before relying on it.

Worth a stop

  • 0.4 km — Beech Bottom Dyke (archaeological site)
  • 8.9 km — Robinsons Wood Picnic Area (picnic site)
  • 15 km — Vertigo (attraction)
  • 28.2 km — Site of St Mary Magdalene's Chapel (archaeological site)
  • 32.5 km — Beech Bottom Dyke (archaeological site)

Start and access

Starts and finishes at St Albans. Mapped within a short walk of the start, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start and finish

Food and coffee
Harvester (460 m), Pizza Hut Delivery (400 m), Master Fryer (410 m)
Shops
Tesco Express (370 m), Londis (430 m)

Know before you go

  • 5.2 km without café, shop or water between 6.9 km and 12.1 km
  • 3.1 km on main roads without cycle lanes
  • 2.5 km fast roads with 80 km/h limits
  • 25% gravel or unpaved surface sections

Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.

5 photographs from the road

About this route

Ridden by
Richard Chapman
Date ridden
Route line
Built from a GPS recording of the ride.
Elevation
Recalculated from the Copernicus GLO-90 terrain model every 50 m, not the device’s barometer.
Roads, surface, services
Measured along the line from OpenStreetMap extracts.
GPX
Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
Page added
Page last updated

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