Off road hacking/places to get a canter - Wellington, somerset

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StefDua

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Wellington, Somerset
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Where I am in Somerset we do not appear to have any decent off road hacking (couple of unmaintained bridle paths that are a nightmare) and nowhere at all to canter.

Does anyone know of any good off road tracks near Wellington Monument?

We don't have any transport so can't travel. Waiting for the next herepath trail to open but cannot find any info on it at all - even on their website
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Im not sure about over by the Monument but if you come Taunton way I know there are loads as use to be based in West Buckland!

LOL I use to thinking the hacking was rubbish there until I moved to North Newton (Bridgwater) that really is pants have to box up to Stockland Lovell for a canter!
 
I used to be based in West Buckland until 2 weeks ago and never knew of loads of canters
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Wellllll... there was buckland woods and 2 bridletracks (one of which caused me to sustain deep scarring to the top of one of my arms, which I still have 4 years later, because it is so ill-maintained!). buckland woods is ok but nowhere for a really LONG canter.

What about Sampford Moor? There's 600 acreas to gallop over! I nearly moved my horses to Southey Farm which is right on Sampford Moor, but they were £85 a week for p/l and I wanted DIY!

Where I am there are loads of farm rides and bridleways, and we could hack to the beacon but too much flint for a canter up there. The farm rides allow lots of canter, but the bridleways aren't always clear enough.

I am so gutted about the herepath because it will be beyond hacking distance for me. Saying that, we have the luxury of a box!
 
Small, did you keep your horses at Mike's? Over my 6 or 7 years there I heard lots of stories about someone who moved their horses to North Newton because they moved and couldn't stand the commute anymore, but still work in a drs in Taunton.

I know it's a small world because I've met someone else on here who used to keep her pony where Ikept my horses until recently.
 
Yeah I did. You probably had stories of Nicky and Tilly (the address sign for the yard is based on my mum, LOL) I loved it there and would move back in a flash if didnt live so far away!
This is a very small world. How do you know Mike?
 
Our pony went to Southey Farm for a while. We were in a livery yard just across the road a bit from them. My sis lives in Sampford Moor but wasn't aware there was any where to ride there?? We always used to hack on the roads.

Can you tell me where it is - PM if prefer.
 
I kept my horse there for 7 years... til 2 weeks ago.

I am not sure you would like it there now. It's changed a lot from the place I adored when I moved there. Different people have moved there and I guess changed it.

We are still friendly with Mike but we had to move to get away from another livery who has only been there a maximum of 2 years, but did some building work for us and basically has done us over.

Mike is lovely, but I also needed better facilities and a bigger stable for my new horse. We lost our mare in July and Mike was great with all of that. People there helped us a lot when she was ill, but we also found that certain people couldn't help sticking in their two-penneth when they really didn't know enough to be doing that.

There's still the older people up there, who were there before us. I am not sure if you know Mandy but she was only there a short time before us.

Like I said, it has really upset us to move, but the place has changed significantly over the last maybe 2-3 years. We had a girl called Claire come along and she was poison. She turned June against everyone and both of them left together in a blaze of dishonour! We had another woman called Barbara who was very nasty and only stayed a few weeks.

There was a time we'd be up there hours, have water fights with Jason, loads of fun. But it just turned awful. Jason has grown up and has a girlfriend to keep him busy.

Yes I have heard of Nicky and Tilly. I would always get confused because we had a Kate and Tilly when I got there and Kate taught me for a couple of years until she bought her own place.

Do you know what? I think we actually had your stables come to think of it. There isn't much we weren't told about you!
 
Stef,
I couldn't tell you exactly where as I never kept my horse there as it was too expensive for us. But have you got an OS map?

Southey Farm is sort of half way up to the Monument and across a bit. Sampford Moor is definitely all off-road. The woman who owns Southey Farm told us if we hacked out of the farm, turning right out of the farm, going up the hill to the top, there's loads of off-road hacking around there and that's Sampford Moor. If you know Ann Brown, it's next to her house.
 
