The latest route addition (May 2026) is inspired by the desire to add the Henry Moore Garden to the network, but the ensuing link route helps to rebalance the whole system towards the East, with a pleasant ride through E Herts towards the Outer Essex Arc. The first six miles is also described in reverse as the final return section of Spin-off 1 loop.
From Herford North climb up 0.2 through the Bengeo suburbs reaching the B158 0.9 just before the roundabout. L on Sacombe Road. R 2.2 on a short off-road section, Gypsy Lane skirts an area of reclaimed gravel quarries and leads to Chapmore End village. At the duckpond, L 3.1 to drop back to the B158 which runs alongside the River Rib to 5.2 Wadesbridge. L here for Spin-off 1 as a loop ride via Ermine Street through Puckeridge, back via the Hadhams.
The Link turns R up through Thundridge on Ermine Street, but then L 5.7 begins a long rural ride above the Rib through Cold Christmas finally descending to 10.8 Much Hadham. At 10.3 the road crosses the old branchline to Buntingford ("The Bunt") which Spin-off 1 uses up the Ash Valley; here the trackbed is entirely reoccupied by nature.
At 11.1 the lovely ford over River Ash our route briefly meets northbound Spin-off 1, but continues eastwards to Perry Green, home of Henry Moore for 40 years. Though only open May-October, and Wed-Sun the visit 12.1 to Henry Moore Garden is highly recommended. Tickets are valid for a year.
At 12.4 the first of two significant off-road sections take over, either side of the small pretty village of Allen's Green. L here on the signed Byway, which after 12.9 Bucklers Hall farm runs in a delightful shaded wooded section. After Allen's Green R 14.2 a similar byway section 14.4 links to peaceful southbound lanes. R 16 on Bakers Lane, L 16.5 on Gilston Lane to descend through that extended village to the first busy road since Wadebridge.
A short section R 18.3 on the unofficial Harlow northern bypass to L 18.6 and the final section to Harlow Town is on a short road blocked to traffic at the 18.9 Stort Navigation - where Spin-off 1b is crossed - and finally a cyclepath over the A414 railway bridge leads to the station.