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
THE LONGEST RIDE
17 days: 15 days riding, 16 nights accommodation, 2 days off
Riding Difficulty: Challenging (click for more information)
Approximate Distance Covered: 250 miles
The listed price includes accomodation, 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.
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Day One
Brora to Glen Loth: 12 Miles
We collect all riders in the centre of Brora, then take you to meet the horses where we have a ride briefing. This trail ride starts either at 10am or 1pm depending on the tide and is a shorter half day to break us all into the saddle gently. We start with a beach ride along the 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. We then stop for the night, to get a good nights rest before the longer section tomorrow.
Day Two
Glen Loth to Badenloch: 19 Miles
We start early, heading inland along tiny single track roads and over the hills, following the winding river along the Strath of Kildonan - goldrush country, Our accommodation for the night is in the most remote hotel in mainland Britain.
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Day Three
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 Four
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.
On this day there may be the option to travel to the nearest village to stock up on essentials.
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Day Five
Altnaharra to Tongue: 20 Miles
We head for Tongue and the stunning wide sandy beaches of the North coast!
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Day Six
Tongue to Eribol: 21 Miles
From here we will travel across country on the Moine path in the shadow of Ben More and Ben Hope.
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Day Seven
A much deserved day off for us and the ponies! We visit Durness by car, the most north-westerly village in the UK and you have the day free for whatever takes your fancy be it exploring the local cave or relaxing with a cup of coffee.
Day Eight
Eribol to Achfarry: 20 Miles
We are reunited with our ponies and we head off again, south from Ben Hope and through the beautiful Strath More where sea eagles are often sighted. We rejoin our Coast to Coast trail here as we follow a stalkers path that winds its way through the majestic mountains of Reay forest estate and over a high pass. After some fantastic canters high up in the hills, we descend with stunning views of Arkle and Loch Stack.
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Day Nine
Achfarry to Kylestrome: 13 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.
Day Ten
Kylestrome to Clachtoll: 19 Miles
We ride on crossing the high arch or Kylesku Bridge then onto the tiny twisting West coast road that hugs the shoreline beneath Quinag, visiting tiny crofting villages strung out along this spectacular coast, backed by a landscape studded with tiny lochans. Tides permitting, we will finish with gallop on the beach.
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Day Eleven
Another well deserved day off, this time in Lochinver. Take some time for a hot bath or a sleep in!
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Day Twelve
Clachtoll to Lochinver: 13 Miles
Back on the ponies, today we take the narrow and twisting trail that hugs the coastline as we ride to Lochinver. We start after lunch today as the new riders join us here on the Southern part of the Coast to Coast trail.
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Day Thirteen
Lochinver to Ledmore Junction: 16 Miles
We ride East following estate tracks and stalkers paths beneath Canisp and Suilven through the stunning scenery of Assynt. If the weather is good we may ride high up onto the shoulder of Canisp - eagle territory, with fantastic views in all directions before reaching our lochside accommodation.
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Day Fourteen
Ledmore Junction to Oykel Bridge: 18 Miles
Today we ride through moor and forest, with the opportunity for some much faster riding today. Just after lunch, we catch a glimpse of the Oykel river before winding down through the forest to the banks of this famous salmon river. Otters frequent it's banks and we keep our eyes peeled for wildlife as we follow the river to our hotel for the night.
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Day Fifteen
Oykel Bridge to Bonar Bridge: 24 Miles
We continue to follow the Oykel before heading into the forest and onto a remote track through the hills. The track boasts stunning views before dropping down into a beautiful green strath frequented by many different types of deer. This brings us to Ardgay where we follow the main road for about a mile, crossing the arch of Bonar Bridge and spending the night in the village. The best day for spotting herds of red deer.
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Day Sixteen
Bonar Bridge to Rogart: 23 Miles
Leaving Bonar Bridge, we ride over the hill and through the forest and on past Loch Migdale where we sometimes see Ospreys. Crossing the river we take an old farm track that winds along the river side and around the shoulder of the hill, taking us to our accommodation in the crofting community of Rogart.
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Day Seventeen
Rogart to Brora: 20 Miles
The final day! Leaving Rogart, we head over the hills with views reaching to the Cairngorms in the East, the hills of the West coast behind us and the high hills of Wester Ross to the South. Descending for a gallop on the long sandy beaches of Golspie, passing beneath the fairytale castle of Dunrobin and back to Brora for a final blast on the sand. We should arrive back at Brora at approximately 5pm and we will take you back to Tain shortly afterwards..
Price: 4860 GBP
Price based on sharing a twin or double room - single rooms may be available (but cannot be guaranteed) at an extra cost of 640 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.
