Riding holiday to Wales *pic heavy*

[daytona]

Hi guys,
Grab a cuppa and get comfy this could be long,

Well Thursday of last week was the day I had been waiting for since last year it was our return to Freerein a riding holiday company in South Wales.
Burnie and me have been going for the past 4 years now and it just keeps getting better and better especially as this year we never saw a drop of rain. (We normally spend 3 days completely drenched and frozen).
We had the best time ever and even managed not to get totally lost (our normal trick :lol:) we also took my friend Tracy who was a bit bemused at first by the fact that Burnie and me were so giddy and excited about going and laughing at silly land marks on the way, also the jumping up and down when we arrived was like OMG!! But she is now a convert and realised why we were so hyper :D:D

Anyway enough waffling and onto the pics.

Day1

The 3 intrepid explorers ready for off.

Burnie on Bob, Tracy on Sinoedd and me on Frazer (who, at 14.2 felt soooo Diddy compared to my Becky).

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/P5200001.jpg

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/P5200011.jpg

Burnie and Bob ready for the descent
http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/P5200006.jpg

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/p5200010.jpg

Tracy and Sinoedd having a break
http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/p5220079.jpg

First stop of the first day pondering the maps over lunch

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/P5200019.jpg

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/P5210042.jpg

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/p5200017.jpg

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/P5200015.jpg

Frazer admiring the view (or thinking how far are we going!!??)
http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/p5200028.jpg

Leading down - it got very steep.
http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/p5200029.jpg

Chilled boy
http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/p5200032.jpg

Day 2
We set off and the route description said green lane may be slightly over grown - (they weren't kidding)

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/p5210036.jpg

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/p5210037.jpg

Lunch again - er common theme emerging :evilgrin:
(Oh and excuse the terrible hat hair)
http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/P5210040.jpg

Girls I really don't think thats the way :scared::eek:
http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/P5210046.jpg

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/p5210057.jpg

Having a break - Frazer wanted to be off I was happy to try catch 40 winks
http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/P5210053.jpg

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/p5210056.jpg

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/p5210056.jpg

Starting the climb
http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/P5210061.jpg

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/P5210062.jpg

Then we came across these guys
http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/P5200027.jpg
http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/P5200025.jpg

Are we nearly there yet?
http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/p5210067.jpg

Frazer please keep to the right - it was a long way down
http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/p5220078.jpg

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/P5210071.jpg

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/P5210070.jpg

Outside the pub where we stayed for the second night
http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af88/daytona_photo/Free-rein%2020th%20May%202010%203day%20Old%20Penybont%2 0trail/P5220072.jpg

This is it as my camera got full and I didnt have another memory card but I'm sure Burnie will be posting some pictures soon.

Hope you enjoyed

Strawberries and cream if you got to the end
xxx

[IrishGreenSheep]

Oh wow that looked like a lot of fun. Frazer is handsome chap too :)

[BEX101]

Wow! Looks amazing. The horses must be such superstars to be so good with complete strangers getting lost/drunk on them most days.

[My Crazy Clan]

fab photos, looks like a real good time x

[sparkey]

That looks amazing! I would love to do that. Do you just go by yourselves or is there a guide?

[beks the artist]

Wow I am so jealous!!!!! The riding looks similar to the riding around here (only the bridleways are impassable over the Mountains... grr) It must be an amazing experience! You all look so happy - and the horses too! xxx

[vels mum]

Omg what fab hacking land! Looks like you guys had a blast, Fraser is a total hunk!!!!
Thanks for posting the pics!!!!

[ness]

What fabulous pics Jane -that looked like such a fun time! What very good horses too!

[GR & Me]

Have been waiting for this post all morning! Looks amazing. Really loved ready this post - so .. the most important question .. did you fall off this year?! Hehe - hope not!

Looked like an amazing hol! Since you told me I went on their website and really want to go!

[nic]

Fabulous pics!! Thats probably one of the things I miss most about wales...the hacking...sigh....

Where did you go? lucky to have such brilliant weather:D

[adamntitch]

looks amazing

i have a couple of questions where do the horses stay at night is there like a field to put them in and at the end to you ride back or does someone pic the horses and your selfs up

[Burnie]

Yay fantastic pics Jane! Even the one where it looks as though I'm sniffing my armpit :lol:

Will probably post mine later to get you back :cheekywink:

[gem]

Wow it looks amazing!! Can I come next year? You can pick me up on the way. I'll get a running start on the motorway and jump in. Job done :)

[amandaxx1]

Wow that looks fantastic!!!! The horses look great too x

[coloredred]

That looks amazing! Lovely horses you got to ride too :)

[Poppy and Harmony]

Fab pics :D Looks like sooo much fun ;)

[Mungo Madness]

Ohhh I sooooo want to do that, looks brilliant fun!! :D

[bimba]

To quote the Welsh - it looks totally lush! Horses, friends, cider and sunshine, what more could a girl want?!?!?!

[Puss in boots]

That looks like a wonderful trip, looks like you had so much fun, what stunning scenery to ride in, lovely horses too :D

[daytona]

Right I'll try answer all your questions

That looks amazing! I would love to do that. Do you just go by yourselves or is there a guide?

You can do either but we went unguided. You are given an ordanence survey map and a detailed route description that works with the maps so its all at your own pace and time its FAB :D

Have been waiting for this post all morning! Looks amazing. Really loved ready this post - so .. the most important question .. did you fall off this year?! Hehe - hope not!

Looked like an amazing hol! Since you told me I went on their website and really want to go!

Yay Jess we managed to all stay firmly in our saddles noone parted company and all horses extremely well behaved even when a Tornado jet plane flew through the valley lower than what we were riding :eek:


looks amazing

i have a couple of questions where do the horses stay at night is there like a field to put them in and at the end to you ride back or does someone pic the horses and your selfs up

The route we took was a 3 day trail and its kinda like a circuar route we ended up at the place we started. When you stay overnight its usually at a farm B&B or a pub. For the horses the company have an arrangement with local farmers and they stay on their farms in a field. Feed grooming kits etc are delivered each day so the horses are taken care of. Its your duty as rider to look after them as if they were your own.

[daytona]

Wow it looks amazing!! Can I come next year? You can pick me up on the way. I'll get a running start on the motorway and jump in. Job done :)

Yay Gem you should come its totally awesome.

Thanks for the great replies everyone
xxx

[adamntitch]

thank you looks realy good i may have to look into doing something like this soon

[banjo]

wow looks like you all had a fantastic time, and so lucky the weather was on your side

[noonoo]

Looks like you had a lot of fun, i'd love to do something like that :D

[Cobby Keri]

what a fabulous time you girls had, the horses look so well looked after

[Loony]

AMAAAAZING! I so want to come! Fantastic pics, love the dramatic one next to the sign! Nutters!