equitrekking travel
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Ireland Training, Trails & Medieval Village Ride Cooley Peninsula, Ireland
General Info
An equestrian escape on the picturesque Cooley Peninsula, a hidden gem in Northeastern Ireland.
Enjoy the signature two day overnight trek to the medieval town of Carlingford with its charming pubs and restaurants. Add on lessons in dressage, cross country jumping, show jumping or flatwork with your trek or a riding vacation at nearby Castle Leslie for the ultimate Ireland horse vacation.
You’ll be riding at Ravensdale Lodge, a British Horse Society approved equestrian centre, located on 40 acres of parkland in the idyllic countryside against the Cooley Mountains and the National Forestry’s Award-winning Ravensdale forest. Ravensdale is centrally located only an hour from Dublin and Belfast. This area of Ireland is steeped in history and local legend. Wide-open spaces ideal for trotting and cantering, forested lanes that lead to old stone age circles and historic turf cutters roads surrounded by fields of bogland make for interesting horse riding, as do Ravensdale’s professional riding facilities.
Owner Niall Connelly, the fourth generation of his family to be born and raised on Ravensdale’s farm, rode with Emmy nominated host and equestrian travel expert Darley Newman in one of Equitrekking's Ireland TV shows. Ravensdale’s refurbished slated stone and brick buildings have been tastefully converted into stables and the Equestrian Center features two indoor arenas, two of Ireland’s biggest all weather grass arenas, and an impressive cross country course. The centre has won four Irish National Enterprise Awards over a ten-year period in 1997, 2002 and twice in 2007.
Awards & Accolades
Watch Niall Connelly with Equitrekking host Darley Newman in the Equitrekking Coastal Ireland, part of Equitrekking's second season.
B.H.S (British Horse Society) examination facility
B.H.S (British Horse Society) approved trainers
1997, 2002 & 2007 National Enterprise Award Winner for the Service sector.
"Ravensdale Lodge is a top class equine facility used by Teagasc as a demonstration unit for our horse training programs, John O'Beirne, Teagasc.
“Ravensdale Lodge boasts first class equine facilities that we can rely on to produce horses to the highest possible standards." Henry Beeby, CEO Doncaster Bloodstock Sales
Featured twice on the Irish TV series “No Frontiers” and in the “Irish Times” newspaper and Setanta Sport, TV Summer campaign.
Packing
Packing Tips for Ireland Riding Holidays
Please see Equitrekking Travel’s General Packing List for Suggestions.
Laundry service available at some hotels. Please ask us at the time of your booking.
Be sure to bring for this trip:
- Rain jacket
- Riding helmet ( if you don’t have one you can borrow one from the riding center)
- Riding boots
- Layered clothing
About the Horses
Ravensdale is home to 30 well-trained mounts suitable for trail riding and trekking, as well as schooling in cross country, dressage and showjumping.
Activities/Events
Ravensdale’s Cross-Country Course
Designed by world renowned course builder Tommy Brennan, Ravensdale’s cross-country course offers something for every level of rider. Built over 40 acres of parkland, forest and river, the course includes natural stone, log and bank fences that feature challenging water and newgrange complexes. Together with an inviting introductory play area consisting of 20 more novice rustic fences, this course provides plenty of options in a beautiful setting.
Lessons
Ravensdale Lodge Equestrian and Trekking Centre offers qualified lessons in all aspects of equitation, including showjumping, dressage and cross country. Ravensdale is approved by the Association of Irish Riding Establishments (AIRE) and British Horse Society (BHS). Ravensdale strives to provide lessons in a relaxed and fun way and can accommodate all levels from beginners' horse riding to advanced horse riding lessons. Lessons incorporate flatwork and jumping.
The Arena
Ravensadale Lodge is proud to announce the opening of its Arena Maximus, where Ravensdale hosts training shows and registered shows.
