Trail riding across Wales - anyone done it?

[Waffles]

I would love to do this one day - have any of you lot been? What was it like? The realities please! It's been a dream of mine for ages and I hope to go in a couple of years.

 

[Ranyhyn]

There is one that goes across the beacons isn't there? However, watch the "charges" to move your bags in between B+B's etc it's quite steep! Sounds like a brill idea though

 

[Waffles]

I've seen about the baggage charges etc. I reckon we'd cope with steep stuff as where I am in South Wales, it's pretty steep and rough in places.

Really wanted to know about what the accommodation and stuff was like and how people found the maps and so on

 

[Waffles]

Oh I see - the charges are steep! sorry!

 

[Ranyhyn]

Heh don't worry it made me laugh anyway A friend went a few years ago and was very happy with the whole thing, bar those charges. But he'd go again, so it can't have been that bad!

 

[Waffles]

Yeah - feeling slightly dozy today..... it's just that I'd been reading a few websites about such rides and they said about steep terrain which was then on my mind!

 

[NoCollection]

I went a few years ago and really enjoyed it. The baggage charges are, of course, optional but we chose to pay them and travel without large saddlebags. The maps and routes were excellent and very easy to follow. The accommodation was in pubs (there was also a choice of farmhouses, which would probably have been even better). I would love to do it again one day.

 

[Waffles]

Do you mean you could choose farmhouses if you wanted to? If so, why do think they would have been better? Were the pubs noisy? Really interested in all the ins and outs! I'm one of those people who doesn't sleep well in strange places..... a holiday like this would cure me I reckon...

 

[oysterbay]

We went with www.yourhorseadventures.co.uk and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is quite expensive, esp if you have the luggage ferry (we went in Oct, so with rugs, hard food etc as well as spare clothing, we needed it). The accomodation varied from excellent to slightly more basic, but everyone was very welcoming and extremely interesting.

Our route was further north than the Beacons. Fabulous, and very varied, scenery. The distances were perhaps shorter than we would normally do in a day, but there were only two of us with forward going horses (our own). In the summer you'd probably stop for longer at lunchtime!

Would definitely recommend.

 

[PeterNatt]

You can also stay at some Youth Hostels with your horse. I used to be a warden of a small youth hostel in Mid-Wales (my only form of transport being a Traditional Welsh Mountain Pony). Also check out www.emagin.org.uk

 

[Murphs_Mum]

I went on a holiday with Freerein about fifteen years ago. They provide a couple of nice cobs and a map and off you go meeting your luggage at the next stop. I totally loved it scenery was second to none and he routes well mapped out. You can also take your own horses.

I stress this was fifteen years ago so not a current recommendation! Plus I had my newly horsey ex partner with me who wore inappropriate underwear for eight hours in the saddle so there was a lot of moaning!