Riding centre blurb: "After selecting your equine partner and having a brief assessment at the Calliaghstown Riding Centre you will be sent on your way for a memorable journey through the magnificent scenery of the Gardens of Ireland. A fun ride is ahead in the Sleavetoule Forest with optional natural jumps and then follow the quiet country lanes down to the Kilteel Inn for lunch. Here you will have your first opportunity to see a real Irish castle - Kilteel Castle was built in the early 13th century. The afternoon ride takes you across the heather and gorse covered Sorell Hill overlooking the Blessington Lakes and you will finish your ride in the old granite villages of Lacken and Ballyknocken.”
Now for the real story: we (4 Americans, 2 Germans and us), were assigned our horses: I have an 8 year old Irish cob named Sunny Boy, and Sally has a Chestnut mare called Lacey. Around 10:45 we headed out with our guides Aoife and Tanya. We went down country roads, past fields with horses or cattle or sheep grazing.
Turned into the forest and wound our way up to the top of the mountain and stopped to take pictures of the vista below: fields, hedges and villages.
When we passed the castle ruins we knew we were close to our lunch stop and sure enough soon the ivy covered Kilteel Inn came into view.
After lunch Terry (our driver) drove us to the next trailhead and we headed up another mountain until we overlooked Blessington Lake. The trail down was a narrow rocky path, boggy at times, past more sheep, cattle and horses with foals. There was cotton grass growing in one area, then heather and wild rhodos.
Went through a gate, and down a tiny country lane, with moss covered rock walls on either side, plus blackberries, wild roses, foxgloves and other flowers.
Finally we rode through the tiny village of Lackan, which consists of a general store, church, pub and houses. It was a great first day, sunny then cloudy, a bit of wind, but no rain. Anthony our horse wrangler was waiting with the lorry (big truck/horse trailer), and we repaired to the pub. The horses go back to the riding centre for the night.
Photo: CC by Just chaos
