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- Argyll Peninsula
in Scotland - |
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Come and de-stress in probably THE most peaceful and
beautiful part of Scotland. Discover for yourself the relaxed pace of life
in the Highlands! Kintyre is a quiet and secret corner of Scotland, bathed
in the warm glow of the gulf stream, where you will see palm trees growing
in the gardens around the fishing town of Campbeltown. It is easy to see
why Paul McCartney fell in love with the place. As Kintyre is a peninsula
and not QUITE an island, there is no need to stress over departure times
or delays. Just sit back and enjoy the awe inspiring scenery on your way
to this land of peace and tranquility. A land that is home to what has
been voted the best whisky in the world (Springbank) and the best 1st tee
in the world. (The Battry at Machrihanish). So come and enjoy a malt in
front of the log stove and experience paradise.
Do you dream of galloping across a deserted beach, with the Atlantic
rolling in beside you? Maybe you prefer the hush of mature forests where
all you hear is the sound of your horses hooves and your own thoughts. Or
what about wide open moorland with views to take your breath away and
skylarks for company? You don't have to make any decisions! On this ride
you will ride through all of these and more. Every day will see you riding
through landscapes as beautiful as any in the world.
Paul McCartney sings about the atmosphere of this beautiful countryside in
his song "Mull of Kintyre".
 PG-KIT8
Rates include farm accommodations at the riding center, meals and
beverages (4-course dinners with wine), 6 riding days
8 days/ 7 nights $ 1,475 Single n/c
High
Season: $ 1,695
-- based on € 1,125 / 1,295
2007 Dates:
08/18-08/25 08/25-09/01
09/01-09/08 09/08-09/15
09/15-09/22
09/22-09/29 09/29-10/06
2008 Dates:
This trip will not be
available for 2008.
Gratuities:
10% suggested
Meeting:
Campbeltown
or Glasgow (2
1/2
hr drive)
Transfer: no charge from Glasgow with min
of 4 pax, otherwise $98 pp to pay locally -
optional bus transfer from Glasgow to Campbeltown or
local flight with Logan Air.
Level:
Strong intermediate +
Horses:
Hunters, Hanovarian cross I.D.
Tack:
English,
Australian
Weight Limit: 200 lbs
Pace: Moderate to Fast with long trots and canters (ride
20-25 miles a day!)
Min/Max Riders: 2-8
Notes:
exciting ride, simple accommodations with
charm; excellent horses and gourmet meals; endless highlands.
View Slide Show
Meals:
As far as
possible, the food is produced locally and is prepared to the highest
standard by our award winning chef Lorna! Everything is home-made from the
cakes in your room for afternoon tea to the oatcakes for your cheese at
dinner. If you enjoy eating well, this is where you should be. Wines and
Whisky are included during your entire stay.
We can cater for any special dietary requirements - please tell us
what you need when booking.
Accommodations: The bedrooms are mainly en suite and very comfortable.
There are always fresh fruit and sweets as well as tea and coffee making
facilities in each bedroom. There is also a selection of local postcards
for your use in the sitting room - all you have to do is write them as you
sip a dram!! Your bed is heated with a heat pad just incase it ends up
being a cold night.
The Riding:
On the 6
riding days you cover about 120 miles, but only your horses spend every
night in different locations, while you are transported back to your
private lodgings. You stay with your hosts and guide in their private farm
and equestrian center - simple, but with a very personal ambiance. In the
evenings four-course meals are served that will satisfy even the spoilt
palates.
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival in Glasgow and transfer (private car or public
bus depending on numbers) to the farm on the Peninsula of Kintyre on the
West Coast of Scotland. Relax around the fire and read a book or explore
around the farm. Dinner and overnight.
Day 2 After a first test ride in the hills and forests
around the farm,your guide Malcolm will assign you your horse for the
week. You will return to the farmhouse for a welcome lunch then out for an
afternoon ride to view the Inner Hebridean Isles from the hills.
Day 3
After breakfast you will saddle up and ride through the
forest to Glenahanty and Largybaan to the cliff edge. There will be some
steep climbs and descents. You might have to be prepared to lead your
horse once or twice. You stop to picnic at the “Sailors Grave", a lonely
cove where a sailor was washed up on the beach in 1916 and buried
there by the shepherd who found him. Your first taste of lots of Scottish
history. After lunch you continue your ride through the hills towards
Ballygroggan where the horses will get a well deserved rest at the end of
the day.
Day 4 After another full Scottish breakfast (you won’t leave
hungry!) there will be a short transfer by landrover back to Ballygrogan.
Your first challenge will be to ride Machrihanish beach and gallop the
41/2 miles of sandy beach to Westport where you catch your breath as you
picnic by the beach. From there you ride alongside the Atlantic
where you can see seals sunning themselves on the rocks. On to
Bellochantuy Bay and up the beach to Glenbarr where you will pass by the
secluded Glenbarr Abbey - seat of the clan Mcalister. The horses
will stay the night at Skernish Farm.
