Archive - Friday, 10 January 2003


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Horseriding holidays

A UNIQUE new network in the south Pennines that offers holiday accommodation for horses and their riders, along with hikers and bikers is looking for more farmers to join the scheme.

Such has been demand from tourists using the Mary Townley Loop - the first section of the new Pennine Bridleway - that the existing network is keen to sign up additional members. Eight farmers have already joined the Pennine Network, which was established with a grant from DEFRA's Rural Enterprise Scheme and provides accommodation along its route through Lancashire and Yorkshire.

Liz Wilde, co-ordinator for the Pennine Farm Holiday Group said: "These routes take you through some of the finest countryside in the north of England and you can ride for hours here without touching a road. We'd like to hear from farmers who are keen to develop new types of income and might be considering offering bed and breakfast."

The Mary Townley Loop is a 42-mile circular route, named after the horsewoman who rode from Derbyshire to Northumberland to launch the idea of the Pennine Bridleway. It has been developed using the historic network of bridleways, packhorse trails and ancient drove roads which criss-cross the backbone of England.

Its lack of steps and stiles make it fully accessible to horse riders, mountain bikers and walkers. Bridleways and paths from South Yorkshire, Bolton and Haworth feed into the loop, allowing visitors to travel for 60 miles without having to use the road network.

All the accommodation will be booked through a central service, which will plan the route, arrange for luggage to be transferred and also arrange a programme of visits along the route for non-riders or the simply saddle-sore.

Liz Wilde and the Pennine Farm Holiday Group can be contacted on (08700) 111571 or at www.penninefarmholidays.co.uk.

If you're involved with any equine activity or group, we'd like to hear from you and publicise your activities. Please send details with a contact telephone number to: Horsetails, Gazette & Herald, PO Box 29, 76-86 Walmgate, York YO1 9YN.

Updated: 11:05 Wednesday, January 08, 2003