Saddle up to enjoy the natural beauty Hereford has to offer (From Hereford Times)

Saddle up to enjoy the natural beauty Hereford has to offer

9:00am Thursday 18th June 2009 in

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HORSE riders in the West Midlands can now enjoy previously inaccessible sites – thanks to the National Trust and its tenant farmers.

Trot approached the conservation charity three years ago, during a Defra-funded project for expansion and development of its scheme in the South East and West Midlands. A formal partnership was negotiated, and now the two charities are delighted to announce the first two route openings in the West Midlands.

Following the agreement, riders can now enjoy the picturesque views offered at the Brockhampton Estate and adjoining privately owned Whitbourne Estate in Herefordshire and the Dudmaston Estate in Shropshire.

Riders were invited to attend the official opening of these routes last month.

Chrissy Bacon, West Midlands regional development officer for Trot, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the National Trust with the common aim of providing horse riders with a safer and more enjoyable environment, away from the increasingly hazardous main roads and country lanes.

“Riding on the roads today is becoming more difficult in the face of ever-increasing volumes of traffic.

Even some of our country lanes are becoming ‘no go’ areas for horse riders.

“Trot’s exciting scheme, enabling co-operative collaboration between riders and landowners, aims to solve the difficulties by opening up areas of the countryside but leaving the landowner in control of who has access to the land and at what times.

“By opening its gates to Trot, the National Trust is not just offering riders access to a safer environment, but also the rare privilege of unprecedented access to some of the most glorious locations in England.”

Riders will be able to fully appreciate the relaxation of riding off-road, enjoying untold hours of pleasure discovering areas of beauty and tranquillity previously unknown to them.

Both routes provide more than 10 miles of off-road riding, crossing over parkland areas and pastureland, along farm tracks and through ancient woodlands.

The longer circular routes are interlinked with shorter circular rides offering riders a variety of routes of varying lengths.

Both routes offer stunning views of the surrounding counties of Shropshire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire, and riders will be able to enjoy long canter stretches, or to ride quietly while enjoying the diversity of nature and wildlife, which abounds undisturbed in these beautiful locations.

The Dudmaston route has the added attraction of a three-mile stretch running through meadows along the banks of the beautiful and peaceful River Severn.

Riders can also safely link from the Trot route via quiet country lanes across to the Alveley Country Park and over the River Severn on to the Jack Mytton Way, giving access to more than 100 miles of rural bridleways and quiet lanes.

The Brockhampton and adjoining privately owned Whitbourne Estate offer riders breathtaking views, quietude and tranquillity.

The route also links directly on to Bringsty Common, 220 acres of common land designated a Special Wildlife Site and a haven for birds and butterflies.

Riders from further afield also wishing to enjoy this route can do so, as there is bed and breakfast accommodation available for horse and rider in a 16th century farmhouse on the Brockhampton Estate, and groups can enjoy a self-catering farmhouse holiday with their horses on the Whitbourne Estate, both giving direct access on to the Trot route.

The glorious surroundings of Whitbourne Estate and Longlands Farm are owned by the Evans family.

Bill Evans manages the woodlands, and Julia the farm, keeping pedigree beef shorthorn cattle and lleyn sheep.

Julia also runs a riding for the disabled group based on the farm.

The Dudmaston, Brockhampton and Whitbourne routes, as well as the other Trot routes, (there are now more than 100 routes across England), are clearly waymarked with rider-friendly gates making them accessible to riders of all ages and abilities.

Jo Burgon, the National Trust’s head of access and recreation, welcomed this partnership. He said: “The National Trust has a long history of providing and extending access opportunities for a range of recreation activities.

“This scheme to enable horseriders to enjoy and experience traffic-free riding is to be applauded and it also adds new routes and makes better connections to the existing bridleway network.

“We welcome riders who are sensitive to the wildlife and farmland through which they ride.”

For further information about these and other Trot routes, call 01622 735599 or email info@tollrides.org.uk or visit the website at tollrides.org.uk