assisted DIY near Bristol?

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outandabout

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Hello, new poster here! My boy currently is on working livery for convenience/financial reasons, but for a variety of reasons it's not working out very well. I am based in Bristol, but would be prepared to drive about 30 mins for the right place. Does anyone know of or recommend any assisted DIY yards in the area? Assisted DIY because there's at least one day a week when it would be pretty much impossible for me to get down the yard twice in one day because of work commitments. Tea and cake (chocolate) by way of thanks!
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There's a fair few out Westerleigh/Yate/Syston way, and I think some out towards Brislington/Clutton although I don't know that area so much.
 
The centre still really varies though - are you Clifton/Kingsdown/Redland/Cotham or Bedminster/Southville or Horfield/Montpelier?
 
You could have put the 4 places I put together in though
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Well, from bitter experience (I am in that first grouping too
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), the only place which has a half-way decent travel time from there is over the bridge and into Failand, where there are many, many yards, some, err, better than others! North of the city is hell on earth to get to (I travelled 25 miles north to a super yard but the commute was ridiculous - I wouldn't even try Leyland Court from there these days!

I'll PM you about the yards in the area there.
 
Hi, i keep mine in Clutton , just outside Bristol. he is on a private yard with my freinds horses . but you could try Sarah Norman SKS Equestrian , or Hartleywood Equestrian .let me know how you get on. it would take about 20mins from centre of Bristol.
 
The further out of Bristol, the better the yards and the better the hacking/facilities. But of course the best ones may not have vacancies. How far are you prepared to travel? If you can do M32/M4 you could get to Chipping Sodbury - Lydes Farm and Hollisters, or to Sunnymeade at Westerleigh crossroads. From M4 you could get to Wapley but not sure if has changed hands. There is also a yard at Wickwar(think its calledCastle Farm). Both Hollisters and Wickwar have XC courses. There is a nice yard at Horton but turnout is limited in winter. If you want super facilities you could go down M5 to Billow.
But for super hacking, flexibility and option of 24/7 turnout all year you need to go for the Badminton area - would take you too long from Bristol.
 
Sorry - the post giving Clifton must have arrived while i was doing my reply. To be honest Clifton is going to be really difficult to anywhere outside Bristol. In rush hour it could take alot longer than 30mins. Is Clifton going to be permanent?
 
Failand is dead easy from there, even in rush hour. The traffic is fine once you are over the bridge - and you can drop down and go through hotwells and up the hill and even in rush hour there are no queues.

Too much of my life was wasted sat on the M32/M4/M5 interchange
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I think that if you're in Clifton you will have to stick with Failand, Abbots Leigh, perhaps Easton in Gordano or Long Ashton area - that way you are getting out of the City pretty pronto. Once you start trying to cross the city your time will be horrendous. Leyland Court from Clifton in a rush hour would be 45 mins on a good day.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Spotted Cat - I know exactly how you feel. Don't get me going on transport within with City. The Cllr in charge of transport is a cycling guru!!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Well why the hell is still so dangerous to cycle in the city then?! My personal favourite thing about transport is the fact that you can't buy a return bus ticket before 9am, to force commuters to spend a fortune. Luckily my commute is now to the spare room and before that I walked to the centre.

I was at a yard in South Glos for years - several times it took me an hour to get 1 junction on the M32 and I gave up and went home. Never again
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Failand is cycling distance - perfect!
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the reply I did before seems to have vanished into the ether...

Thanks for the suggestions so far, cycling distance to Failand would be perfect for me (though I am in agreement about the seriously scary nature of cycling in Bristol) - I will definitely be doing some investigating at the weekend.

SpottedCat - the bus prices here are outrageous! Did you see that thing in the Evening Post a couple of weeks ago where someone asked the director of First Buses why the fares were so high and his response was 'compared to what?' - errr, everywhere else in the country???
 
re the cycling while I was getting in and out of bristol bicycles were banned on the trains during commuting hours......... shame that the public transport either end could never get me where I needed to be
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There are other bus companies aprt from First bus, which I didn't realise till recently when a bus rolled up when I was waiting for my normal one. It was a bit of a mystery tour but cost a flat rate of £1 for any journey, was bloody brilliant.
For me and the boys to get the first bus into town return - which I would do to avoid using the cars unneccessarily, would cost approx £15, good value then!!
(sorry to sound so sad & bus obsessed)
 
Well I cycled in the snow from my house to Failand (and I am not as close to the bridge as you
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) and it took me 41mins and 15 seconds exactly. Yes, I did time it
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Oh, and from the places I suggested you can hack into Ashton Court, which is super and is where I will be doing all my fittening for eventing.
 
I work in the centre and it takes me about 25 mins to get to my yard
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But I'm on full.

Try JB Equestrian too as that new yard in Norton Malreward has opened now. If you go down Winterstoke Road, up Hartcliffe Way, Right up Headly Park Road, Past swimming baths, up the windy Dundry Hill, 1st left into East Dundry lane, then past the Turkey farm and immediately left from there, down windy hill, sharp left at the end of there, then after approx 1 mile turn left at the white signpost for Whitchurch that new yard is the second farm along.

I know it sounds a nightmare getting to but it's approx 15-20 mins to get to!! I know as it's the way I cut through to get to mine and mines only another 5 to 10 mins extra!
 
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