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WALES
Welsh Cobs. As foals, we select them for temperament, environmentally condition them for life in the hills of Wales, establish their place in the herd and hand train them for your service - not one is ridden by visitors until it is 5 years old. We use Endurance Saddles. Accommodation: Either Inn to Inn in Bed and Breakfast or our comfortable 17th Cent. Farm guesthouse Single, double and twin bedrooms, some en-suite, have pure cotton duvets and pillows, mostly down filled with our own goose feathers. Mineral spring water, crisp fresh mountain air, good food and wine combine to ensure your perfect trail riding holiday!. Programs: We offer three weekly programs outlined below which are all progressive in speed and duration, so they are effective fittening schedules to get you, the rider, safely to the end. Just come prepared for lots of fun and the Cobs will do the rest. Transport: Abergavenny is our nearest town, served by bus and rail; we can arrange to meet you there, or you can take a taxi. Visitors from overseas can be met at London Heathrow Airport (LHR) at around 13.00(1pm) on Saturdays for more than one guest. The Black Mountains Trails 7nights/6days Saturday to Saturday $1375 Weekly April to October, Provided a minimum of three persons have booked. The Black Mountains are a relatively undiscovered area of high moorland set between the picturesque Wye and Usk valleys, providing some of the best across country riding to be found in the UK. Add the native Welsh Cob horse, and you have perfect combination for the ideal riding holiday. During the course of the week, we will show you the way to ride over open country, hills, valleys, woodland and moorland. We travel six different routes from the farmhouse, riding between 8 and 18 miles a day, usually lunching at one of the friendly and comfortable inns in the local villages of Cwmdu, Talgarth, Felindre, Llangorse and Bwlch. Returning to the farm each evening, we care for the horses before a well earned cup of tea, shower, glass of wine, and a delicious three course dinner. For those with extra energy, the evening may be rounded off with a visit to the local pub for a pint or two of traditional Welsh ale! Developed from a 17th Century Welsh longhouse, Cwmfforest Farm offers guests comfortable rooms, spring water on tap, log fires, and of course, fresh mountain air. Black Mountains Trails Itinerary: Saturday: Riders arrive, settle in and have dinner. Please arrive by 5pm. Sunday: is the instruction day; riders are matched to their horses, and our methods of grooming, tacking up and tack cleaning are explained. A brisk trot to a pub for lunch, followed by an introduction to open country riding in the afternoon, prepares you for the more challenging rides to come during the week ahead. Monday to Friday repeat the pattern but with increasing distance, speed and challenge! Don't worry though, if you are new to trail riding - our keyword is flexibility; we will tailor the riding to suit the rider's needs and our staff will always give you extra help to ensure your ride is safe, enjoyable and exciting! There is also an opportunity mid week to ride half a day and spend the afternoon exploring one of the local market towns of Brecon, Hay on Wye, or Abergavenny Our Objective: To ensure you have a wonderful holiday, while you learn the very different techniques of across country riding. You will finish the week a more relaxed, confident and knowledgeable rider. Minimum skill: Walk, trot, and canter. Jumping is optional. The National Park Trail (AKA The Real Ale Trail) Itinerary 7nights/6days Saturday to Saturday April to September $1375 This trail takes average fitness riders 90 miles over 5 days staying in Brecon, the villages of Talybont and Llanthony. The riding is moderately fast, much of it over 2000 feet above sea level, affording spectacular views of the beautiful Welsh Countryside. Relax - enjoy the ride, safe on the back of a friendly Welsh Cob! Saturday: Riders arrive, settle in and have dinner. Sunday: Introduction to our system, then we ride about 4 miles to the 'Farmer's Arms' in Cwmdu before lunch, returning through the mountains with views of the Brecon Beacons - about 10 miles for the day. Any horse changes are made now if necessary. Dinner and accommodation at Cwmfforest. Monday: The trail heads for Brecon with a lunch stop at the Tower Hotel in Talgarth. The night is spent at the 'Bishop's Meadow' motel with good grazing for the horses right outside the window. After the evening meal we may visit the 'Olde Boars Head'. Tuesday: We ride through Brecon town and head south towards the Brecon Beacons mountains, either stopping for lunch at the 17th C. 