Celtic Engagement Rings

Irish Peat Turf

Irish Peat Turf

The Connemara Coastal Ride

Monday

I said to Julie, “Typical no hot water.”

Julie said, “Try the cold. “

Bingo!  Lovely warm water very much needed after today’s adventure. We have never ridden anywhere where there is twenty miles of open country behind you and in front of you, and you can’t tell where you’re going to end up!

I said to our guide Willie Leagh, “Not many English horses could cope with this difficult terrain.” He said, “Not many English riders either!” We were riding across Willie’s Mountain –Shannadell.

Apart from the multitude of Irish blood sucking horse flies, some the size of cockroaches, with yellow, red or blue heads, our first days ride was one like we’ve never experienced before in fifty years of riding. Narrow tracks, between white stones, which wound their way between deep black bogs! Venture off these tracks at your peril!! You don’t need to touch the reins, as these clever “bog trotters” know their job.

Distant lakes glittered in the bright sunlight; the views covered hundreds of miles, and not a power line in sight!

“Just pull on the reins gently.”

“JUST PULL ON THE REINS GENTLY “was hollered by our guide – Jackqui – as our bouncing German companion – Ulli – disappeared on Willie’s Field Mastering horse!

Tuesday

Who needs Monty Roberts, when you’ve got Willie! With our health and safety in mind, fifteen horses were herded into a 20x20 coral, and we were told to take our bridles and find your horse in the mel?. These artful dodgers spun, ducked and reversed out of reach. Once you have hold of some mane, you must cling to it for grim death until the pony lets you tack it up! Amazingly there are no injuries as kicking and biting are not part of their defence. We are now really in the swing of this!

“Mountain and moorland” has taken on a whole new meaning today!

At this time we cannot think of words good enough to describe today’s experience; we have had the most exhilarating ride EVER! Our group of fellow travellers, including two Germans, four Italians, three Americans, with two Irish guides, have galloped on long silver white sands, swum in the sea on horseback and waded across three foot deep sea to Finish Island. Here we jumped stone walls, rode past the ruins of a village, tackled real Irish Banks and saw beautiful rare wild orchids.

The air is so clear and clean, the sea so calm and inviting, the coastline so vast and rugged, the people so welcoming and the food most yummy!

The days are so long & packed with so much adventure!

And our fellow holiday group are such great fun!

Wednesday

At breakfast the anticipation & excitement was tangible. Sharing our experiences have truly gelled the group. This morning we enjoyed an unforgettable day riding on Mweenish beach, during which Nicola found her riding feet! Anita, our beautiful Italian, leaned across to me & whispered, “Cilia don’t tell Willie, but this is better than sex!” I said “I’ve already told him yesterday!”

After lunch we returned to the mountains above the village of Kilkerrin, with spectacular views of this stunning coastline. We rode over mountain land, past turf stacks and thru areas of deep black bog, passing an abandoned quarry and along the coastline to Derrymish.

Two of our companions were Freya aged 11 and Indi aged 12. They rode everyday for six hours, covering twenty five miles a day and only complained when they wanted more speed. They played and laughed and sung and contributed to the whole wonderful ambiance of each day.

We trotted non-stop for four miles to our evening destination, leaving some riders with sores in unmentionable places!

Thursday

This morning we left Derrirush, past Screebe lodge to Letter Moir, where we ate lunch in an original Irish hillside farmstead. As we left for the mountain, there was the usual busy chatter going on, but as we encountered more and more arduous terrain, the seriousness of our journey dawned and there was a stony silence as everyone concentrated.

“This afternoon we are tackling a particularly difficult mountain,” Willie then tells us. The stark contrast between large sharp white stones and deep black bog was traitorous beyond belief. But, we had to salute our amazingly strong steeds, for they always found a spare leg!

We rode higher than anywhere we had been before, and enjoyed uninterrupted views of forests, lakes and hundreds of miles of coastline. Finally, on reaching a gravel track way up on a mountain top, we paused to congratulate ourselves on a remarkable achievement with Three Cheers!

At the end of this most difficult ride we waded across a river, unsaddled our horses on an Island to stay the night; stored the tack under a galvanized sheet in a ruined cottage, and negotiated uneven stepping stones back across the river to be taken to the Peacock Hotel at Maam Cross for the night.

Julie was horrified this evening; she thought Cilla had forgotten to flush the toilet! “Never mind,” she told herself. Ironically, Cilla had thought the same of Julie! Then they discovered the colour of the water here is Peat!

Friday

After the stepping stones, we caught our horses, tacked up ready to ride back over the river: down a lane a while to a Forrest track, where Willie caught us up. Whilst eating a mars bar, Nicola allowed her horse to negotiate a cattle grid oblivious to the danger!

“Have a neck strap, Ullie” “What is this?” “It’s a strap” “Where do you put it?”  “On the horse’s neck!” Willie led us along winding tracks and we cantered for several miles before reaching the top of a hill, with the whole scene suddenly unveiling in front of us of the most beautiful Loch Corrib.

At lunch time we gathered in a beautiful Forrest clearing where Julie and Anita enjoyed their regular midday fix of “Moonshine.” This was Willie’s special cocktail, made of home brewed barley; so strong it had to be diluted with hot water & sugar!

The last leg of the trek was embellished by a narrow path punctuated with ten foot high razor like gorse and holly bushes, with briars that struck you like rattle snakes! All the time being pursued by ever ravenous monster horse flies.

Friday evening, after a wonderful supper at the B&B at Oughterard, Chrissie & Nicola announced the:

“Awards for the Week!”

The most considerate rider: Roberto!

The best dressed whilst riding: Antonio!

The most physically improved: Rebekah!

The Quietest rider: Keely!

The most improved rider: Ullie!

“It’s no good in the tube” (Fly bite cream): Cilla!

Most likely to be texting her new man!: Julie!

Most likely to be found on the pampas: Suzanna!

Most likely to be doing anything but concentrating on their riding: = 1st

Freya & Indi!

The Social Queen: Anita!

The Tumblers: = 1st Chrissie & Nicola!

1st  Lady: Jacqui!

Willie for PRESIDENT!

Later that evening, much to the amazement of the packed locals at Finnegan’s bar in Oughterard, we pushed back the tables and chairs and danced the night away.

About the Author

Emma Getliffe is director of hhwtravel.co.uk who specialize in worldwide adventure
horse riding holidays.

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