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Your host at Aille Cross
is the legendary Irish horseman, Willie
Leahy, who is known throughout the world for
his famous Connemara and Coast trails.
This superb riding holiday takes place from
October to April amidst some of the most
beautiful countryside that County Galway is
famous for. It is a land of rolling hills
and green fields, divided by a latticework
of stone walls and quiet country roads. It
is a land rich in folklore, legend and
archaeological treasures all waiting to be
explored on the back of an Irish hunter or a
pure-bred Connemara pony.
The varied terrain includes the Slieve
Aughty mountains and large tracts of
woodland. On the trail there are
opportunities to jump a large variety of
natural obstacles, hedges, ditches and of
course the walls for which County Galway is
famous. All of these can be avoided if you
would rather not jump.
We would be delighted to custom design a
program for you that includes as much or as
little jumping and instruction as you like.
The trail provides riding and jumping at a
pace that can be varied to suit riders of
different abilities. Willie Leahy is famous
for matching horse and rider to ensure that
your holiday is as enjoyable as possible.
One of the highlights for more advanced
riders and for those wanting to improve
their jumping skills is the Dartfield event
course. The course was professionally
designed to accommodate riders and horses of
all levels from novice to advanced. An
international three-day 2-star event has
been held at the course since 2004,
attracting riders from all over the world,
including America and Europe. As well as the
international standard fences, there are
plenty of natural and man made fences that
any rider will enjoy jumping.
IT-IRRT01
Rates
include accommodations, meals and 5 riding
days. Hunt cap fees are extra
1. Local
B&B $ 1,775
Single: + $105
-- based on
€
1,250 / € 75
2. O’Dea’s
Hotel *** $
1,920
Single:
+ $180
-- based on
€
1,350 / € 125
2008 Dates:
Every Monday October to end of April
Meeting:
Loughrea
Airport: Galway/Dublin
Transfer:
extra - please call
Level:
Low intermediate to advanced (different
groups)
Tack:
English
Horses:
Irish Hunters, Connemara
Pace:
Moderate with trots, canters, optional jumps
Min/Max Riders: 4-16
Note:
if you want to participate in an actual
hunt, there will be an additional Hunt fee
of ~$145 per hunt (payable locally); for
transfers there are good train or bus
connections from Dublin to Galway or Loughrea (150 miles)
Accommodation for the week is at the
friendly local hunting hotel, O’Dea’s in
nearly Loughrea, or at family run B&B’s.
During the day a simple picnic lunch is
eaten with plenty of tea and hot port on
hand. The evening meal is taken at a variety
of friendly restaurants in the Loughrea
area.
Itinerary
Chances are, the day-by-day plan
you follow on the Cross Country Trail will
be much as outlined here, although pleasant
surprises may be added and the route altered
somewhat to take in a special happening.
As Willie himself has said, "Any of it can
be changed a little bit". What won't
change, however, is the opportunity to spend
several hours each day enjoying an exquisite
equestrian experience in a land of legend,
folklore and sheer fun.
Monday: Enjoy
an early lunch with the group before
starting the first part of the trail.
Ride from Aille Cross to Marble Hill (Ballinakill),
through farmland, forestry and low mountain
terrain. There you'll find a magical old
manor house in ruins since early in this
century. Towards evening you'll
ride through moorland and forestry in
Ballinakill, foothills of the Slieve Aughty
Mountains, an area rich in traditional music
and folklore.
Tuesday:
Starting at Marble Hill, you will ride
through an area dotted with numerous items
of archaeological interest.
Megalithic stone monuments and tombs left
behind by the Druids of Celtic times, and a
fairy fort, suggest fantastic tales of long
ago.
Although you may visit
their fort, you'll not see the fairies
themselves, which is just as well - for
those who do see them, as the tale tells,
are destined to vanish with them.
You'll have lunch at Marble Hill or perhaps
in a local pub. The reality of your
afternoon will include a cross country ride
in the direction of Woodford, overlooking
the River Shannon in the distance.
Wednesday:
With the River Shannon now at your back,
you'll begin the trek in a northeasterly
direction toward Loughrea. The
route will take you through a great
wasteland and you'll see bogs from which
turf for the peat fires is cut today as it
always has been. High up in the hills,
you'll find the most unusual scenery and the
modern world will be very far away indeed.
Lunch will be in a local pub where, perhaps
you'll meet a few locals for a chat and
glimpse of Irish country life.
As evening comes, you'll be nearing
Kilnadeema, where rolling hills with lush
green fields take over from rock and bog.
Thursday:
This day will be spent on horseback in and
around Kilnadeema, in the hills and farmland
overlooking Loughrea's legendary lake.
The precise route may be determined by where
the County Galway Hunt ("The Blazers") are
meeting that day. Arrangements can be made
for those who wish to hunt or for anyone who
would like to go to the meet, watch hounds
move off and perhaps follow for a while by
car. A packed lunch will be
provided and pub stops are an afternoon
possibility. In the evening,
if the day has been bright you may be lucky
enough to catch a sunset as you look over
Loughrea towards Galway Bay.
Friday:
This day is spent at Dartfield Cross Country
Course which was designed by Pat Monaghan
and built by Tony McManmon (who have
designed and built Event courses for the
most notable international and national
Event Championships throughout Ireland) for
the 'celebrated' Willie Leahy.
This day could be the highlight of your stay
with us. This superb course
boasts potentially the finest water jump in
Ireland. Of course, all jumps
are optional if one is not feeling so
adventurous. This Course was built to
emphasize progressive jumping and
confidence-building for the rider, enabling
our Guides the opportunity to increase your
confidence and ability in controlled
conditions.
Saturday:
During hunting season (late October through
February), Aille Cross Country Trail
participants may choose to spend the day
hunting with the County Galway Hunt.
If you do not wish to follow the hounds,
another day of riding through fields and
forestry will be available to bring your
cross country adventure to a scenic
conclusion. |
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