I wanted to share this and you guys are the only ones likely to be faintly interested! I hope if there are people on here like I was , always longing to hack some where off road but stuck in a busy town I can be proof that you can move somewhere great to ride and still keep close enough to a big town to have a good job.
Well it was supposed to be a short hack but Im in a new area to me (been in Brum for years now in Cheshire/lancs/Yorks borders) so I had planned to do half a circular rider and turnback what happened was..
set of from yard at 11.00 and rode down the lane along a bit of housing estate and into stalybridge country park having told Y/o off for a hack.. down some steep steps past 'cute doggie' who wanted to play with horsey, along a track and out of park onto a lane. Proceeded along lane with sinking feeling that after 20 mins already lost so turned back to see landrover approaching. Realise (cringe!) was driven by Y/O off to feed her moreland cattle, She kindly points out where bridle path Im looking for is (big wide track with big wide bridle path sign which should have been a hint!).
Up track along housing estate so has usual rubbish dumped then out onto moreland. Past a few farmhouses ( one ealry 1920'2 nd one much older) so have 'interersting napp' when we meet another rider. get off to got through hunting gate and then climb and climb up a very rough but well used track that is a mix of shale and deep muddy clay.
The tracks up her are OLD, mainly being 15-17th century packhorse tracks that kept to high ground pre the land being drained in the industrial revolution. Some are much much older, one near me is believed pre roman...
Opt to walk on foot in front of pony as its my dumb idea therefore risk of broken leg should be mine not his. its an old old track, its so worn the sides are double my head height in places. Amazing ix of views moreland one side, Manchester spread out in the distance on the other.
Drop down a path to a cross roads by a farm/stables. Ask girl and blacksmith where we are on my os map. They have no idea and path signs name areas not on map!
Continue on foot dropping down hill as bridle path is now an ankle deep stream with hedges over my head. Amazingly come out where I had planned by a very busy A road. Fortunatly only 100 yards on A road then back onto a country lane. Finally get back on pony at Lumb Lane which courtesey of bridle path group is a redesignated bridle path.After a horribly muddy patch where we have a bit of a panick as pony starts to sink above hocks until he heaves forward the track ends on hard surface at an impressive country house (Thorncliffe Hall) and stunning farm cottages/mini mansions. cant get along track I had planned to use so go down another track which is very rough and stony past fields and a very odd grave yard (big warmomorial and graves and burned out shell of a church).
Have a horrible bit of road work on main A road with continental taut liners zooming up to get to motorway so get off and walk, oopps go up wrong lane to deadend, turn around and along horrid road somemore. Finally turn up housing estate to a lane and have a break for grass (for pony), orange juice (me) and mars bar (both). Consult map and am impressed I actually know where I am! then down lane that twists down to a track past a stable yard or two and some very cute 15/16th century cottages finally reaching worst bit of main road.
I walk on pavement with pony prancing nervously along side safely away from traffic. Bless him, he is frightened of high side of resevoir on one side and huge lorries swishing by a hand stretch from us safely on the pavement so keeps touching my arm and face with his nose for reasurrance. This is less than 1/8 mile but feels like 80 miles plus!
Turn up what is shown on map as B road but quickly turns into lane and then cobbled track up hill over the resevoirs and then joy of joy, we are where I was aiming for. The pennine bridle path through hills and grouse moor back to the stables. We pick up a stretch we have ridden before and pony starts to stride out. It is stunning, we head up hill with the resovoir and town below us and Manchester receding from view. Into the hills, this bit is longer than earlier section but pony nows we are on the home ward leg so takes 1 hour less!
Through some hunting gates then a difference of opinion on route down hill to ford - me 'bridle path please' him 'plunge down precipice at speed'. Splash through ford up onto grouse moor and pony has hab dabs as two grouse bounce across the path in front of us. Continue along the hills until we reach resevoir at walkerwood, cross temporary horse bridge (thoughtfully cushioned with wood chips so its doesnt frighten horses with noisey hoof beats, what a fab area this it to ride) then drop down road towards home. Its thick mist but no worries as gated road so no traffic.
Finnaly pick up Brushes Road ( a narrow farm track) then turn up hill to yard.
The whole ride took 3 3/4 hours. We did about 9 to 10 miles which isnt much (pony used to do 40 miles in 4 hours in his hey day) but good going considering I did half of it on foot and we did most of it at a walk due to the weather and dreadfully slippy wet terrain.
Pony is happy, wet, smelly and sweaty and I am much the same (have showered now)!
Thought about it a lot when I got home. I struggle to be a show rider or a dressage rider or an endurance rider because I think I should and end up feeling like Im going to throw up at events. I feel I must be more than 'just a happy hacker' but I have enjoyed today so much. I love exploring with my trusty if somewhat erratice steed! There are frightening bits (bogs, pony jumping up a back just as Im mounting him and so on) but the feeling of oneness is so fantastic.
