Some of these accounts go back a few years and there’s a little catch up going on with older travel journals. One of these was a trip I made to Spain in 2004. This was the first big trip I’d made solo and I think I went a little overboard in making sure everyone knew where I was going and what I was doing – just in case anything happened.
After a look around the internet, I found a company called Hidden Trails (incidentally I’ve used this company for two trips so far and found them reliable and good with service.) and I picked the Mountain to the Sea ride in Catalonia, Spain because... it was on special due to it being a low season trip.
Flying into Barcelona, I spent my first three days exploring the city, gazing at Gaudi’s masterpieces and eating seafood. On the fourth, I was picked up from the airport in Barcelona and was joined by two Swedish ladies travelling together and two German ladies who were also going solo.
It would be too long to do a blow – by – blow account of the trip. My first night there was spent in the beautiful country house of Can Jou, the ranch where we started the ride. We were introduced to the horses who would carry us over six days, (mine was a bay pony called Estrella) and our guide Rudy.
Memorable moments included going up the hills on the first day and getting rained on – a cold, slushy rain, with frost gathering on the ground. Having wine, cheese, bread and ham on the side of a meadow in the hills and then catching a flu from being soaked and cold.
But I think one of the amazing moments of the trip happened on the second day. We started our ride from the mountains to the Bay of Roses and we passed through the forest and a village, our horses’ hooves ringing out on the road. After a short stop in the village to pick up provisions for lunch, we left through the surrounding fields. The village was on the floor of a valley and as we rode across the valley the wind began to pick up. The fields began to sway and the rush of wind whistled past us. The horses were alert, their ears pricked. The sun still shone into the valley through the clouds, creating a bright glow across the floor. On top of this golden glow, dark grey thunderheads sat and we knew that they would soon be sweeping down on us. Rudy called us to gallop – we had to make it to the other side of the valley before the storm came down. With a cry of “Allez!” we were off, six horses and riders, racing across the swaying fields with a storm bearing down, illuminated by the air.
The ride description advises that riders be in fairly good shape for this ride, and they are not joking. We were on horseback for at least five hours most days, and one day we were on for eight hours! For a part of the trail we got off the horses and hiked uphill and down, leading them for about half an hour. We had long gallops that made us groan for the ache in our backs even as we were exhilarated to race down the trail.
Yet despite riding with a cold, and aching from the physical exertion, it was an incredible experience that was well worth it. The accommodation was in very comfortable country style hotels and the meals were excellent. There were lunches in the countryside, and the meal I remember best was a lamb stew dinner at an old farmhouse hotel we were staying at.
After riding through the old villages and forests, and galloping across the grey beach and into the waves, we ended with a champagne celebration back in Can Jou, a bubbly finish to the adventure.
That looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteI've never tried galloping on the beach, it must be loads of fun.
And what a perfect way to finish off the ride!