Four Hour Yorkshire Dales Trek
For Elizabeth's
birthday, I offered her a hack or trek of her choice - she decided on the 4
Hour "Goredale and Bordley" Trek from the Yorkshire Dales Trekking Centre, near
Malham. They use exclusively Dales Ponies. This ride took us on a big circle
around and over the top of Goredale Scar and Malham Cove, then back down in
a large circle.
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Pretty early in the trek. The lady looking back is Zana, our guide
and part-owner of Yorkshire Dales Trekking Centre with her mom. |
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Just peeking around the edge of Goredale Scar |
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Towards the end of the trek. The day turned out to be windy, cold
and damp, so we were all at various degrees of chilled. Oscar, my
ride, had been very naughty, so there were some exciting moments
of bucking when we were cantering. |
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View across the Dales with Zana. Unfortunately, I've forgotten the
name of her pony. |
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That's me on Oscar, and Elizabeth on Gracey, who is Oscar's Mom.
She had to put him in his place a couple of times on the trek. |
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heading back down, that's Malham just barely seen in the valley. |
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The ponies at the Yorkshire Dales Trekking Centre are all Dales ponies,
and I quite like them. They're surefooted and sensible, and easy to
ride. They probably have Friesian blood, since they bear more than a
passing resemblance to that horse breed.
Zana's theory for Oscar's bad behavior
- aside from bucking at the canter/gallop, he was also threatening the
horses that would try to pass, and biting his mom on the bum - was that
he's feeling quite full of himself, after a successful day at showjumping
recently (he took second).
At any rate, I felt quite secure
and unafraid, so it was no biggie to me (tho my back'll be sore tomorrow).
Elizabeth and I both had a great time, but the consensus was that four
hours was a bit too long :) |