Specifications:
All Weather Grass Arenas (similar to RDS)
Indoor Area: 65m x 40m
Outdoor Arena: 60m x 40m
Area Attractions
Medieval town of Carlingford: This historic town has many restaurants, pubs and historic sites, like King John’s Castle, built by the Normans to keep watch over the port, and Taafe’s Castle, a 16th century fortified home that demonstrates the wealth that some of Carlingford’s merchant families garnered from trade. Carlingford’s historic sites are well preserved, making a stroll in this village, a true step back in time.
Proleek Dolmen: A megalithic tomb that dates back to around 3000 B.C. Thought to be the entrance to an ancient burial tomb.
Accommodations/Food
Accommodations
Area hotels and B&Bs, most likely Carrickdale Hotel or something similiar. On your two day, you’ll ride from Ravensdale’s Equestrian Center to the medieval town of Carlingford, where you may choose to stay in the Four Seasons Hotel or Ghan House, both of which are in the center of town, so you can walk to area pubs and restaurants.
The Ghan House is a historic family run Georgian House now in it's 17th year of continuous business. Besides accommodations, the Ghan House has an upscale restaurant, bedrooms and cooking school. Set apart from the hustle of the village within walled grounds just steps from Carlingford’s old town gate, Ghan House is an oasis of Georgian ambience, gardens and fine dining. The Ghan House has been voted as one of the 'Best 100 Places to Stay in Ireland’ from 1998 to 2010 by the Bridgestone Guide.
4 Seasons is steps away from Carlingford’s old town gate and Ghan House. 4 Seasons is a more modern, mid-sized hotel with an award winning leisure center including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi and outdoor hot tub.
Food
Meals are included where indicated.
Drinks
Alcoholic beverages are available at the various hotels and inns where guests will stay and in local towns like Carlingford at the pub.
The Ideal Traveler
The ideal traveler is looking for a spectacular riding vacation in a lesser visited area of Ireland that's truly a hidden gem.
Equestrian Training & Trail Riding 4 nights
Dates & Rates 2012
5 days/ 4 nights available with minimum of 4 in your party upon request.
$1,282 USD* per person double occupancy (923 Euros)
* Rates may fluctuate based on currency conversions. Prices include accommodations, transportation from local train station, some meals and riding lessons where indicated, two day Carlingford overnight trek. Does not include flights or option for Dublin add on.
Day 1
You’ll be picked up at the local train station. Welcome dinner (included) and night at area hotel, only five minutes from Ravensdale’s Equestrian Center.
Day 2
You’ll be transported to Ravensdale’s Equestrian Centre after breakfast (included). One hour lesson in the morning. In the afternoon, enjoy a two-hour horse trek, perhaps through the valley of “Caraban” and “Dulargy”, following the footsteps of the legendary Irish folk hero. There are truly spectacular views of just about everywhere! Or trek into Ravensdale Forest Park, recipient of the National Forestry Award. After winding your way up through the hilly forest tracks you will come out onto the turf cutter's road. As you ascend, a panoramic vista is unveiled slowly before you eyes. You'll take in the majesty of the Cooley mountains and peninsula, the beauty of the magnificent Mourne Mountains as they sweep down to the shores of Carlingford Lough, and the lough itself which divides these two ranges of mountains.
Just when you feel you've seen all that there is to be seen, the horses reach Clermont Carn, the summit of Annaverna, and second highest point in the Cooley mountains, where a truly spectacular 360 degree vista of unrivalled beauty is presented. From this vantage point, on a clear day, up to eight counties of Ireland can be seen. The descent to the stables takes about 40 minutes and gives you plenty of time to savor the views. Late afternoon you’ll be transported back to your hotel. Dinner at the hotel tonight is included.
Day 3
You’ll be transported to Ravensdale’s Equestrian Center after breakfast (included). You’ll want to bring an overnight bag (the rest of your belongings can be left at the hotel or at Ravensdale), because today you start your two day trek. You’re riding from Ravensdale to the waterside medieval town of Carlingford. On the full day trek over the mountain from Ravensdale into Carlingford, you’ll find spectacular views of the Cooley Peninsula and pass diverse scenery including lush green farmland, woodland, an old turf cutters road, mountains and bogland. Riding along small country roads, you'll see what life is like in this authentic area of Ireland. A good day’s craic (Irish for "fun") guaranteed! You’ll feast on a gourmet picnic lunch on your way with warm rolls, sausage and sandwiches, chocolate, hot tea and more.
