What is the best location for hacking out with no roadwork in Northern Ireland?

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Fintan

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Maybe it is a strange question. But I hate "roadwork" and I want to enjoy my horses in the nature. I like the forrest, the coast but I am sick with road work.

I like to hack out for hours, to enjoy the nature, on good ground and not to be chased by cars. So I am thinking about moving with my horses.

The Idea is a rural location, free to use with horses (not destroying farmland). IN the south you are not even allowed to ride at the canal because of some funny restritions.

Anny Ideas?

Thanks for help.
 
Probably Fermanagh tbh as there are no bridlepaths here and we aren't allowed on the canal way either. Fermanagh can be quite rural but I don't know many places open to public that you can go round - you could always buy a permit and can use any national forests.
We box to off road hacking. What about Ravensdale area? Close to border and can ride over Cooley mountains I think :)

Where abouts are you at the moment?
 
Thanks.

In the moment I am in the midlands close to Kildare. Maybe I am comming to the "midlife crisis" but it makes me sick that I have to load the horses for every little ..... I wont to do.

I have had a permit for the slieve bloom mountains, but for this I am busy with packing, loading and driving for at least 3 hours.

So I would not mind to move to the North if there is some better options.

We have a little arena, I did hire some galopps but everything is just too much because I have to load and to drive.

So the idea is to rent a rest of a farm with a bit of grass land, some stables and so on in a location that is a bit more happy. At least with the horses.

I don`t mind where it is
 
I don't really know that many places here with off road hacking, don't think it's much different to the South tbh. You can ride in some of the forestry places, some of the beaches, some hacking centres let you hire their hacking routes but its difficult to find somewhere that has access to all these things from one yard without having to box for good hacking.

I mostly ride out on the roads which are fairly quiet, I have access to the odd farm track but otherwise it's road work or loading up and going off somewhere unfortunately.
 
It's funny, as living in South East Emgland I always imagined Ireland would have amazing hacking ... Obviously not!

I hope you find somewhere you can enjoy off road hacking soon :)
 
There are a few organisations across NI that set up days where you can ride around estates and things like that, I've been to a few and they are great fun. I can only remember the name of one, Rural Riders and I'm sure they have a website. I think you might have to subscribe or something similar to them and you get a letter or an email about the next date and place. sorry that I couldn't remember the other names.
 
@ wheels

well here it is like this, if I want to go to a beach I have the option brittas bay which is one way about 2 hours driving. The forrest would be the slieve bloom mountains which is one way 1.5 hours drive.

So if I could life close to the mountains and on a lake or the coast - beach this would attract me more. So I could have at least one option close to the door.

In the moment I have horses in 2 yards so I have to travel from yard to yard as well.

If I could get somewhere a rest of a farm (not for to do farming) and stable them all there it would save time and money.

Last year I was in the very North and the location was stunning. But this was a bit too far out of the way. But breath taking.
So Fermanagh (Lough Erne) or Antrim (Lough Neagh)would be a bit more handy. I need access to an airport and some motor ways.

And price wise the North is a bit more attractiv then the South and I am a foreigner anyway no matter if in the North or the South.

And I don`t have any "mental restrictions" and I believe the North is less wet (rain) than the South.

Sounds funny, but I was also looking in Hungary for a place, but now with this "new" president and the EU problems this is not my cup of tea.


@ Native Pony Lover

Years ago there was more freedom here. At least you could hack along the canals and these for days. Stable your horse and go for a B&B and a nice pub.

But the Celtic Tiger or what ever this cat was called, with some strange behaiving people on the canal ways with quads and horses out of controll has caused the restriction for horses, better it is forbidden now.


@ Nadine

Thank you, I will check out.
 
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Hey Fintan

i have no idea but just wanted to say loving your name hubby is called fintan and i have not met anyone else with the same name :D We are in the UK now and he gets called Vincent and also by his surname its a gas

sorry back to your post lol
xx
 
@ Ibot

That is the reason for :)

The name of my first accountant here was Fintan. The name is so rare that I have thought it might be a good nickname
 
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