Taking part in Rideathon? The money you raise will help to keep riders off the roads and restore multi-user routes that can be enjoyed by everyone. If our off-road routes disappear, so do some of our best days in the saddle. Help us protect them by taking part in Rideathon, raising funds and spreading the word.
We’re always working hard to restore and register your favourite off-road routes but if you do come across an access issue while riding, find out how you can report it here. Here are just some examples of how your donations are making a difference.
Tavistock, Devon, England
There was a lack of parking for horse boxes and trailers around 25 kilometres of safe off-road trails by the west of Tavistock around Devon Great Consols Mines, which is a World Heritage Site. We were contacted by Fleur Forer of the Tamar Trails Happy Hackers and trustee for the Tamar Community Trust.
We identified a former car park as a suitable site for horse box parking which would give direct access to the trails. To make this suitable for horse box parking, the area needed to be levelled out and resurfaced, with many tons of aggregate added. A post and rail perimeter fence to totally enclose the site was added to make it secure, along with an entrance gate for vehicles and a roped off gap created for horses to ride through to access the trails. Next to the fence, which can be used as a hitching rail, there is a wooden purpose-built mounting block.
This work was made possible through fundraising and a near £1,000 contribution from our Ride Out Fund.
Llandrindod Horse Park, Powys, Wales
In September 2022 we helped to fund the Llandrindod Wells Horse Park at The Llanerch Inn. The horse park supports sustainable travel, provides a place for horses to be ‘parked’ while in town and aims to promote active travel in the area.
It consists of two corrals under trees to provide shelter from the elements, and a secure tack locker so equipment can be left safe while running errands. Water and hay are provided too.
We hope this will become a flagship project and news of its creation will spread further afield, with horse parks springing up in many other rural towns, to offer a climate-friendly, slow travel alternative, which highlights the increasing value of the horse in 21st century communities.
Haddington Longniddry railway, East Lothian, Scotland
Our Ride Out Fund contributed £300 to enable path managers in East Lothian to install grip strips on two strategic wooden bridges to make sure that horse riders can continue to use the paths safely for the foreseeable future.
Volunteers worked on the disused railway line running between Haddington and Longniddry in East Lothian, including a number of BHS volunteers on a very wet Friday in November. This is a very popular riding route, but concerns had been raised by local horse riders that the two bridges on this route can become slippery when wet.
Haddington to Longniddry Railway Walk is a disused railway line that links two small towns. This route is a core path and connects to the adjacent access network. It’s very popular with horse riders and other users and has various liveries close by.
This positive work was jointly funded by BHS Ride Out Fund and Paths for All, a Scottish access charity.
Gortin Glen Forest, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council opened a new parking facility for horse boxes / trailers and 8km of off-road horse trails which we were happy to have financially supported. A wheelchair-accessible mounting block has also been provided.
Horse riders can now bring their horses and experience the views of the trails which can be accessed by foot and by trailer/lorry, enabling safe access to the trails.
We presented the facility with our BHS National Access Award in recognition of the Council’s efforts in delivering this project. This award is presented to organisations who support the equestrian community in preserving existing and developing new safe off-road places to ride.