Boxers
Well-Known Member
I have been planning to ride along a bridlepath I have never taken before and so I sussed it out on an OS map and then copied a piece of the map to put in my pocket.
So set off from the farm in gorgeous sunshine - it was really quite warm
. Hit the unchartered bit of bridleway and followed the arrow on the post. Now on the OS map it is pretty much a straight line until you turn left along a brook, cross it and then carry straight on again.
Of course the OS map doesn't account for drainage ditches - and you've guessed it, I was on the wrong side of one!
Now if daughter had been riding him, I think she would have just jumped the ditch - but this is me! So back I went for about half a mile and then along the other side of the ditch. As I cantered along Manni shied 
and a fox popped up right under his hooves and loped away across the field. He was really big! Thankfully I didn't fall off when he shied.
In the distance I could see the bridge I would have to go over the brook, but ahead of me now was a thick 6ft hedge. I kept looking down to see if I could see any other hoof prints but there were none. So I turned left and followed the hedge along, and at the other end there was a gap and a post with an arrow on - so much for the bridleway being in a straight line!
So I then had to cross a sown field, but the path was marked by quadbike tracks. Eventually I got to the end of this bridleway to the point where I would have to cross a very busy A road.
This is where I turned back and headed home.
I have planned a longer ride, and will ride this first part again, next time crossing the A road, going up into the village, along a quieter A road to the next village, and back down the hill eventually re-joining the bridleway I started on.
Looking forward to doing that the week after next.
Today's ride was about 2 hours, so I think when I do the longer version I will have to put my Heather Moffat seatsaver on!
So I had a really lovely ride this morning, and then spent the early part of the afternoon in the beauty salon getting a pedicure and having my nails done.
What a great day!
So set off from the farm in gorgeous sunshine - it was really quite warm
. Hit the unchartered bit of bridleway and followed the arrow on the post. Now on the OS map it is pretty much a straight line until you turn left along a brook, cross it and then carry straight on again.Of course the OS map doesn't account for drainage ditches - and you've guessed it, I was on the wrong side of one!
Now if daughter had been riding him, I think she would have just jumped the ditch - but this is me! So back I went for about half a mile and then along the other side of the ditch. As I cantered along Manni shied and a fox popped up right under his hooves and loped away across the field. He was really big! Thankfully I didn't fall off when he shied.In the distance I could see the bridge I would have to go over the brook, but ahead of me now was a thick 6ft hedge. I kept looking down to see if I could see any other hoof prints but there were none. So I turned left and followed the hedge along, and at the other end there was a gap and a post with an arrow on - so much for the bridleway being in a straight line!
So I then had to cross a sown field, but the path was marked by quadbike tracks. Eventually I got to the end of this bridleway to the point where I would have to cross a very busy A road.
This is where I turned back and headed home.
I have planned a longer ride, and will ride this first part again, next time crossing the A road, going up into the village, along a quieter A road to the next village, and back down the hill eventually re-joining the bridleway I started on.
Looking forward to doing that the week after next.
Today's ride was about 2 hours, so I think when I do the longer version I will have to put my Heather Moffat seatsaver on!
So I had a really lovely ride this morning, and then spent the early part of the afternoon in the beauty salon getting a pedicure and having my nails done.
What a great day!
