The Nickey Line
by Tim Vaughan
In August I finally found the time and the opportunity to try out the Nickey Line route between Hemel Hempstead and Harpenden.
It runs along the line of an old railway track between the two towns, which was closed down finally in 1979. After that it was acquired by Dacorum and St Albans councils and turned into a cycle and walking track. It is about 7 miles long and mostly flat. The width varies from that of a countryside footpath to that for a decent bridleway with a generally gravel or stone surface. In three places you have to come out and cross or briefly ride along a road but there are clear pedestrian crossing or cycle route signs, which make this quite easy. On the Sunday afternoon I went there with my teenage nephew, I was expecting it to be quite busy but we found several deserted stretches where we could get up to over 20 miles an hour. The only slightly awkward point is shortly after leaving the Hemel end, where you have to negotiate about 20 steps, though there is a track alongside to haul your bike up.
Mostly the route runs through wooded areas or away from main roads (though at one point you do go under the M1!), so is reasonably quiet with quite a rural feel to it. Another good point is that there are several entry points along the route and other places where you can stop - such as the old Roundwood Halt platform. You will know when you have got to the far end in Harpenden as you reach a flight of steps up to the street, with no cycle track!
From Berkhamsted (or in fact, even Tring) you could cycle down the canal and then up through the town to get to the starting point in Midland Road. If you want to drive there however, parking nearby is possible in the adjacent roads, or if you are lucky in the lay-by in front of The Midland. The pub also has its own sizeable car park so that could be used, though one should be intending to visit the pub if so.
In summary, I would say it is a perfect cycle route for families with young children, for teenagers wanting to try out off-road for the first time, or anyone looking for a relaxed and rural bike ride. There is a website where you can get more details: www.nickeyline.org