Day 5 In the morning you drive back to Skernish. This
day you mostly will ride across highlands and forestry commission land
along the Lussa Loch. You might have to travel through some bog but not to
worry, the horses are used to it! There will be some beautiful views
of the surrounding hills and the ocean during the route. This is where you
get a true sense of the amazing tranquility, peace and beauty of this well
kept secret area of mystic Scotland. The ride continues crossing the
peninsula up to Ugadale.Expect lots of long trots.
Day 6 Ride on small country roads to Saddell Bay with
beautiful Saddell Castle in the background. Here is another opportunity
for a canter along the beach. You will see astonishing vista’s and on a
clear day you can see some of the other Islands (Aran, Ailsa Craig and the
Ayrshire coast). Your picnic lunch will be at the beach. This day is
excellent for stretching your riding abilities and building your
confidence. Both the horse and rider find it fun and challenging. The
horses are well trained, easily controllable and amazingly calm with local
farm and logging traffic. More canters and trots back into the forestry
commission land and beaches back to Homeston.
Day 7 Today you can ride in the other direction - to the
south - and enjoy some more wonderful beaches. This time beside the
Irish Sea. Ride through the forests and moorland to the beaches at
Southend. You will eat your picnic as your horse grazes beside you
(or begs for an apple)! Then home through Glen Breakerie to unsaddle
for the last time and turn your horse out to pasture before you go in for
your welcome tea and cakes.
Day 8 Departure after breakfast in the morning back to Glasgow.
For some, a difficult adjustment after a week at this lovely farm and its
great Scottish hospitality. |
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Stationary Option:
A more relaxed riding experience.
If you would
prefer to work on your riding technique while you are in Scotland,
you could choose to have some lessons in the all weather outdoor school
each morning with a break for lunch then a hack out in the afternoon.
You won’t miss out on the beach riding though because at least one ride
out can be to the beach if you want to experience a good, free canter.
Of course you can always go shopping or exploring on foot or by bicycle
now and then.
Special Golf times at Southend or Machrihanish Golf Course can also
be pre arranged (Just let our office know upon booking) Your holiday will
be built around what YOU want to do, with full days or half days riding as
you prefer. The whole atmosphere is relaxed and easy with no meal
time gongs or regimentation!! If you want to help out in the stables
or tack room you will be very welcome but it is not expected of you.
A courtesy car is available for you to use at all times upon request
while you stay at the farm to allow you to explore the local
surrounding towns and country side, go shopping or visit
distilleries.
Sample Menu
Mushrooms and bacon in a garlic cream sauce.
Egg mayonnaise with smoked salmon.
Melon wedges.
...................
Trout in butter sauce served with a green salad.
Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding with fresh vegetables.
Fresh pasta in a tomato and red pepper sauce with garlic bread.
......................
Chocolate puddle cakes with cream.
Pears baked in demerara and red wine.
Ice cream with fresh raspberry sauce.
........................
Tea or coffee with cheese platter and home-made oatcakes and petit fours.
Guest Comments:
Dear Barbara,
You were absolutely right that this is a marvelous riding holiday. In
fact, when asked about it, I have assured friends that, given the chance,
I would go back in a heartbeat. Lorna and Malcolm were wonderful, they
made me feel like a special guest in their home. The accommodations were
just right. It's clear a great deal of thought has gone into setting up
the rooms and all the extra touches. I felt completely comfortable and at
home -- in the best possible sense. The food, as you had mentioned, was
marvelous. In fact, it was so good, I gained 5 pounds! Lorna even shared a
recipe with me which I will try as soon as the temperature in Boston goes
below 90 degrees.
The horses were fabulous. They are clearly well trained and their
temperaments were steady so I could trust them completely to do their job.
But, all the same, they had plenty of spirit -- which was especially clear
on the beaches and other times when we asked them to canter! Riding the
trail was wonderful -- Malcolm has set up a ride that, allows a rider to
challenge himself without pushing so much that it feels like all work. The
variety of terrain keeps the riding constantly interesting -- and of
course the scenery is nothing short of spectacular! I'm not sure which
part of the riding was the best: galloping on the beaches, walking through
the peaceful forest, or perhaps the occasional off-road adventure.
Of course, having Malcolm as a guide was terrific -- not only did I trust
his judgment about the horses and riding, he also put up with my sarcastic
American sense of humor! And that's something I realize is not to be taken
for granted.
Since this is the first year for Hidden Trails to offer this holiday, I
hope my comments are helpful. I already have recommended this holiday to
friends and would be happy to talk to anyone who might be considering it.
Since I wasn't sure what to expect, I know how much it helped to talk to
you before hand. I hope you are able to send many more riders to Kintyre
-- they'll be glad they went.
Thank you again for your encouragement. Please don't hesitate to contact
me if I can be of any help.
Cordially, M.J. Miller
August 16, 2003 |
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