Quite a while ago, I devoted a no-plans three-day weekend to the three R's: a run, ramble, and ride. The run was just a little jaunt around the neighborhood, but for the other two R's, I headed outside of London. For the ramble, Sage and I caught a train to Ashtead station to do the eastern loop of this circular walk, which was pretty similar to a circular route provided by The Star, a pub a little ways off the trail. (I, for one, encourage all pubs to follow suit in drumming up business with good walk guides.)
Sadly, I didn't get to patronize the pub because we arrived at the trail early in the morning, well before many of the area walkers and runners were out (left). By the time we got to the three-quarters point, the pub wasn't even open yet. But to go back to the beginning, we set off from the Woodfield entrance to Ashtead Common (right). It, along with adjacent Epsom Common, combine as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, because their varied habitats are host to rare breeds of birds and beetles, among other species.
Most animals I saw were other dogs on the trail, but when we passed by Stew Pond, which dates from medieval times, I saw a few people fishing for aquatic lifeforms (left). And I suppose that the geese swimming in the pond might have been feeding on some of those rare beetles (right).
As we rounded the bend to the lane running along Rushett Farm (left), I could spy some domestic fauna in the distance. In my opinion, the flora -- in particular, the many stalks of foxglove -- were much more impressive (right).
The next day, I picked a ride from a wonderful book given to me by a departing colleague: Lost Lanes. So far, I hadn't done much long-distance cycling, so I picked one on the shorter side: ride 10 "Windsor Great Park." Sage stayed at home, but my bike and I disembarked at Egham and made our way (after a few wrong turns) to Windsor Great Park through the Savill Garden entrance.
The first part of the ride skirted along Virginia Water (top left). It was a lovely day, so lots of families were out with their strollers, making for some tough navigation on speedier wheels. But once I climbed the hill past Cascade Waterfall (top right), I had more of the path to myself. There were surprisingly few people at the Leptis Magna ruins, a temple constructed of columns and stone brought over from a fallen Roman city in Libya (bottom left). And by the time I crossed the Five-Arch Bridge (bottom right), I had a near-carless road to work with.
That road took me past the Guards Polo Club grounds, where unfortunately no matches were taking place (top). Across from the fields sits the Prince Consort Statue, which I later nearly confused with The Copper Horse, a monument to King George III (bottom left). That statue is at the peak of Snow Hill, on one end of the The Long Walk. Looking the other way, one can glimpse Windsor Castle (bottom right). I couldn't get a closer look because no bikes are allowed on the paved run-up to the castle.
Eventually, I exited the park and headed back toward the train station. Along the way, I stumbled upon the Commonwealth Air Forces Memorial (left), which was just a short distance away from Cooper's Hill Woods (right). At the woods, the route turned into dirt track, and despite my minimal mountain-biking skills, I managed to stay astride my bike for the whole descent back into Egham.
Sadly, I didn't get to patronize the pub because we arrived at the trail early in the morning, well before many of the area walkers and runners were out (left). By the time we got to the three-quarters point, the pub wasn't even open yet. But to go back to the beginning, we set off from the Woodfield entrance to Ashtead Common (right). It, along with adjacent Epsom Common, combine as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, because their varied habitats are host to rare breeds of birds and beetles, among other species.
The final stretch of the loop was the heavily rutted Concession Road, which provides access to livestock pens within the common. Trenches made by tires turned into mud pits that Sage enjoyed splashing through. When we got back to the train station, I had to do some pretty good scrubbing to get us presentable enough for public transport.
The first part of the ride skirted along Virginia Water (top left). It was a lovely day, so lots of families were out with their strollers, making for some tough navigation on speedier wheels. But once I climbed the hill past Cascade Waterfall (top right), I had more of the path to myself. There were surprisingly few people at the Leptis Magna ruins, a temple constructed of columns and stone brought over from a fallen Roman city in Libya (bottom left). And by the time I crossed the Five-Arch Bridge (bottom right), I had a near-carless road to work with.
