Best place in UK for hacking?

[Bossdog]

My hubby and I are in the lucky position of being able to move to any area in england thanks to his job (hm forces) and as we have little family here (they are all in bonny scotland) the english countryside is our oyster. the trouble is we have no idea where to start looking for a house!! So where in your opinion has the best hacking, ie miles and miles of off road bridlepaths with hills and woodlands? The only county we're ruling out is Surrey, we probably couldn't afford the £1m price tag so many properties down there seem to have!!

Am interested to see where you can suggest!

Jules x

 

[vieshot]

NEW FOREST!

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

Well, I live on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon, and it's great. I can ride on lanes for ages without meeting a car, woods, tracks, the open moor of course, valleys and the ridges of hills. Good hacking country, lots of hunting (not much jumping I believe) a few indoor competition places, and about a 20 minute drive and you're on the M5.

A friend of mine has a field not quite met it's reserve at auction, postcode would be EX6 7LJ, PM me if you want more info etc... will check later though as going riding now!

 

[Tia]

Exmoor. We used to have a house right on the border of Somerset and Devon in the heart of Exmoor and the riding there was fantastic.

 

[alicedove]

I think the cotswolds are beautiful, hilly, pretty, horse friendly, too.

Don't know re exmoor etc, I can't say. they sound good.

I live in east mids, on the border of cambs, and in our little pocket we can ride without gates, but there is a some quiet road too, lots of hacking though. BUT we have several equestrian centres for competing within an hour or so of us.

 

[MizElz]

WILTSHIRE!!!!!


Only thing we dont have is a beach, but hey! There's plenty of rivers! There's the Downs, the Ridgeway, the Plain, Savernake Forest...what more could you want?

 

[burtie]

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NEW FOREST!


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Second that, however partly for that reason properties with land are generally more expensive than Surrey around here!

 

[j87]

Mary Townley loop- Beautiful http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/PennineBridleway/downloads.asp?PageId=37

 

[Sprout]

New Forest - no road work, wide open spaces, sandy tracks to scamper on when the ground is too hard elsewhere, enclosures to go in for shade on a hot day, amazing wildlife.......
I think I have died and gone to heaven everyday when I ride out, its something I will never take for granted.

 

[Nudibranch]

Northumberland! Roads and tracks, forest, moorland, hills, rivers, stunning beaches...a bit of everything! Only downside is its miles from anywhere!

 

[charmaine]

Preseli Mountains in Wales. Best riding ever and you never meet a soul! Houses with land are relatively cheap in Pembrokeshire compared with England, I bought a house with 33 acres with direct access to the hills for around £400,000 this year. Try getting that in England!!!

 

[Bosworth]

Dartmoor as well - we are on the northern side - 15 mins up onto the moors along quiet lanes. and then hours and hours of open land. House prices are rising but still not too bad. And the food down here is fantastic.

 

[debradley]

Forget worcestershire!

 

[NoCollection]

EXMOOR

Fabulous countryside: moorland, woods, lanes, coast, absolutely lovely.

 

[snurse]

Agree - Exmoor.

 

[spotty_pony]

Leicestershire - renowned for the best hacking country in the world!

 

[happihorse]

Somewhere within half an hour of the sea so you can go for a good gallop!

 

[PennyJ]

NEW FOREST

 

[ChowChow]

I say Northumberland also, house prices are not bad, has all the different type of hacking you need plus it is very close to Scotland!

 

[SueD]

Exmoor for me also however am suprised that no-one's mentioned Shropshire, particularly the Long Mynd around
Church Stretton.
I used to escape up there occassionally when I worked in London.

 

[bex1984]

Another vote for the Preseli Mountains in Wales. If I could, I would move there with my pony in a flash, it's just another world, I love it, that place is where my love of horses comes from.

 

[conniegirl]

anywhere in north wales! the sceanary will take your breath away and the off road riding is amazing! Ive lived in north wales for 12 years and it still stuns me! we have miles upon miles of off road riding and the roads we ride to the beach on are very very quiet.
heres a few pics for you

 

[Madam_max]

I love it where I am Exton
Beautiful riding

 

[happyhack]

Ashridge Estate in Hertfordshire, just outside of Hemel Hempstead is beautiful

 

[Muddywellies]

New Forest without a doubt. the most amazing riding ever, and youre not too far from civilisation. southampton has very very good shopping and night life. I really miss it.