Edinburgh Extraordinaire
Meeting in Edinburgh, we’ll kick off our time together with 2 nights of camaraderie, connection and fun. We’ll shop, stroll along the cobblestone roads of the ancient city, visit the Edinburgh castle, join in a traditional Scottish ceilidh and maybe do some whiskey sipping. This is a leisurely time to get to know one another, recover from a bit of jet lag and discover the secret haunts of this amazing city.
On Sunday morning, we will get in our car and take a wee tour of the Scottish highlands, Loch Lomond, and some of the small towns along the way, arriving at the barn that evening.
Our week with the Scottish Horses
A week-long ride, exploring the stunning landscape of this most south-westerly point of Scotland. Kintyre is the ancient home of the Kings of Dalriada and the area is steeped in Scottish history from standing stones that predate Stonehenge to the Campbeltown Picture House, the smallest and oldest cinema in Scotland. The landscape you’ll be riding across is hilly, with wide open beaches, rocky crags and magical views out to Ireland and the Isle of Islay.
At night you’ll be staying with us at Glen Kerran Farm, a 150 year-old- traditional stone Scottish farmhouse in a secluded glen only two miles from the tip of the peninsula. You will sleep overnight in a comfortable bedroom within the farmhouse and eat in the glass-room, over-looking the tranquil Kerran Glen. Here, you will have a different breakfast special cooked every morning and each night we will feast together on local, home-cooked, hearty and delicious food. |
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After breakfast you will go out to the stables to help brush and tack-up your horse – we will give you as much help as you need. This is a great time for bonding with your horse and chatting all things horsemanship and generally enjoying the banter of your hosts and camaraderie of the group.
This ride is part point to point and partially ridden from base but never riding the same route twice. Some nights we will leave the horses in a field out on the trail, but we humans will return to the farm and our creature comforts each night. You will not have to pack and move your own stuff, just take with you the minimum that you need each day: e.g. rain-clothes and a camera. We will carry food, drinks, midge repellent and sunscreen.
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The Rides: Glen Kerran Farm to the west (~15km)After a relaxing breakfast we’ll introduce you to your steed and head off out on the trail, riding out of our farm. This day is designed to let you get to know your horse over different terrain and paces as we ride through the forests and rivers of our ‘back yard’. From here we will head to the north west towards the hills where the horses will stay the night at a local farm.The Hills (~20km)This is the day for steep climbs, navigations skills and big views. A whole day spent in the hills to test the bond between you and your steed over wide open landscapes. We will learn how to navigate by the plants under our hooves and will picnic by hill lochs. A demanding day for horse and rider but within the kind of natural space that just makes your heart sing. We will end this day with the horses staying out near the coast.Beach and more beach (~10km)Today is your ‘sea salt spa’ or at least the wind in your face and the sand in your hair. We spend an entire day on the beach with stunning views out to the Inner Hebrides. We will ride beautiful beaches, play on the sand dunes and enjoy the surf and a bit of speed. If the weather and tides allow, we will even enjoy a wee swim with the horses. Again, the horses stay out on the trail this night.
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