The Cooley Peninsula is dotted with seaside towns, like Carlingford, which has been a popular destination since the Vikings invaded in the 9th century. Carlingford’s historic sites are well preserved, making a stroll in this village, a true step back in time. Once you arrive to Carlingford, you’ll have earned a drink at the local pub. Tonight you can explore Carlingford, as you’re sleeping in a centrally located hotel, right in town. There are local restaurants and pubs within walking distance. Enjoy exploring Carlingford.
Day 4
After breakfast (included), you’ll mount your horses for the day trek back over the mountain to Ravensdale’s Riding Center. You’ll have lunch on the trail as you enjoy riding the Cooley Mountains.
Late afternoon you’ll be transported back to your hotel. Dinner at the hotel tonight is included.
Day 5
Morning lesson or cross country (for advanced riders) before you’re transported back to the train station or travel onwards in Ireland.
Since the Ravensdale's world class equestrian center is only an hour from Dublin, this riding trip is a great vacation to combine with time in Dublin. Castle Leslie is also about an hour's drive, so you may want to combine this 5 day Ireland Training, Trails & Medieval Village Ride or the 3 night trek with a visit to Castle Leslie to ride the estate grounds or take lessons in cross country or jumping. Equitrekking Travel's preferred provider of travel services, can arrange your Dublin lodging, transportation and itinerary as requested for before or after your stay at Ravensdale.
* This itinerary is subject to change due to weather or the guide's discretion.
Medieval Village Trek 3 nights
Groups may enjoy pairing this trek with a few days riding at Castle Leslie, which is only an hour's drive from Ravensdale.
Dates & Rates 2012
4 days/ 3 nights available with minimum of 4 in your party upon request.
Midweek 4 Seasons
$807 USD* (581 Euros) per person double occupancy B & B rate*
Midweek Ghan House
$850 USD (612 Euros) per person double occupancy B & B rate*
Weekend 4 Seasons
$894 USD* (644 Euros) per person double occupancy B & B rate
Weekend Ghan House
$937 USD* (675 Euros) per person double occupancy B & B rate*
*Rates may change based on currency conversions. Prices include accommodations, breakfast every day, lunch on the trek for 2 days and no other meals.
On this 3 night riding vacation package, horse ride from Ravensdale's fourth generation farm and world class equestrian center to the waterside medieval town of Carlingford and back. Enjoy the local pubs and restaurants in Carlingford and spend nights at the historic Ghan House or 4 Seasons, your choice. Both of them are right in town.
Day 1
Arrive spend the night at the Carrickdale Hotel, a short drive from Ravensdale's Equestrian Centre.
Day 2
Meet at Ravensdale’s Equestrian Center, only a short five minute drive from Carrickdale Hotel, after breakfast (included). You’ll want to bring an overnight bag (the rest of your belongings can be left at the hotel or at Ravensdale), because today you start your two day trek. You’re riding from Ravensdale to the waterside medieval town of Carlingford. On the full day trek over the mountain from Ravensdale into Carlingford, you’ll find spectacular views of the Cooley Peninsula and pass diverse scenery. Ride through lush green farmland, woodland, along an old turf cutters road, mountains and bogland. Trekking along small country roads, you'll see what life is like in this scenic, authentic area of Ireland. A good day’s craic (Irish for "fun") guaranteed! You’ll feast on a gourmet picnic lunch on your way with warm rolls, sausage and sandwiches, chocolate, hot tea and more.
Once you arrive to Carlingford, you’ll have earned a drink at the local pub. The Cooley Peninsula is dotted with seaside towns, like Carlingford, which has been a popular destination since the Vikings invaded in the 9th century. Carlingford’s historic sites are well preserved, making a stroll in this village, a true step back in time. Tonight you’re free to explore Carlingford. Both the Ghan House and 4 Seasons are centrally located hotel, right in town. There are local restaurants and pubs within walking distance. Enjoy exploring Carlingford.