Anyway sorry this is so long, just wanted to share.
Well it was supposed to be a short hack but Im in a new area to me (been in Brum for years now in Cheshire/lancs/Yorks borders) so I had planned to do half a circular rider and turnback what happened was..
set of from yard at 11.00 and rode down the lane along a bit of housing estate and into stalybridge country park having told Y/o off for a hack.. down some steep steps past 'cute doggie' who wanted to play with horsey, along a track and out of park onto a lane. Proceeded along lane with sinking feeling that after 20 mins already lost so turned back to see landrover approaching. Realise (cringe!) was driven by Y/O off to feed her moreland cattle, She kindly points out where bridle path Im looking for is (big wide track with big wide bridle path sign which should have been a hint!).
Up track along housing estate so has usual rubbish dumped then out onto moreland. Past a few farmhouses ( one ealry 1920'2 nd one much older) so have 'interersting napp' when we meet another rider. get off to got through hunting gate and then climb and climb up a very rough but well used track that is a mix of shale and deep muddy clay.
The tracks up her are OLD, mainly being 15-17th century packhorse tracks that kept to high ground pre the land being drained in the industrial revolution. Some are much much older, one near me is believed pre roman...
Opt to walk on foot in front of pony as its my dumb idea therefore risk of broken leg should be mine not his. its an old old track, its so worn the sides are double my head height in places. Amazing ix of views moreland one side, Manchester spread out in the distance on the other.
Drop down a path to a cross roads by a farm/stables. Ask girl and blacksmith where we are on my os map. They have no idea and path signs name areas not on map!
Continue on foot dropping down hill as bridle path is now an ankle deep stream with hedges over my head. Amazingly come out where I had planned by a very busy A road. Fortunatly only 100 yards on A road then back onto a country lane. Finally get back on pony at Lumb Lane which courtesey of bridle path group is a redesignated bridle path.After a horribly muddy patch where we have a bit of a panick as pony starts to sink above hocks until he heaves forward the track ends on hard surface at an impressive country house (Thorncliffe Hall) and stunning farm cottages/mini mansions. cant get along track I had planned to use so go down another track which is very rough and stony past fields and a very odd grave yard (big warmomorial and graves and burned out shell of a church).
Have a horrible bit of road work on main A road with continental taut liners zooming up to get to motorway so get off and walk, oopps go up wrong lane to deadend, turn around and along horrid road somemore. Finally turn up housing estate to a lane and have a break for grass (for pony), orange juice (me) and mars bar (both). Consult map and am impressed I actually know where I am! then down lane that twists down to a track past a stable yard or two and some very cute 15/16th century cottages finally reaching worst bit of main road.
I walk on pavement with pony prancing nervously along side safely away from traffic. Bless him, he is frightened of high side of resevoir on one side and huge lorries swishing by a hand stretch from us safely on the pavement so keeps touching my arm and face with his nose for reasurrance. This is less than 1/8 mile but feels like 80 miles plus!
Turn up what is shown on map as B road but quickly turns into lane and then cobbled track up hill over the resevoirs and then joy of joy, we are where I was aiming for. The pennine bridle path through hills and grouse moor back to the stables. We pick up a stretch we have ridden before and pony starts to stride out. It is stunning, we head up hill with the resovoir and town below us and Manchester receding from view. Into the hills, this bit is longer than earlier section but pony nows we are on the home ward leg so takes 1 hour less!
Through some hunting gates then a difference of opinion on route down hill to ford - me 'bridle path please' him 'plunge down precipice at speed'. Splash through ford up onto grouse moor and pony has hab dabs as two grouse bounce across the path in front of us. Continue along the hills until we reach resevoir at walkerwood, cross temporary horse bridge (thoughtfully cushioned with wood chips so its doesnt frighten horses with noisey hoof beats, what a fab area this it to ride) then drop down road towards home. Its thick mist but no worries as gated road so no traffic.
Finnaly pick up Brushes Road ( a narrow farm track) then turn up hill to yard.
The whole ride took 3 3/4 hours. We did about 9 to 10 miles which isnt much (pony used to do 40 miles in 4 hours in his hey day) but good going considering I did half of it on foot and we did most of it at a walk due to the weather and dreadfully slippy wet terrain.
Pony is happy, wet, smelly and sweaty and I am much the same (have showered now)!
Thought about it a lot when I got home. I struggle to be a show rider or a dressage rider or an endurance rider because I think I should and end up feeling like Im going to throw up at events. I feel I must be more than 'just a happy hacker' but I have enjoyed today so much. I love exploring with my trusty if somewhat erratice steed! There are frightening bits (bogs, pony jumping up a back just as Im mounting him and so on) but the feeling of oneness is so fantastic.
Anyway sorry this is so long, just wanted to share.
and yes, you must definetly take pics the next time, it sounds gorgeous!
ENJOY!!!