By Roger P
On a Saturday afternoon where the clouds drew over often enough to threaten, we were still unsure if we really did want to cycle – the all day ride had long gone and with it most of the Saturday riders, so as we wrestled with delicious but decidedly muscular baguettes we decided that after lunch the least we could do is go to the Mansion and see if anyone else turned up.
It was warm now but still with a threat of rain, and at the Mansion it was good to see Colin back on his feet and on his bike. Jennifer and then Helen joined us and then Nigel.
I suggested we cycled to “the Horton” as I thought I could remember the route, it was not too far and it was new to Jennifer and Helen.
Five of us exited Nonsuch onto the A24 and after turning right at Bourne Hall, Colin joined us as we rode into a steady headwind up over bridge crossing the rail line and on to Chessington Rd. Locating the entry to the path through Chessington Road Recreation Ground, adjacent to the pedestrian crossing.
We slipped through the chicane and onto the quiet broad path through the recreation ground and past the rear of the houses in the estate, dodging overhanging foliage in bloom and resultant showers of petals. After crossing Hook Road, at the pedestrian controlled lights, the path became a shared bike and pedestrian pavement alongside Chantilly way.
We were heading for Longrove park and the sharp left turn into it which leads directly to the roundabout at the entrance of the park. In the park we took the left track as it is the designated bike route, skirting around the edge away from the children’s play area as we toiled uphill into the face of a strong and cold headwind.
We paused by the exit at the gate at the far end to regroup and to let those not on electric bikes get some respite, and once through the gate, followed the path alongside the site of what was once the mental hospital complex, now replaced and repurposed by new housing developments. A few minutes later on our right we saw a path at right angles to our own and followed it into the housing estate.
Immediately after the bollard protecting the paths entrance we turned left along Horton Crescent and followed it through to the right where it joined Haven Way and then along Haven Way to the fenced off compound surrounding The Horton.
We made use of the new bike racks where Nigel demonstrated that it was easier to steal the bike racks than the bikes and whereas it was a good idea to attach the bikes to the racks it would have been an even better idea if the racks had been bolted to the concrete!
Anna gets ready to put a coin in the slot...........
........in order to give us a quick Toccata and Fugue
The Horton was not busy and before long we were enjoying coffee and cakes and pointing out to Helen and Jennifer all the beautiful surviving original features of this lovingly repurposed old chapel. The permanent display outlining the sites former use as part of this vast complex of mental hospitals brought forth as it has before, more questions than answers about the fate of those who had lived here.
When it was time to go we turned left out of the compound along Haven way to its junction with Chantilly way and used the bike lane to drift down to the junction with Hook Road. The wind was blowing flurries of pink and white blossom when we picked up the long quiet path past the back of the housing estates. As this “Blossom” pinged off my helmet and then sent an ice cold shiver as it slid down the back of my neck I realised we were cycling through a sun filled hail shower!
We turned right along Chessington Road and then left at Green Lanes and followed the lane to the start of Hogsmill trail. We followed the left hand fork down into the deep dip to the bridge over the Hogsmill river and up the steep slope on the other side turning up Manor Drive and following it through to and crossing Kingston road then right, and left and the path on the right leading under the railway line emerging into the Sparrow farm estate and back to the A24 and into Nonsuch
On a day when it was good to see Colin cycling with us again it was a comfortable and easy short ride of not quite ten miles in good company with our fair share of wind, blossom, hail and sun.
