I first heard about Rotten Row when I was editing a newsletter for a special interest group on horses. One of our members went to England and mentioned it. Rotten Row is the most famous riding trail in Central London. It is three quarters of a mile (1,125 metres) of soft, sandy track. This picture is NOT of Rotten Row, but of riders near Wellington Arch on the south-east corner of the park.
The strange name is said to be because of Londoners' inability or unwillingness to parler français: The name originally, was the Route du Roi, built by William III in 1690 as the royal carriage drive from Whitehall to Kensington Palace, his favourite residence.
It is in Hyde Park, King Henry VIII's former royal hunting park. Riding for exercise and recreation was invented on Rotten Row in Hyde Park in the 1600s. Here, in the late 17th and 18th century, men galloped up and down Rotten Row, while ladies in long dresses rode sidesaddle along the adjoining Ladies' Ride.
Equipment: Well obviously you need a horse. One place to hire one is: Ross Nye Stables
8 Bathurst Mews, off Sussex Gardens, London W2 2SB
(Underground station: Lancaster Gate/Paddington).
Their website says that they have one-hour hacks: virtually every hour on the hour from 7am. Weekends and high season are busy, so book early. Riding hats and boots can be provided.
Cost: £35, adults, £30 children.
The stables are British Horse Society approved (1995 Award of Merit).
I have not done this.
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Phone: 020 7262 3791
Address: Hyde Park
Website: http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/gbr/tpl/mag3/art20030501/htm/tour_horse_riding.htm
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on Apr 30, 2005
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