Grange Pony Trekking & Accommodation Est. 1957
Where are you based? In a little hamlet called Capel-y-Ffin. Seven miles south of Hay-on-Wye and 15 miles north of Abergavenny.
What horses can people ride and what are they like? We have a wonderful range of 40 horses at the moment. All different sizes and personalities. Even some young foals and yearlings bred on site recently. They are very intuitive and love being with other horses and to have people fuss with them.
Can anyone come and ride with you? Absolutely all ages and abilities are welcome to ride with us. The rides are all designed so that more experienced riders can stretch their legs out in the open countryside but beginners and novices can walk ahead and even trot if they’re feeling comfortable.
Can people come and ride with you even if they’re inexperienced? As we are in the mountains many of our horses are thicker set so that they have the ability to climb and navigate the mountains well. Amongst the herd we have a few which we call gentle giants. Perfect to look after inexperienced riders safely, as they explore the countryside at a steady pace. We have all sorts of other horses and ponies too.With their own skills such as leading the trek or cantering smoothly, we are able to allocate horses or ponies that are best suited for each individual person, based on their past experiences and confidence in a new environment, for their day in the saddle.
Describe what to expect on a full days trek: The full day trek is a wonderful adventure through the mountains for groups or individuals that want to see nature from a different perspective. With little to no phone signal, the experience is about five hours in total, with safety and riding demonstrations, approximately four hours riding and a stop for lunch. Even for longer rides like the full day, we have lower routes for cooler days and mountain top rides for the sunny days, so we do very much go out rain or shine.
Do you provide food for treks? We do certainly provide packed lunches for the full day treks and for half day riders, walkers and site see-ers if they would like. It’s a simple packed lunch of sandwiches, crisps, chocolate bar and a bottle of water but it will also be packed up or plated depending on your needs at lunch time.
Do you provide accommodation for large trekking groups? Yes, for large or small groups or individuals. Our bed and breakfast rooms are all ensuite with tea and coffee making facilities, and have different combinations of double and single beds for groups, friends, couples and/or families. Catering to any allergies and dietary requirements, our breakfasts are very filling, they set visitors up for all manner of activities for the day ahead. Evening meals can also be provided for larger groups as well as dinner and tourist recommendations, lifts and luggage transfers if so desired.
Which is your favourite route to trek and why? Personally, my favourite trek is over the Twmpa or ‘Lord Hereford’s Knob’, because from atop of a horse, it has always stirred up fantastic feelings of otherworldliness and freedom as you can see miles and miles of every different fork and valley of the area from a 1500ft 360* vantage point.
Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know? We also have one hour rides for the 4-7 year old range as well as glamping pods and unlimited camping too. All of our different riding experiences and accommodation options make the perfect mix and match holiday trips for families, groups of friends, colleagues or individuals to create a holiday of exploration that suits you.