COAST TO COAST - NORTH ROUTE
Your riding ability
On our long distance rides we will be travelling many miles a day in the saddle, riding up and down hills and over rough terrain so you must be capable of riding in a balanced manner for your horses sake! Our horses health and happiness is always a priority to us and because of the long days in the saddle, we require all riders to be competent in riding with a light seat (i.e posting the trot and light seat in canter) to minimise stress on the horses back. We will be crossing rivers, galloping along beaches and may need to jump small natural obstacles, like ditches or fallen trees - nothing too big, but you need to be a capable rider and able to control a horse at speed. It is also important that you are practised in leading a horse over difficult terrain as there may be times when this is necessary. We require all our riders to be at a walk/trot/canter level.
Get to know a little about the trails and our minimum age/experience requirments
Before You Book Your Holiday
Your riding ability
On our long distance rides we will be travelling many miles a day in the saddle, riding up and down hills and over rough terrain so you must be capable of riding in a balanced manner for your horses sake! Our horses health and happiness is always a priority to us and because of the long days in the saddle, we require all riders to be competent in riding with a light seat (i.e posting the trot and light seat in canter) to minimise stress on the horses back. We will be crossing rivers, galloping along beaches and may need to jump small natural obstacles, like ditches or fallen trees - nothing too big, but you need to be a capable rider and able to control a horse at speed. It is also important that you are practised in leading a horse over difficult terrain as there may be times when this is necessary. We require all our riders to be at a walk/trot/canter level.
Get to know a little about the trails and our minimum age/experience requirments
Before You Book Your Holiday
7 days riding, 6 nights accommodation
COAST TO COAST - NORTH ROUTE
7 days riding, 6 nights accommodation
COAST TO COAST - NORTH ROUTE
7 days riding, 6 nights accommodation
COAST TO COAST - NORTH ROUTE
7 days riding, 6 nights accommodation
Riding Difficulty: Intermediate (Click for more information)
Approximate Distance Covered: 130 miles
The listed price includes accomodation and meals (B, L, D). Please note, this route requires that all riders must be able to ride at walk, trot, canter and gallop. Terrain can sometimes be boggy or steep and guests may have to lead their own horse periodically. Riders are encourage to help out with the morning routine of catching, feeding, grooming and saddling the horses for the day.
Day One
Brora circular ride: 12 Miles
We collect all riders from Inverness and then take you to meet the horses where we have a ride briefing. The trail today will be a relaxing circular route around the stunning landscape of Brora! We have a few different beautiful routes that we can take today from an awesome ride down to the local Dunrobin castle, or maybe a scenic ride up to Loch Brora... today is guaranteed to be a beautiful start to the ride. You will get a chance to get to know your horse at a leisurely pace today so that you will be prepared for tomorrow which is much faster paced!
Day Two
Brora to Glen Loth: 14 Miles
Today's trail ride starts either at 10am or 1pm depending on the tide and is a shorter day to give us all plenty of time to enjoy the stunning east coast beaches and play in the sea. Within half an hour, we are riding on the beautiful, wide sandy beach at Brora where our ponies can let off some steam and go for some breathless gallops beside the sea. We head North along the beautiful East coast beaches for several miles before we finally turn our backs on the sea and begin our journey west. We head up a beautiful and quiet glen where we then stop for the night to get a good nights rest before the longer section tomorrow.
Day Three
Glen Loth to Badenloch: 18 Miles
We start early today as we have a big day of adventure ahead of us. We get our last glimpse of the east coast in the distance before continuing inland along tiny single track roads and over the hills. We follow the winding river along the Strath of Kildonan - goldrush country for most of the day. Keep your eyes peeled for birds of prey and red deer. The landscape opens up before us and the view of open moorland and hills stretches to the horizon. Our accommodation for the night is in the most remote hotel in mainland Britain.
Day Four
Badenloch to Crask: 24 Miles
We follow estate tracks and stalkers trails in big sky country, crossing streams and jumping ditches alongside remote lochs. Leaving the lochs behind, we climb a steep pass dropping to an old peat track - the only safe way through the wide flat bog stewn landscape before us. From here we will see our hotel for the night - a tiny white speck in the distance!
Day Five
Crask to Altnaharra: 10 Miles
A shorter day to give both the ponies and us a bit of a rest after the long rides on the previous two days. We head North again, passing through wild beautiful scenery beneath Ben Klibreck to Altnaharra.
Price: 3160 GBP
Price based on sharing a twin or double room - single rooms may be available (but cannot be guaranteed) at an extra cost of 460 GBP however if you are travelling alone and willing to share a room, we often have other riders doing the same who are happy to keep costs down by sharing with another lone traveller of the same sex and wherever possible we try to match sharers by age etc too. Payment can be made by cheque, bank transfer or credit/debit card via PayPal below. Please contact us if you require our bank details for transfer.
Please email or phone us to check availability on the ride before paying deposits.
Day Six
Altnaharra to Achfarry: 25 Miles
Sees us heading West again, first following a tiny single track road to link us to an estate road and stalkers path winding high through the majestic hills of the Reay forest estate. Our descent beside Arkle gives us our first glimpse of the West coast in the distance. We will leave our ponies at the end of the trail and head to our lochside hotel for the night.
Day Seven
Achfarry to Kylestrome: 15 Miles
We collect our ponies and head over the hills on a high stalkers path with fantastic views of the iconic mountains of the area (weather permitting!). Dropping eventually to the sea lochs of the West Coast we wind our way along the stalkers trails that hug the shore, overlooking Loch Glendhu and Loch Glencoul. This stunning view of the west coast is a brilliant way to end the ride.