Day 1 - Monday
Riding: No riding.
Arrive at the hotel from 4pm onwards and overnight.
Day 2 - Tuesday
Riding: 4 hours
After a hearty breakfast you will be transferred to the riding stables to meet the horses. First you will have an assessment lesson to make sure you get on with the horse who's been picked for you, and to ensure you are happy with them before leaving the yard. After lunch you will go for a three-hour beach and bog ride. The ride will combine a coastal and rural experience. The first part of your ride will take you along sandy Trawalua Beach, then you will follow quiet laneways and century-old bog tracks at the foot of rugged Benbulbin Mountain. This ride will also offer riders an extra opportunity for a canter on the moorlands loop.
Day 3
Riding: 5 hours
Day 3 to 6: Long rides
You will get one of the following long rides every day. The order of the four riding days that will be determined closer to the time as weather and tidal conditions will dictate the day and departure time. There will be either packed lunches or pub /tea room lunches over the next four days.
O’Connor’s Island ride (four hours)
You will trek across the lagoon to Streedagh Beach where a fresh gallop will await the experienced riders. Three Spanish Armada ships were wrecked here at the Black Rock in 1588. You will explore the sand dunes on O’Connor’s Island, combining some brisk riding on the strand and a scenic stroll over the island with a stop-off in the pub for a pint as well as some hearty food. Seals and migratory birds can often be spotted in the estuary. Depending on tidal conditions, you will enjoy either a picnic or cafe lunch.
Day 4
Riding: 6 hours
Gleniff Horseshoe ride (five to six hours)
Today you have a choice of two options: you can take a day off to relax and do some sightseeing or you can venture inlands on our longest and toughest ride of the week.
OPTION A: This is a long ride with spectacular views, but also a fair amount of walking on tarmac roads! A few miles inland from the coast you will ride in the barren Gleniff Horse Shoe valley (voted no.1 attractions in Ballintrillick by Trip Advisor) nestled beneath Benwiskin Mountain. The valley is steeped in history and legend. Set in a spectacular cliff face is Diarmuid and Grainne’s cave. Legend has it that this was the lovers’ hiding place on their flight from Fionn Mac Cumhaill. Barium Meal had been mined in the Dartry Mountains until the middle of the 20th century. You will have your break and snack at the old barytes mill site at the base of the Gleniff Horseshoe before you return home along quiet country laneways. The ride offers breathtaking views of 10 town lands and the Atlantic Ocean. You will sleep well tonight!
OPTION B: after a nice lie in and breakfast, you will be collected and transferred via Sligo town to the village of Strandhill. This bustling seaside village invites you to roam its beach, stroll around the few little shops, eat in one of the hip eateries and taste Ireland’s best ice cream. A hotspot for surfing, you can either watch or participate (surf lessons can be arranged for you in advance) in riding the ”white horses”. Alternatively spoil yourself with a seaweed bath or treatment at Voya’s seaweed baths (2 week advance booking essential, price not included in package). Towering over the village is Knocknarea mountain which can be ascended from the village via a track with self guided information points along the way. On top you will enjoy spectacular views over Sligo and Donegal Bay and admire the huge mound that is the grave of Queen Meave, an ancient warrior queen, said to be buried here standing up and looking her enemies in the eye. You will be provided with a map and packed lunch for your hike. When you are done exploring Strandhill, you will be collected again and taken back to the hotel. Alternatively you could also spend the day in Sligo, shopping and sightseeing . It's flexible!
Day 5
Riding: 5 hours
Dernish Island trek ride
This trek is any rider’s dream, where you can discover the pristine and expansive beaches on horseback. You will feel the thrill of crossing the Atlantic channel to Dernish Island. Here you can mingle with our livestock that graze the island. Enjoy uninterrupted views over Trawalua Strand and Classiebawn castle. Mainland life will suddenly feel very far away to you. Your horse can enjoy the salty island grass while you relax, have a snack, and explore the sites of ancient farm life on the island. Your picnic site will be at the ruined homestead of the O’Connor family on O’Connor’s Island where a group of young horses and the dry stock cattle herd roams the islands.
Day 6
Riding: 5 hours
Mullaghmore Coastal ride
After an exhilarating ride on Trawalua Beach, you will follow the boundary of Classiebawn Estate to Mullaghmore. This little fishing village boasts a picturesque 19th-century stone-built harbour. The ride will take you along the headland with some breathtaking views of majestic sea cliffs and the castle – a signature viewpoint of the Wild Atlantic Way. It was here that Lord Mountbatten, the great-grandson of Queen Victoria, was killed by a bomb planted on his boat by the IRA in 1979. On days with a serious swell, top surfers from all over the world come here to take on a wave of up to 50 feet. On this trail, you will take a lunch break in the pub overlooking the harbour.
Day 7 - Sunday
Riding: No riding.
Departure after breakfast.
Note: All programmes and itineraries are weather dependent; in the face of adverse, or unexpected, weather conditions reasonable attempts will be made to provide equivalent riding. All programmes are accurate at the time of writing. However, the team may adapt or modify details, whilst aiming to provide a similar experience.
