Activities | Riding | Horses | Prices Riding | Includes/Not included
Spirited horse riding holidays in the mountains of the stunning Sierra Nevada National Park in southern Spain.
Great food, great wine, fabulous Andalucian horses and scenery.
Your luggage is transported for you
The area:
On the southern side of the
Sierra Nevada, facing the Mediterranean, is an idyllic collection of dramatic peaks and
hanging valleys known as Las Alpujarras. Watered by
the melting snows of Spain’s two highest mountains, this surprisingly verdant area is
criss-crossed with ancient drovers’ paths and mule tracks (some of which
pre-date the Moors by several hundred years) making it ideal and spectacular horse
riding country. These hills and valleys were the last redoubt of the Moors
before their expulsion from the Iberian Peninsula in 1610 and their legacy is very much in
evidence in both the architecture and culture. Mountain Ibex and rare birds flourish in
this natural park that also boasts the cleanest air in Europe.
This is the Spain of 1000 years ago, where the Moorish influence is strongest. It is a region of mountains and hills covered with wild thyme, chestnuts and broom, criss-crossed by ancient trading routes and perfect to explore by horse.
The second of the main trails meanders throughout the Contraviesa, a panorama of undulating hills and pretty whitewashed villages rising from the Mediterranean Sea. The rural lifestyle continues as it has done for hundreds of years with the cultivation of almonds, figs and grapes for the local wine. Mules and draught animals are still used to plough the fields and for transport, as many of the farms and vineyards are inaccessible by car. As with the Alpujarra, the scenery and vegetation changes with the altitude allowing us to ride through an ever changing landscape – from the crisp, cool air and blue skies of alpine forests to the warm balmy breezes of blossom-scented citrus groves.
There
are two main eight day trails used according to the time of year. The Nevada Blue is used in the summer months, it
is the higher trail and takes its name
from the clear skies of the Sierra Nevada and the rare blue butterfly of the same name. The ride boasts
some spectacularly panoramic scenery and charming Moorish villages, roaming
through the Las
Alpujarras mentioned above.
In spring and autumn, the Green Sierra ride spends less time in the high Alpujarra and heads towards the warm, undulating hills of the Sierra de Contraviesa to enjoy the warm breezes from the Mediterranean and the semi-tropical environment of this beautiful coastal range.
Either way, the climate is usually ideal for riding and seldom wet as the area boasts 330 days of sunshine a year. Both routes offer some challenging riding at all paces and are embarked upon in the same spirited style of great riding, great food, excellent wine and friendly atmosphere that have made Andalucia famous the world over.
The
Mountain Spirit Trail: 4 days - 3 days riding
This ride explores the upper reaches of
the Trevelez and Poquiera Valleys and was designed to give those
with less time an insight into this amazing area.
This ride was recently described by Gary Ashton-Coulton in HORSE magazine as "....the best holiday I have ever had"
All rides offer some challenging riding at all paces and are embarked upon in the same spirited style of great riding, great food, excellent wine and most of all, terrific fun.
These riding holidays are for experienced riders of a 'fit intermediate' standard, i.e. able to mount and dismount unaided and lead a horse for 20 minutes over rough terrain, comfortable at all paces and able to control a horse in open country.
Each day will consist of 4-6 hours of riding with a long lunch break, typically a picnic or tapas at a local bar. Groups are a maximum of 8 people and the overnight stops are in charming and comfortable local hotels, with excellent local food and wine included.
There is flexibility to adjust the departure times and to take local fiestas and happenings into account, and plenty of time to stop and enjoy the unbelievably beautiful scenery. Some of the terrain is very high, 8000' approximately and a good head for heights is a useful asset.
All the horses are full Andalucian (a breed famous for its intelligence, elegance and noble spirit) or Hispano Arab and a delight to ride. Between 14.3hh to 16.1hh, with a weight limit of 13.5stone (86Kgs) and schooled by the tour operators who also sell these magnificent animals. There is a particular pride in the quality and suitability of the horses. For more details see Horse and Rider magazine Jan 2001.
The tack is horse
and rider friendly - all snaffles or similar gentle bits. Good quality English tack
with state of the art seat-savers for both horse and rider (i.e. both under and on the
saddle) making the ride as comfortable as possible for all concerned.
The luggage is moved by a 4x4 support vehicle, but saddlebags are provided for personal items needed on the route.
The tours are run by a British couple Sophie Carver and Rick Page both experienced riders and expert guides, assisted by local staff with knowledge of the area and its horses.
|
From |
To | Trail | Price | Single Supp |
| March 18th |
March 25th |
Green Sierra | £795 | £ |
| April 1st | April 8th | Green Sierra | £795 | £ |
| April 15th | April 22nd | Green Sierra | £845 | £ |
| April 29th | May 6th | Green Sierra | £845 | £ |
| May 7th | May 11th | Mountain Spirit | £555 | £ |
| May 13th | May 20th | Green Sierra | £845 | £ |
| May 21st | May 25th | Mountain Spirit | £555 | £ |
| May 27th | June 3rd | Nevada Blue | £845 | £ |
| June 10th | June 17th | Nevada Blue | £845 | £ |
| June 24th | July 1st | Nevada Blue | £845 | £ |
| July 8th | July 15th | Nevada Blue | £795 | £ |
| Sept 2nd | Sept 9th | Green Sierra | £845 | £ |
| Sept 10th | Sept 14th | Mountain Spirit | £555 | £ |
| Sept 16th | Sept 23rd | Green Sierra | £845 | £ |
| Sept 30th | Oct 7th | Green Sierra | £845 | £ |
| Oct 14th | Oct 21st | Green Sierra | £845 | £ |
| Oct 22nd | Oct 26th | Mountain Spirit | £555 | £ |
Rooms
Accommodation is in locally owned country hotels on a twin-share
basis with en-suite facilities, reflecting the charm and history of the Alpujarra to the best effect.
Generally speaking only the best hotels available in the areas visited are used
All have en-suite bathrooms and many have swimming pools. The single supplement is payable if you need a single room, but single travellers will usually be able to share with someone of the same gender.
Food We would never
dream of riding on anything less that a full stomach and realise that a happy
stomach is one of the most important aspects of an active holiday.
Alpujarra is particularly renowned for its mountain air-cured hams, local cheeses,
French-style bread and almost every
conceivable
vegetable. Wine is provided at lunch and dinner each night, a different
bottle for each meal to ensure you have the opportunity of sampling at least a
small selection of the almost inexhaustible varieties available.
Lunch is either a picnic prepared and delivered to a suitable spot by the support vehicle, or at a local bar. Those who don’t eat meat have traditionally had a tough time in Spain, but this is not true of these rides as they are particularly sympathetic to the needs of vegetarians.
For more information please email us at: Free Spirit Travel or call us on: 01273-564230
