Holidays can be designed from two night short breaks to ten day riding holidays for parties of two or more. There are a wide variety of routes available in the area with many more under development. Here are some examples :
Hill Forts and Drovers' Roads
Situated in the northern part of the beautiful North Clwydian Range, this route is less than 35 minutes from Chester.
Ride past Iron Age hill forts on bridleways which have been ridden and walked since these structures were built two and a half thousand years ago. Enjoy wonderful views of the Clwyd Valley, the coast, and Snowdonia in the distance and explore the oddly named areas of Sodom and Ysceifiog (Is-cave-iog).
This route follows the sides of the Clwydian Range crossing it near Moel Famau before heading north across Halkyn Mountain towards the quiet lanes and drovers’ roads around Caerwys and Babell. It uses small tarmac lanes and off-road bridleways which range from open grassland to stony tracks. At certain times of the year these can become slightly muddy and occasionally rutted but they remain sound and are never boggy. We are actively looking to upgrade this route to provide as much off road riding as possible but most of the route is gently hilly with one or two steep ascents. Unsurprisingly in a sheep-farming area, there are several sets of gates but these are often left open, according to the season, and many can be opened and closed without having to dismount.
Typically each day’s ride is 15 to 16 miles long with the potential for short cuts and diversions to places of interest. By reducing the daily mileage and extending the holiday to 3 days this route would make an ideal introduction to trail riding. It provides spectacular views but is never very far away from villages and country pubs! You and your horse need to be able to cope with this sort of mileage; if you are unsure of what this entails please speak to Deborah who will be more than willing to explain.
Moorlands and Mountains
Situated within 60 minutes of Chester on the borders of three counties (Denbighshire, Conwy and Gwynedd) this route explores the remote hill-farming countryside to the north east of Lake Bala.
Ride the open uplands of the Mwdwl Eithin moors, swing south into the Dee Valley, climb up into the Berwyn Mountains, one of the largest open spaces in Wales, before returning north, having passed spectacular upland wetlands on Mynydd Mynyllod. The route follows seldom-used tarmac lanes, off-road bridleways and heather-clad mountain paths. These range from a few sections of grassy open pasture to occasionally rough and stony farmers’ tracks. Careful map-reading skills are required to avoid a section of wet moorland and there are several inconvenient gates. There are very few flat sections along this route; the uphill climbs can be long and the gradients can be steep but you will be rewarded by some unforgettable 360° mountain views so you and your horse need to be able to cope, if you are unsure please speak to Deborah who will explain. The incredible peace and tranquillity of this ride, and the feeling of exhilaration on completing these tougher sections, are worth all your effort. The route can be extended further into the Berwyn Mountains to cater for the most demanding endurance rider with daily rides of 35 to 40 miles.
Accommodation is provided in cosy farmhouses on working farms, welcoming country houses in local villages or at friendly pubs where the locals will delight in sharing a pint with you.
You and your horse must be fit to cover this sort of mileage, please speak to Deborah who will explain in more detail about this route.
Ancient Cairns and Forest Tracks
The rolling countryside of West Denbighshire offers rides along extensive tracks between streams and valleys. Much of this route follows woodland edges adjoining heather moorlands as well as sheltered forestry commission tracks through the coniferous plantations of the Clocaenog Forest, home to the largest red squirrel population in Wales. The gradients on this route are not severe but the roads and tracks can be rough in places so you need to be sure that both you and your horse are fit and capable of doing the mileage. If you are unsure then please speak to Deborah who will explain.There are rather too many unavoidable gates along a section of this ride but we feel that the stunning views from this moorland track more than compensate for their inconvenience.
Several ancient cairns and monuments exist in this area although, sadly, they are often overgrown or indistinctly located.
This route can easily be linked with the Moorlands and Mountains Route to the south, creating a holiday of 4 days and 4 nights or even longer.
Horseshoe Ride
Enjoy the wonderful open scenery north of the Vale of Llangollen. Ride along soft grassy tracks over Llantysilio Mountain with only the sheep for company before crossing the Horseshoe Pass and entering the peace and tranquillity of Llandegla Forest. This is a hilly area with some fairly steep gradients but most of the roads and tracks are well maintained so you and your horse need to be fit. If you are unsure what this may mean please speak to Deborah who will explain.
Accommodation is provided in cosy stone farmhouses where your friendly hosts will delight in sharing their local knowledge and their traditional Welsh cooking.
Never far from the bustling market town of Llangollen with all its tourist attractions beside the River Dee, this route, in South Denbighshire, is within easy reach of Wrexham, Shrewsbury and access to the Midlands.
Beach Ride
We have developed an extension to our popular Hill Forts and Drovers’ Route in North Denbighshire and Flintshire. It follows quiet rural lanes and easy bridleways through gentle countryside to the coast near the Point of Ayr. There is of course at the moment slightly more roadwork on these rural lanes than we would like and we hope to develop more links to off road riding during 2008. You can choose to add this on to our existing ride or we can design a shorter mid-week or weekend break incorporating a visit to the beach.
The riding is undemanding with only one short steep gradient down to the coast. If you would like to splash around in the sea and gallop along miles of open sands you will love this ride. Horses are not permitted onto the dunes; this area is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, but there is a pleasant bridleway which passes through the dune area.
Accommodation is provided by local equestrian families . The region is well supplied with alternative leisure activities for non-riders and has extremely easy access from Greater Manchester, the Wirral and the North West.