The Ghan House is a historic family run Georgian House now in it's 17th year of continuous business. Besides accommodations, the Ghan House has an upscale restaurant, bedrooms and cooking school. Set apart from the hustle of the village within walled grounds just steps from Carlingford’s old town gate, Ghan House is an oasis of Georgian ambience, gardens and fine dining.
4 Seasons is steps away from Carlingford’s old town gate and Ghan House. 4 Seasons is a more modern, mid-sized hotel with an award winning leisure center including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi and outdoor hot tub.
Day
After breakfast (included), mount your horses for the day trek back over the mountain to Ravensdale’s Riding Center. You’ll have lunch on the trail as you enjoy riding the Cooley Mountains. Late afternoon you’ll be transported back to your hotel.
Day 4 Depart
Consider pairing this trek with another few days riding at Castle Leslie, which is only an hour's drive from Ravensdale.
* This itinerary is subject to change due to weather or the guide's discretion.
Traveler Reviews
Traveler Review emailed to Equitrekking Travel
Now that we have been and returned I thought I'd let you know what a wonderful time I (we) had with Niall at Ravensdale and at Castle Leslie. Niall said we were his first Equitrekking trip. He and Delores were very sweet and we had a fun time on the ride to Carlingford and back. He obviously loves his country and is knowledgable in the history. We loved the Belvedere B&B and ate at the Bay Tree which was excellent. Thank you for your suggestions and booking. It was all so easy. Castle Leslie was also wonderful, of course. We were upgraded to castle rooms and they were so charming. The weather couldn't have been nicer. I would definitely recommend both locations.
Sincerely,
-- Janet from Moorpark, CA
We are delighted to announce that Ravensdale Lodge Equestrian and Trekking Centre were today awarded the Association of Irish Riding Establishments (A.I.R.E) and Failte Ireland (Ireland, Land of The Horse) Equestrian Tourism Classification Certificate at the Hodson Bay Hotel in Athlone.This prestigious new classification within the equestrian tourism industry has only been awarded to a handful of centres, which meet the strict criteria, around the country and Ravensdale Lodge is the only facility in County Louth to have the classification.
This follows hot on the heels of been listed as a B.H.S (British Horse Society) examination and "where to train facility" over the past few weeks. There are only a handful of centres in the country which have been passed as an exanimation facility where horse riding instructors are trained and examined.These classifications cement Ravensdale Lodges place as leaders in the area of equestrian training in the North East.
-- Dundalk News
This part of northeastern Ireland lies in the less-visited County Louth, the nation’s smallest county. Though small, Louth offers a wealth of special treasures. Here trails forged by the great Irish heroes ascend into the Ravensdale Forest, and it is here that the Táin Bó Cúailnge, Ireland’s greatest epic poem, originated. An Irish sport horse, a cross between the Irish draught and the thoroughbred known for its athleticism and speed, is an excellent companion on explorations of the Cooley Peninsula, as the trails open up into long, smooth stretches ideal for a good canter or gallop and riders cross old stone bridges over ravines overgrown with vegetation to find ancient Stone Age circles hidden amid the woods.
-- Darley Newman, Equitrekking: Travel Adventures on Horseback book winner of the 2008 Merit Award for Best Travel Book by the North American Travel Journalists Association
Reading List
General Guidebooks & Novels
Fodor's Ireland 2010 (Fodor's Gold Guides) (Paperback)
Updated annually, Fodor’s Ireland provides the most accurate and up-to-date information available in a guidebook.
Ireland: Eyewitness Travel Guide (Paperback) by Tim Perry
Amazon.com Review-- You'd be hard-pressed to find a more comprehensive, engrossing and just plain fun-to-read guidebook than the Eyewitness Travel Guide: Ireland. Spilling over with all sorts of useful information for the traveler, you'll find three-dimensional drawings, floor plans, detailed neighborhood maps with a street-finder index, and even historical timelines.
