Horsing around

As I type this, I have blisters on my hands, sore arms and aching legs. It's all just a wonderful reminder that I was out horse-riding yesterday, and that it had been a while since last time I did - hence the 'injuries' of inexperience.

In the last post about my lovely bookshop, I told you how I'd found Saturdays somewhat wanting - until now. I finally seem to have found the perfect recipe for great Edinburgh weekends, notwithstanding the aches and weariness on Mondays. Starting with Saturdays in the bookshop, combined with strolling, reading, cafés and museums if one so pleases, Sunday should be spent on horseback for a few hours, then off to the pub quiz in Leith for some intellectual challenges. Bliss, as they say.

After many years of horseriding when I was but a wee girl, quite a while went by with no encounters of the equestrian type - if you don't count a marvellous beach ride in Morocco, but that was really more an exeption (and also far from the security measures employed over here). Then, in Dublin I discovered Glendalough Equestrian Centre, a diamond of a place nestled in the valley of the lakes, where two hour treks took us through forests and along rivers, near lakes and over glens. Pheasants, hares, foxes and deer were picturesquely dotted around the paths, and you expected to see fairies peek out from behind misty trees.

On Tower Farm in Edinburgh you are less likely to meet pheasants and fairies, and more likely to be hit in a head by a golf ball from the course that runs along the bridlepath (or the other way around), but the rides are still wonderful, winding their way through gorse and shrubbery, up hillsides and along well kept tracks. And the view is outstanding, taking in Arthur's Seat, the castle, Leith and everything around and beyond. Absolute serenity from the top of the world and on top of some of the most unbelievably beautiful animals. I wouldn't ask for more!

So this will be a regular pastime from now on, if my cowboy legs can take it. Mostly treks, and hopefully some obstacle jumping in the fields, as I've never really tried that, and I can only imagine the thrill of it. I also really fancy doing a Common Ride not too long from now, inspecting the city boundaries. And now that I'm a vegetarian on weekdays, I figure that earns me enough animal friendly points to justify the fact that I'd love to do hunting at some point...