Hertford

I always have to plan my days out, taking into account what I need for a challenge or even what type of cache is needed for a challenge. Today’s plan is to visit Hertfordshire to bump up my county numbers. I also need to factor in a multi and a mystery today.

I’m starting off in Hertford and have a couple of trad series planned. I like Hertford as I know that there is a decent cafe here and I can get a free hour‘s parking. I parked up in the free zone just before eight as it was getting light. I set off for the cafe when I realised that I’d left something in the car. As I headed back I spotted a traffic warden nearby and checked with him that I had an hour’s free parking where I was and he said “you’ve got an hour from now.”

So he was aware of me and time would be tight so I hurried off. I strode around the streets following the bases for the Hertford History AdLab series, picking up the shop and cache trad on the way. I could see that the AdLabs would take me to Hertford Castle and I was also after a multi here too - HERTFORD CASTLE. I finished up the AdLabs and sought the source of info of the multi.

I eventually found it and worked out where the final stage was. Would I have enough time? At this point there were twelve minutes on the clock. The cache was in a narrow pathway hanging near the tiny river bridge and it was busy with loitering and passing schoolkids. I ignored them and they ignored me so the cache was soon sorted. I was sitting back in the car with two minutes to spare.😀

Now I didn’t have time for the cafe and the centre of Hertford was snarled up with traffic going south which is where I wanted to go.🙁 So I‘m going to head north and set off towards Bengeo for a trad and a moment to revise my plans. I quickly found the CM trad at St Leonard’s church and then plotted my course of action.

There was a decent circular series of 32 trads plus some extras, a few miles north around the small village of Standon so decision made off I went. I parked up outside the church. I had been here before and already had the CM cache in the bag. I could see a village bakery which did take away coffee so I popped in there. I marvelled at the selection of rolls, sandwiches, pies and cakes knowing that I would be back here later.😀

So I set off on Abi’s “Every Day” Amble, which took me about four hours to complete. The route took in part of the now defunct Ware, Hadham & Buntingford Railway. There were a few trads depicting this old railway interspersed along the way. I think that I dipped three caches but it was a great walk.

I was glad to get back into Standon.😀 Why, for the bakery of course.😀😀 I had a freshly made ham and tomato sandwich on granary plus a cup of coffee for silly money and I sat on the bench opposite to devour it. That walk had given me an appetite. 🤫

Back from sandwich heaven, I still had a mystery cache to find but I had one tucked up my sleeve. I had to drive a few miles over to the outskirts of Welwyn Garden City though. However, when I got there, at least the cunning 47 Penguin Pootle was quickly found.

Checking the watch, it was 1408 so time to start heading for home but detouring via Ware of course.🤫 There was the Ware Wander AdLab series to have a look at. I tried to park close to the series start but couldn’t find anything so parked where I could been though it meant a bit of a walk back into town.

I set off on the tour covering the bases and picking up the Dick Whittington Returns trad on the way. I just don’t like those caches with a nano stuck up a plastic rat’s behind.😱 I carried on wandering until I ended up at the last base, the very interesting Ware’s Gazebos. I’d never seen anything like these before. I had one more cache to,get and that was the newish CM Ware ~ St Joseph’s trad. Unfortunately that‘s all that I had time for today, folks.

1 Multi 1 Mystery 10 AdLab 36 Traditional

#14285

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