Horsing and Coursing on Epsom Downs

There's always a holiday atmosphere on Epsom Downs. With the ice cream vans, the wind in your face, and the huge, wide skies, the Downs have everything but sea and sand. Families come to picnic on the grassy areas inside the course, whilst Biggles wannabees loop the loop with their model aircraft, indifferent to the children's kites in their airspace.

There's a long tradition of recreation on Epsom Downs. In 1660, Samuel Pepys' diary records daily horse races at midday, with wrestling, cudgel-playing, hawking and foot racing in the afternoons. Hare coursing was also popular at about this time, based on an enclosed warren established by Lord Baltimore in 1720. You'll see two of the old gateposts to the Warren on your right, as you walk down beside the gallops a mile or so into your walk.

You'll start by crossing the racecourse itself. The first formal race meeting took place in 1661 in the presence of His Majesty King Charles II, but it was a young man of 21 who was destined to establish the most famous names in Epsom's sporting calendar. In 1773 the 12th Earl of Derby bought the Oaks, a country house at nearby Woodmansterne. He and his friends were keen followers of racing and, in 1779, they inaugurated 'The Oaks' - a new race for three year-old fillies. Spurred on by the success of the new race, the Earl and his friend Sir Charles Bunbury promoted another short distance event the following year. The Earl won the toss for the honour of naming the contest, though Sir Charles consoled himself when his horse Diomed actually won the race. The Epsom Derby had been born.

But what of the spectators? To begin with there were minimal facilities, and the 18th-century crowds simply gathered on the hill. Enter the property speculator Charles Bluck; a 'rogue and a rascal, an unscrupulous knave, the biggest villain to go unhanged'. Bluck charmed the Lord of the Manor with his plans for a new £5,000 grandstand, and quickly obtained the lease to a prime 1 acre (0.4ha) site. This upstaged the newly formed Epsom Grandstand Association, and there was a good deal of wheeling and dealing before the Association completed its stand in 1830. The building lasted for almost a century, until the site was redeveloped in 1927. The new Queen's Stand, added in 1992, includes facilities for conferences, dances and corporate hospitality. Twice a month throughout the summer, you can even go behind the scenes with the Derby Experience Tour for a glimpse of life and history at the world's most famous racecourse. Recreation on the Downs has come of age.

What to look for

Just north of the Bell at Withybed Corner, you'll pass a white-painted cast iron post with the City of London coat of arms near the top. There are over 200 of these 'coal posts' around London, with a history going back to the Great Fire of 1666. The cost of rebuilding after the fire was so enormous that a levy was imposed on coal brought into the City. It took until 1834 to repay the debt, after which the revenue helped to fund drainage improvements in the capital. Originally the tax was collected in the Port of London but, with the growth of road and rail transport, cast iron posts were erected in 1861 to mark the taxation boundary. The levy was discontinued in 1890.

Where to eat and drink

Just across the road from the car park, you'll see the Lunch Box kiosk and the large Tattenham Corner pub/restaurant overlooking the course. Tucked away behind the grandstand, the Derby Arms is quieter and more intimate, though still with the emphasis on food. At the other end of your walk, the lively Fox and Hounds in Walton on the Hill is your best bet for a bite to eat. You'll also pass The Bell, a small, drinkers pub tucked away from the road at Withybed Corner.