On the Beaten Track

Revisiting Princes Coverts and Esher Common

After the dry spring, the tracks are not only beaten but baked too; an ideal time for off-road riding if you don't like a lot of mud.  Although dust is a problem.   I'm discovering there is a whole network of routes that were previously invisible to me, and they're joyous to ride, if not fast.

Princes Coverts

I decided to re-visit Princes Coverts and devised a route including a fair bit of off-road, starting properly at Hook with a voyage along the Hogsmill River.   Turning right in West Ewell, I found a cycle route through Manor Park to Ashtead Common, which took me to The Star on the A243 Kingston-Leatherhead road.   Straight across and I was on a sort of unsurfaced road/track, taking me up to Princes Coverts.   Rather than sticking to the main cycle route, which is fairly wide and has a reasonable surface, I turned off into some of the little tunnel-paths through the woods, sometimes narrow, sometimes widening to leafy glades.   The surface was generally poor: the surface had been formed by horses' hooves and there was the odd log across the track to contend with, but I was most definitely communing with nature!

Also Princes Coverts

Emerging on the Malden Rushett road, I crossed into the amusingly named "New Road", the often-muddy track that leads to Claygate.  Only I didn't go that far, turning left before the A3 crossing to explore the very extensive Esher Common and West End common again, before returning to tarmac.  

I was a bit surprised to find that the "off-road" section was only 12.5 miles of a thirty mile ride, but it was by far the most memorable part.  And there are still plenty of unexplored routes to tempt me back.  Highly recommended.