Farm ride/off-road hacking NW

[cobden]

I've been to Butterfields in Heywood this morning to pick up some straw. I asked if the farm ride was open and they said yes, but it got used so infrequently they were thinking of closing it. I'm really surprised at this - surely there are lots of riders in the Bury/Heywood/Middleton area who would like to ride a) somewhere you can have a decent canter and b) where there is no traffic to worry about ? Let's support them otherwise it may close and the nearest places will be miles away like Somerford or Kelsall .....

 

[Gleeful Imp]

I have to say I ddnt even know this exised - I'm south preston so not that far really, and I find somerford a bit busy at times - my friend and I would like more places for an off road tootle when we fancy. Could you give more info?

 

[dollymix]

I've never heard of them either and not too far away... Do they advertise? Have a website? Facebook etc?

 

[Mari]

How far away from Preston is The farm ride? I'm north Preston & desperately need to find off road riding, other than Beacon Fell, with parking for nervous baby pony.

 

[brighteyes]

Mari, what about the Dolphinholme ride?

 

[Honey08]

I've never heard of them either and not too far away... Do they advertise? Have a website? Facebook etc?

Ditto. I live pretty near them and have never heard mention of it.

Does it have jumps?

 

[Mahoganybay]

Ditto. I live pretty near them and have never heard mention of it.

Does it have jumps?

I have been on Butterfields Farm Ride, it is lovely off road riding but there are no jumps. It is basically riding around the perimeter of the farmers fields. Some nice canter stretches. Wasn't too expensive it i remember so worth a visit but don't expect too much.

 

[quirky]

Mari - how about Rivington Pike for some offroad work.

 

[Honey08]

Ah, thanks mahogany bay, that will be part of the reason it doesn't do so well - we are in open countryside with fab hacking, so wouldn't need to pay for something like that, we are perhaps half an hour away.

 

[Mari]

Yes. Am planning to go to Dolphinholme but at £18 a time it's not going to be a daily hack & pony needs to be hacking out 4-5 times a week. Also Rivington is quite far away for me, nearly a whole day from start to finish. The ideal for me would be places within 1/2 hour drive & maybe an hour hack so just a couple of hours in total. Will also be going to Crow Wood.

 

[dollymix]

Yes. Am planning to go to Dolphinholme but at £18 a time it's not going to be a daily hack & pony needs to be hacking out 4-5 times a week. Also Rivington is quite far away for me, nearly a whole day from start to finish. The ideal for me would be places within 1/2 hour drive & maybe an hour hack so just a couple of hours in total. Will also be going to Crow Wood.

Whereabouts are you? I can recommend a few hacks? Gisburn forest.... Can ride for a few hours in forest, although mostly hard tracks. Very little roadwork.

Or how about sections of the Mary Townley loop? If you park at The pub in Holmes Chapel (think its the ram) there are nice routes along the MTL from here