Leg 4: Days Inn, South Mimms Services, Potters Bar to Premier Inn, Kings Langley (12.9 miles approx.)
Today couldn’t have been more different than yesterday. Woke up to a dry and sunny day, which bode well for the rest of what was to come. Having worked out my exit point from South Mimms Services, I realised that I could get back on the footpath I’d come in on and continue along it round past the back of the complex, following it round to a road that would cross over the A1 approach to junction 23, leading me to a small B road that would take me back across to the otherside the M25 just beyond the junction. From this relatively straightforward start followed a relatively straight forward journey for at least half of the distance. Contrary to the difficulties experienced yesterday, I found an abundance of open pathways and accessible bridleways that seemed almost too good to be true- and one alternative ‘orbital’ path that partially went alongside the motorway- amazing! This is how it should be, I thought (although part of me can’t help wanting to have the satisafaction of having to negotiate those boundaries and challenges). Unfortunately there was still the presence of land ownership with the very marked presence of aggressive no entry signs and electric fences alongside the open footpaths just to make sure one does not accidentally stray off path. The relative ease of the journey was a great relief as i was still recovering from the hardship of the previous day. It was good to have a bit of an opportunity to recouperate and I made sure that despite the easier route that I didn’t go full pelt on running- more a mix of running and walking to preserve both my strength and my muscles for tomorrow, which is a longer run.
Having crossed Junction 22 with surprising ease, I approached Junction 21A and 21 with trepidation as I knew that this is where the M1 crosses the M25 and one of the biggest junctions. I had already figured out a way round by working out a route along a field following the M1 south to the North Circular where I could cross over to the other side. When it came to it it was quite confusing, and I began to think that I was heading North up the M1 rather than South. I should have trusted my better judgment as I eventually found that I was going the right way all along. Once i had crossed over and worked my way back up towards the M25 again, I found another public footpath to make my life easier for a bit. I knew that the rest of the journey would not be too long now.
Heading across the edge of a field between some small woods I thought I’d hit the path I would need to take to the other side to reach my destination, but I wasn’t sure. I took a risk and headed through a short tunnel that went under the motorway only to realise shortly afterwards that I had come off too early. However, it wasn’t too much of a disaster as I could see that a footpath was running parallel to the motorway onto a road that would take me back across to the other side. From then on I knew that it would only be a short distance through the next field to find the path I needed. Then it was just a case of following a small B road into Kings Langley and onto my destination at the top end of the town the Premier Inn.
