Ride Overview
If you’re interested in horseback riding in the Highlands – Assynt, Scotland is completely for you! The area offers breathtaking scenery and a rugged landscape that’s perfect for exploring on horseback. This ride is perfect for those who want to get a taste of what riding in the Highlands is like. This express route incorporates some amazing tracks from our popular Coast to Coast itinerary into a shorter ride jam packed full of adventure and beautiful Scottish terrain.
This ride is designed for intermediate riders and covers approximately 45 miles. It includes features like riding along coastal paths, exploring the rugged terrain between Lochinver and Glen Canisp, and experiencing stunning views of the surrounding mountains. Riders are encouraged to help with horse care as well.
Dates: Sept. 16-19, Sept. 21-24 (this date is ridden in reverse)
Rate: $2,745.00USD or 2035£ per person shared (twin or double room)
Included
- 3 nights accommodation
- 4 days of guided riding
- All meals as indicated
- Horse and all tack
- Guiding services
- All local taxes
- Transfers to/from Inverness at pre set time
Not Included
- Airfare
- Travel insurance
- Beverages
- Gratuities for the team at the end of the program
Day 1: Clachtoll to Glen Canisp: 10 Miles
You will be collected in the morning outside the library at the bus station in Inverness at 07.30am and transported to Clachtoll on the West coast to start the ride.
After a brief pre-ride meeting we head off on the adventure, initially following the single track road before joining the coastal path to the beach at Achmelvich. From there, we head over the hills on a tiny path winding its way between the rocky landscape with fantastic views of the mountains of Assynt before descending into Lochinver and heading to Glen Canisp, where we leave the horses for the night.
Accommodation is at Inchnadamph hotel ("field of the stags"), which often lives up to its name with plenty of Red Deer stags grazing in the adjacent field..
Day 2: Glen Canisp to Ledmore: 12 Miles
Leaving Glen Canisp, we head inland along a stalkers track winding through the wild Assynt scenery between the beautiful peaks of Canisp and Suilven. Suilven is the ‘Pillar Rock’ – named by the Vikings and one of the most iconic mountains of Scotland. We wind our way between these two beautiful mountains beside lochs and streams. We often see eagles in this area!
Day 3: Ledmore to Oykel Bridge: 20 Miles
Leaving Ledmore, we follow the single track road for about 4km, then head towards Ben More Lodge on an estate track to Loch Ailsh, where the river Oykel begins.
On into the forest and onto the grassy trail that hugs the twisting banks of the Oykel – a river famous for its salmon fishing. We leave the riverside and ride through the forest with views to the hills of Wester Ross, descending beside a tumbling stream to the estate track that takes us to Oykel Bridge.
We leave the horses at Oykel Bridge and spend the night at the Achness Hotel nearby.
Day 4: Oykel Bridge to Ullapool: 25 Miles
Leaving Oykel Bridge, we back track for about a mile to get back onto the old drover road which leads to Ullapool. We follow this ancient track through the hills, and across a river, and ride beside pretty lochs, onwards to Rhidorroch Estate. A good day for spotting deer and lots of stunning scenery and we often see golden eagles soaring above us as we ride.
Rhidorroch is very pretty, with towering crags and lots of birch and alder woods beside crystal clear rivers and sparkling lochs.
We finish our ride at Ullapool, a small, pretty fishing town on the West coast where we say goodbye to the horses before transferring back to Inverness with an estimated arrival of 7-8PM.