The Star of the Sea, a novel by Joseph O’Connor
Publisher’s Weekly-- First published in the U.K. and shortlisted for Irish Novel of the Year, this brooding new historical fiction by novelist, playwright and critic O'Connor (Cowboys and Indians) chronicles the mayhem aboard Star of the Sea, a leaky old sailing ship crossing from Ireland to New York during the bitter winter of 1847, its steerage crammed to the bulkheads with diseased and starving refugees from the Irish potato famine.
History Enthusiasts
How the Irish Saved Civilization (Hinges of History) (Paperback) by Thomas Cahill
Amazon.com Review-- In this delightful and illuminating look into a crucial but little-known "hinge" of history, Thomas Cahill takes us to the "island of saints and scholars," the Ireland of St. Patrick and the Book of Kells.
Short History of Ireland (Paperback) by Richard Killeen
Since its first publication in 1994 Richard Killeen's Short History of Ireland has been widely accepted as the most accessible introduction to Irish history. It presents the history of Ireland in attractive double paged spreads, which can be quickly read to give an easy overview of the key events of Irish history. It is superbly illustrated with over 150 full color photographs, paintings and drawings.
A History of Ireland (Paperback) by Mike Cronin
Publisher’s Weekly-- A research fellow in history at De Montfort University Leicester (U.K.), Cronin offers synopsis with little insight in this overview of Irish history.
Modern Ireland: 1600-1972 (Penguin history) (Paperback) by R.F. Foster
Publisher’s Weekly-- In what PW described as an "engaging revisionist chronicle," the author traces Irish history from 1600, when the country had a subsistence economy and was home to a welter of peoples, each of whom defined their "Irishness" differently, to the 1970s, when Ireland--despite three centuries of conquest and fissure--was a country with a powerful identity.
Equitrekking Coffee Table Companion Book & DVD
Equitrekking Travel Adventures on Horseback by Darley Newman with Photographs by Chip Ward available at Amazon.com
This companion to the PBS TV series, Equitrekking, proves that the world's most beautiful views are often best seen from atop a horse. This gorgeous book features dozens of scenic rides in the U.S. and around the globe. Denver Post review: For horse folk and dreamers, as well as fans of the show, it's a beautiful trip through stunning equestrian-friendly possibilities.
Equitrekking DVD's featuring Emmy winning PBS episodes, available in the Shop section of Equitrekking.com
Get off the beaten path to see some of the world's most beautiful horses and classic riding destinations with host and equestrian travel expert Darley Newman with Emmy Award-winning Equitrekking, the horseback riding travel series on PBS.
Season One: Vermont, the Carolinas, Georgia Coast, Wyoming, Colorado and Spain.
Season Two: Iceland, Coastal Ireland, Hawaii's Big Island, Irish Countryside, Maui, Virginia Hunt Country and California Wine Country.
Season Four: Southern Spain, Alaska, Central Turkey, Quebec City and Beyond, Scotland and Wales.
Good Books for Horse Lovers and Equestrians
Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior (Paperback) by Temple Grandin
Philosophers and scientists have long wondered what goes on in the minds of animals, and this fascinating study gives a wealth of illuminating insights into that mystery. ---Publishers Weekly
The Horse: A Miscellany of Equine Knowledge (Hardcover) by Julie Whitaker with Ian Whitelaw
The Horse is an informative gallop through everything to do with the horse: evolution, history, biology, breeds, behavior, training, competition, health, and care—all gathered into an accessible gallery of solid information, essential facts, and fascinating trivia.
Hunter Seat Equitation (Hardcover) by George H. Morris
A classic by a world-renowned teacher and master equestrian--the definitive work on the art of teaching and riding the hunter seat, now updated to include refinements in Morris's insightful program of riding instruction.
The New Encyclopedia of the Horse (Hardcover) by Elwyn Hartley Edwards
Chronicling the history of the horse, this guide encompasses the early domestication of the horse, classical riding styles, as well as a survey of the great stud farms and current international sporting events.