Why not get the two existing Bridleways sorted out. Contact the Senior Access officer in the Access Department of Somerset County Counciland ask them to get them cleared. Best way is to write to them by special delivery so that they can not claim they have not received your letter and ask them to confirm receipt and when they will be taking action. You could also contact your local Somerset County BHS Access officer who will also be pleased to assist you. Phone the BHS H.Q. for their contact details or p.m. me.

Buy yourself an ordance survey map Landranger map of the area which will show all the bridleways on it. You can buy them on line direct from ordance survey.
 
I'm pretty sure going right out of Southey to the top of the hill leads you on to the Beacon. Last time we hacked that way some genius had put a load of half bricks over the bridle path.

I'll have a more in depth check though just in case I'm being a total numpty (which has been known to happen on the odd occasion
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) My sis knows them so I'll get her to ask.
 
Owlie185 makes a very good point. If enough people do it they will sort it out. I can remember to hack anywhere we had to go over a motorway bridge and we all complained and they did eventually put up high sides for riders (although it was after I moved!! Worth a try!
 
On my OS map, it is shown as Sampford Common and encompasses Clement's Common, Culm Davy Hill and Whitehall Plantation. There is a bridleway running straight over the moor and up to Black Down Common. There is also a bridleway near the monument which goes through Park Farm and into Park Lane. There are lots of unclassified tracks beyond the monument and in Higher Ash Wood, which could be used for riding if you check. Wrangway has quite a few bridleways that link together. Buckland Wood would not be a silly hack away from you - it's opposite the Merry Harrier's and that is a nice ride with a canter along the top. There's also Quart's Moor.

If you phone the council, they should be able to confirm whether these areas are open for equestrian access.
 
It will get you to the beacon if you follow the path, but surrounding it is lots of common land. If you get to the top and turn down by Crossways Farm, which I think is Dolly's house (Ann Brown), that will take you up the bridleway, then there are lots of unclassified tracks off onto the moor.
 
I've tried contacting the council as have others and nothing gets done. I'll try Buckland Woods as I haven't been up there yet and is easy to get to from ours judging by the map.

All those commons we've always classed as the beacon but could be worth investigating further - cheers Carrie.

Thanks for all ideas they're much appreciated
 
dont be put off by the councils apathy

go to council office and look at the definitive map of public rights of way. that will show what bridleways and byways exist.

also ask the council about 'lost highways' - bridleways and byways which were left off the map.

and you will need help, find the nearest bridleway group or bhs person.
 
Yep, about 4 years ago, I managed to get a significant amount of the roads in west buckland resurfaced. It took months to convince the highways of the danger of some of the roads, which were like glass to ride on in places. One of the girls at the yard had been rolled on by her horse when the horse slipped. This was not good enough, so I went to the newspaper. The next week the road outside the yard was resurfaced. Over the next few months, roads around the village were done as well.
 
LOL I'm a Heazle girl so I know the area as well. Best place to get a canter is to go up to the Beacon but the woods at the top of Ford Street aren't too bad once you know them. there is also a possible canter track at the bottom of Gray's hill which takes you into Hemyock but it is pretty flinty
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We should all meet up I think!

BTW Oofadoofa, were you trying to rehome/loan out a rather lush grey showjumper about 4 years ago?
 
Ah I thought we weren't supposed to ride in the woods on Ford Street - someone told me they didn't want horse riders in there anymore???

Beacon is good but flinty so a bit worried about fast work on the gallop track. Also I have come round the corner before and gone straight through the ponies that live up there - that was fun...

We should meet up for a hack - would be amusing methinks!
 
I had never heard about the woods on Ford St! But Alas, I am the other side of the motorway bridge so it would be a very long hack/short box that got me to Buckland Woods now. Shame as my husband and I had some lovely rides up there
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