What's New
new Brechfa Forest network

We completed Phase 1 of the research riding in Brechfa Forest in May 2007, which focused on the southern half of the network area. We have a one centre holiday at Llanllawddog with just one double or twin room that is ready for booking now, with additional human accommodation coming on stream for 2008. There's also a 2-day place to place ride between Llanllawddog and Llanfynydd.

Phase 2 will extend the network north and east towards Rhydcymerau and Llanllwni, which will hopefully be ready for the start of 2008.
These photos are of Bobbie and Herbie from Bridle Rides researching near Brechfa in May 2007. The one above shows a typical forest track in the south-west of the Forest, and in the one on the right, they are fording a stream on a bridleway near Gwernogle.
Brechfa Forest is readily accessible from the M4 and A48 dual carriageway, which you follow to Carmarthen, before a short journey on local roads to the start of your ride at either Llanllawddog or Llanfynydd. Although Brechfa Forest is hilly, the riding is mainly on forest tracks, which are fairly easy - and suitable for any rider with a reasonably fit horse.
hi-viz clothing

Although there is plenty of hi-viz gear around for you and your horse, we have some great Bridle Rides branded fluorescent Safety Yellow T-shirts and sweatshirts at very reasonable prices. They come in come in unisex adult sizes S, M, L and XL - and the T-shirts are £6.50 each and sweatshirts £13 plus £3.50 postage and packing.

We recommend wearing hi-viz gear when you're bridle riding because as well as being more visible on minor roads, you are easier for other path users to spot on bridleways. It is also much easier for the emergency services to find you in the event of an accident.

You can order them by credit or debit card over the phone on 0121 445 6998. We'll also have some on our tradestand at Your Horse Live in November.
In the photo above, Bobbie from Bridle Rides is wearing one of the sweatshirts on a cold December day. We think she can be excused for not modelling the T-shirt - which is the same colour, only thinner and with short sleeves!

beach rides

We now have an English Nature permit for Theddlethorpe Beach in the Lincolnshire Wolds, and there's a new petal ride to Holkham Beach in North West Norfolk (as well as the existing one to Holme-next-the-Sea), which can both be incorporated into a 3, 4 and 5-day ride itinerary.

Click on the links in the text above for the latest details on these networks.

The photo above is of Bobbie from Bridle Rides having an initial recce of the beach at Holme-next-the-Sea when we initially did the Norfolk research at Easter 2003.

The one on the left is of Ellie Beatty and her horse on Holkham Beach. It was taken by Ellie's partner Will in June 2007.

The weather was atrocious when we visited Theddlethorpe - so we didn't take any photos. If you have been there on a Bridle Ride, we'd be happy to put yours up on our website!

2007 updates and improvements

So far this season, we've added a new one-centre holiday at Ascott-under-Wychwood in the North Cotswolds, bringing the total for this very popular network up to three (the others are at Naunton (near Stow on the Wold), and enabling us to add in new 2 and 3-day place to place rides.

In May, we did Phase 1 of the Brechfa Forest research riding and in June 2007, we completed a routine re-ride of the western half of the Sussex Rides. We have taken on two new hosts in the Wansdyke, one at the end of 2006 and one from July 2007, so we need to improve and develop the rides around Marlborough and the Vale of Pewsey. We have the first of two re-rides in the diary for the end of July, and we'll complete the other one before the end of the season. We are also planning to re-ride the Ridgeway Downs network, but this is dependent on us finding a replacement host near East Hendred. If we have time at the end of the year, we are thinking about having a look at a small new network in the far west of Worcestershire.

For more details of any of these rides, just follow the links in the text above - or visit our UK map to see all 17 networks and follow the links behind the labels!