Please note this was written in March-by the fall, many sidetrails openings are overgrown and mowed areas are masses of goldenrod!
The ride begins at the Equestrian parking lot. With the entrance at your back, ride towards the kiosk and exit out the large trail at the left of the kiosk. Take an IMMEDIATE RIGHT and head slightly downhill. Turn left at the first trail. The trail will now be narrower. If you peer into the bushes on your right as you ride, you will see a stone TROUGH. The trail now becomes quite deep and narrow. Keep straight, ignoring several trails openings on your left. You will come to an intersection with a small pine in front of you, a trail to your left and to your right. Bear right. Shortly, you will enter a mowed area with several short, narrow evergreen-type trees. Take the right side of the edge of the field. Shortly you will see a KETTLE lake on your left. Keep straight, ignoring right hand trail. Take a left and you will now see another TROUGH and the other side of the KETTLE lake. The trail heads uphill. Take the next left and the trail again starts up an incline. Ignore a small right hand trail. IMMEDIATELY you will see a wooden upright trail marker on your right. This marks your arrival at HIGH POINT. Continue on main trail (ignore right trail), bear to your left and go downhill. Take the next right turn. Stay on this wide trail, ignoring any left side narrow trails. Underfoot, you will see remnants of the old stone road which led to the WALLED GARDEN. Along the way, you will see off to your right in the bushes, the start of the tan cement walls of the garden. This trail comes to a three way intersection with the opening in the garden off on your right. (If you ride to the opening, you will see that it is now a dumping area). Continue on the macadam path and bear off to your left. IMMEDIATELY after the curve, there will be a right turn up another macadam path. (At this point, if you stay on the original macadam path, you could head straight back to the parking lot).
As you make your right, you will see a four way intersection, all macadam paths. Ignore the right and left paths and head straight ahead. The trail is a bit close here with overgrown bushes and heads uphill with broken stones underfoot. You can see the former garden ground cover plants and stone edging. Ignore any small paths off to your right. As you come up to level ground, you will see a path to your left. Take this and head downhill on a narrow path. As you descend, you will see on your left, the ruins of the garden balustrade, stairs descending from the house garden balcony and the gargoyle fountain. You will also note mature copper beeches. If you take a left, you can ride up to the ruins and examine them. After you look at the gargoyle fountain, ride away straight from the gargoyle and ride past the ruins of a spray fountain pond. Now you will see ahead of you, ruins of two roofed patios with columns and stair steps in the middle. Make a right , ride past the columns, turn left and left again. Now you will be at the bottom of the step area. With the steps at your back, you will see more ruins. The columns have been destroyed and all that is left is part of the brick flooring. Look for a narrow trail in the ivy heading off to your right from the brick flooring area. This trail quickly has a Y intersection. Bear left and downhill. Now you will see a black chain link fence in the distance. Ignore a trail that comes from the left and bear right towards the fence. When you reach the fence, you turn right. (If you wish to go home, turn left and skip to the last paragraph, for directions to the parking lot).
Keep the fence on your left until you come to an opening to the road (Muttontown Road). Turn left and cross the road. Take the trail to your left and then enter the mowed grass field. There will be fenced paddocks on your right and afar to your right there will be the Mounted Park Ranger Stabling area. Head across the field with the wooden fencing on your right.
As you proceed, you will see a line of landscaped Norway Maples, pruned after the fashion in England. Far in the distance, to your right, is the estate house. Following the wide path, after a large tree, a weeping birch, you will see two structures. Off on your left, is a structure, currently under repair, that was the estate?s AVIARY. The estate housed pigeons, chickens and peacocks. There was a mirror mounted on the wall for the peacocks to admire their images. The estate also maintained a greenhouse here which was filled with cutting flowers for the indoor floral arrangements.
On your right, close to the trail, is the DOLLHOUSE. This was fashioned after the main house, which you may have seen in the distance. The charming white house, with picket fence, wishing well and blue shutters, was completely furnished and had running water, a working fireplace and electricity. The outside of the dollhouse has been renovated by Boy Scout Troop 604 of Bethpage.
As you leave the dollhouse, look to your left and you may see the remains of the BRIDGE over a defunct pond. (As of March 2007, the bridge is concealed by stacked wood). A stone WELL is visible and is one of the three original wells from the Hudson estate transported from Italy. Mr. Christie moved the well to his property after his purchase of the property. You are now riding through the PINETUM. This is a collection of evergreen trees. The Lewis & Valentine nursery collected over 100 evergreens from all over the world for the Hudson estate. The trees were labeled as to name and tree age. Look close and you may see the remains of some of the metal labels. The swimming pool used to be by the tennis courts on your right but was removed due to vandalism. The yews around this area used to topiary, bushes that were shaped by clipping. Can you see the fencing remnants of the tennis court? You may have to ride a bit on the grass to see the court.
As the trail bends to your right, you may see the rear of the mansion through the trees. The mansion was built in 1904 for Bronson Winthrop and reflects the Georgian architecture with wood siding to simulate stone block. Christie purchased the mansion in 1950. He donated the house to Nassau County in 1968. Note all the ivy and pachysandra-clues to a formal garden. At the top of the trail, before bending left, look through the trees and you will see the GAZEBO. You may have to ride a bit on the right hand trail to see the gazebo. Afternoon teas were once held here and the surrounding garden was planted as a fragrance garden.
After a stretch of a pebbly downhill, you can make a left turn onto a path with pine trees on either side. This was the nursery for the Pinetum. The trail goes uphill gradually and, if you look to your left, you might see remains of the defunct pond. (Sunken hollow in the ground). The pond used to be stocked with goldfish. A bit further on, still looking to your left, past a downed pine tree trunk, way in the woods, you may be able to see the remnants of the white wooden NURSERY ENTRANCE GATES.
When you arrive at the main trail, turn right and follow the broad path. Towards the end of the trail, on your left, you will see a body of water, DISMAL SWAMP. This pond is surrounded by giant azaleas and exotic trees, such as Dawn Cypress. Turn left and stay parallel to the pond. At the end of the trail, you will see a large field. This is known now as Christie's FIELD. The original name in the 1920s was Pony Field. Pony races were once held here.
Stay straight and turn right and follow the track on the far perimeter of the field. At the top, on your right, you will see a circle of pines with a large rock inside. This is a very inviting place for riders to rest for a snack, being cool and providing a place to rest and tie the horse. I see from one source, this area was known as Hangman's Hill. Turn right and follow the trail at the top of the field and enter into a narrow path in a woodsy area. Follow this path out to the main path that you were on, turn left, then right and go past the swamp. Follow the main path back past a shed on your right, into the field and turn right to go towards the road. After crossing Muttontown Road, turn right and keep the black preserve chain link fence on your right.
Ignore any left side trails. Eventually you will see another opening in the chain link fence on your right. Ignore this and turn to your left. Shortly you will return to the main path. Turn right and stay on trail. There will be a fallen tree which some people jump. Then you will see a small strip of macadam. Turn right here. THIS IS A ONE WAY TRIP TO THE ESTATE ENTRANCE GATES. The trail is on macadam and has some broken branches sticking out. As you see the gates, be very careful. There are bars that have been bent that might spear you and on your left as you face the gates, there are drainage holes. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU VIEW THE GATES FROM AFAR. Now, retrace your path to the main trail and turn right. Look on your right for a faintish trail in the woods. make a right and you will see four low jumps made of piled branches. The trail then bends to your left and follows the fence along Route 106. At the entrance drive, turn left, down a slope and enter the parking lot.
|
