Most glorious area of the UK for safe hacking and living?

Z

zeuscleoharmony

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I dream about moving to a place where I can keep my horse at home, so not too expensive to buy, where the outriding is glorious with miles and miles of forest or bridleways and tracks, taking in breathtaking scenery, perhaps a river to play in and have a swim, perhaps a beach closeby. But where in the country do I start looking? I would love to know whether you live in a happy hackers dream location or whether you know where it is.

Look, I know you all want to keep the exact locations secret cos you don't want me moving near you but can you tell me exactly where
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'Scotland' or 'Dorset' is not good enough - please tell me where xxx Pretty please xxx
 
The South downs
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if you go close to the coast there are beaches, breath taking scenery, we have dew ponds to paddle in
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Hours of hacking it's amazing
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But where is it Mrs M? Don't worry, not about to gazump you, this is a dream for when the kids have left home (looks up at sky and prays) and me and hubby can chill out a bit.

PS I love my kids but they are a pain in the posterior at times, I just seem to nag, nag, nag all the time and they just don't listen.
 
Yep I used to live in West Sussex in Worthing. Really nice area, fabulous hacking to the beach or over the South Downs. Lovely place to live. I will definately move back when I get older. I'm in Epsom now and hacking and horsey wise, its not a patch on Worthing.
 
If you ever think of going abroad your spec just about covers where I live. Endless oak and pine forests, off road tracks for miles, I can go a whole day and not see a car pass through my hamlet, there are rivers and lakes but I need a horsebox to get to the beach about an hour away.
 
Can't say, other than somewhere near the coast
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. The couple haven't put the house on the market; we heard about it through a friend of a friend.

Fingers crossed
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If all goes to plan, then will post piccies and all sorts
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there are some beautiful places throughout somerset! just need to stay away from the town areas.
 
I'd avoid Lincolnshire. Lots of off road hacking but I'd swear there are more gas canons than there are birds and the horses don't like them. They tend to spook and dive into the nearest dyke (which just about out number the gas canons) Coast is close but to reach it you need to ride across several miles of swamp. Maybe I'm just living in the wrong bit
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Theres loads of little secluded bits around north devon. I'd love to live on the Arlington Estate (although the bridle ways are under threat) as its 2700 acres. I'm lucky enough to work there though! Hacking and driving around the woods is heaven
 
[ QUOTE ]
you saying you wouldn't live in the big house
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[/ QUOTE ]

Ummm.... I did....


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Edt: Feel I should probs clarify.... Like most properties arlington has flats inside for some staff mainly so they can Key Rep overnight. My Mum was the catering manager 2000-2004 and for 18 months we lived in the main house (Our flat is now the offices which is weird) then we moved to 4 New England, the last of the 4 houses just up from the car park. And now biggest anti climax of them all.... we live in crappy south molton
 
The Isle of Wight! Miles and miles of off road hacking, two thirds of it is an AONB and it's probably one of the safest places to live too seeing as the majority of people who live here are retired. IOW ftw!
 
Well its just got to be the Northern Highlands hasn't it?

Best place in the world for miles of safe hacking, free off road riding, stunning scenery, miles of white sandy beaches with not a soul on them, quiet roads, beautiful streams and woodlands, wonderful wildlife to see, birds of prey, deer, wildcats, polecats, owls, buzzards ,sheep, sheep, Highland cows, sheep, heather and the occasional midges perhaps just when you thought you'd died and gone to heaven, to bring you back to reality!
 
The places I loved living most with regards to horses were both in Devon.
I lived near Honiton until I went to college and the riding was great, lanes, forest, common land, sadly very, very expensive there now in the small villages.

The best was in Bovey Tracey near Newton. loads of circuits, great hills for fittening horses, Dartmoor (Hay tor just up the road) was an easy hack, beaches were easy too, definately my favourite I think.

The Ammanvalley in Wales has spectacular mountain access but the lanes where I lived were pretty restrictive for round the block type things, bit boring, Lovely people. Property was reasonable, but it rained a lot.

Liss in Hants, great off road riding as long as the Army wasn't bombing the place, ditto Catsick (sorry Catterick Garrison, North Yorks) I loathe the place but the riding wasn't bad up there.

Many others I've lived in can't have been that memorable because I can't think of anymore in the UK.
 
I would say Yorkshire because I'm biased and because we've got such a variety of terrain within a relatively short distance of us. However, if money was no object and I didn't have to work for a living I'd choose the Cheviots, either the English or the Scottish side. The ride I did from Kirk Yetholm was one of the best I've ever done and there are bridleways and horse accessable tracks galore covering the entire area.
 
The Scottish Borders have some of the most stunning riding routes in the UK, I think. It is a very 'horsey' area, with ride outs etc. The Kelso area is particularly lovely, with fanastic, challenging riding in the Pennines.

Anywhere in Scotland would be your best bet for off road riding, due to the access rights we have. I live in Perthshire and have miles of off road riding, but I think my favourite rides have been in the Borders. Down sides are: no beach, relatively inaccessable, rugby mad and parochial - hence I live in Perthshire
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A
 
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