'White Swan Inn' or take a picnic with us. Riding high in the hills, the afternoon route brings us to Talybont, where we stay at the 'Usk Hotel'. Wednesday: The trail starts by following a 200 year old tramway, then fords the river Usk before lunch at the 'Morning Star' Bwlch. The afternoon provides a spectacular canter over a high ridge on our way back to Cwmfforest for the night. Thursday: We venture near the summit of the Black Mountains with truly fabulous views on a clear day. Picnic lunch at Grwyne Fawr reservoir, then a decent to the 13th C. ruins of Llanthony Priory for the night. Friday's route is north over the scarp slope which means a steep decent into the Wye Valley, where we visit the 'Three Horseshoes' before a fast ride back to Cwmfforest to complete the tour - the gallop here is truly sensational! The Trans Wales Trail (You must be fit for this one!) 7nights/6days Saturday to Saturday*** $1575 Deposit $500 April through October The Trans Wales Trail offers a challenge to riders with experience. The route uses mostly forgotten bridle-ways, some open moorland crossings and several trails over private land. It is not advised to attempt this ride without an experienced guide. Saturday: Riders arrive, settle in and have dinner Sunday: Introduction to our system, then we ride about 4 miles to the 'Farmer's Arms' in Cwmdu before lunch, returning through the mountains with views of the Brecon Beacons - about 10 miles for the day. Any horse changes are made now if necessary. Dinner and accommodation at Cwmfforest. Monday: We depart towards the coast; the route, through rolling farming country for 8 miles precedes 12 miles of fast open moors. The night is spent at Caer Beris Manor hotel in Builth Wells. Tuesday: We keep west of the river Wye; take lunch at the 13th Cent. 'Red Lion', Llanafan (the oldest inn in Powys,) then over the hills to Rhayader. We stay for the night at the very comfortable 'Brynafon Country House Hotel'. Wednesday: Our horses take us across the Lakeland of Wales - following the scenic Elan Valley for 15 miles; picnic lunch and a final 5 miles through a pinewood forest. Lots of fast cantering today! Night stop at the friendly 'Glansevern Arms' Inn. Thursday: is marathon day - 26 miles to the sea; but first there is a mountain to cross with no trail to follow! We reach the sea around 6:00 PM; after a refreshing paddle, and a gallop on the firm sand, you and the horses will be glad of the 4 hour lift home. We round off a memorable day with grilled salmon and hit the sack around midnight. Friday: after a leisurely breakfast, we tackle a trail high in the Black Mountains, returning to the farm for lunch. Afternoon visit to either Brecon, Crickhowell or Hay-on-Wye for souvenir shopping. This is a rigorous trail suitable only for fit and experienced adult riders. The ride involves long periods of strenuous trotting and cantering, and riders must be prepared to dismount and lead their horses up steep hill paths. For many people, completion of this ride marks the zenith of their riding career - Well Done! Please NOTE: We reserve the right to transfer clients to our Black Mountains program if we consider their safety to be in jeopardy. Weight limit guide : around 13 stone (185Lbs / 85 Kg) but also subject to fitness, height, and riding ability. Please enquire if you are unsure that the ride is suitable for you! Dates and Prices **Unless noted a deposit of $300 per person is required as soon as possible in advance of the ride. Book early to ensure the ride you want is open. The ride must be paid in full 30 days before the ride.
THE ELAN VALLEY TRAILS 7nights/6days Saturday to Saturday Winter per person $740 (November to March) Low Season $827 (April to June and October) High Season $915 (July to September) Stay each evening at our farmhouse.
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Our Wales
rides have been run by the Turner family since it was founded in 1970. It is now
the foremost adult trail-riding center in Wales offering 'fundamentally' different riding!