Page 65 - Enjoy-It 2023

rubber boots on their travels and all the bridles are bitless.
The hack was fascinating, and considering it was bitless, it was very a controlled ride; we talked of all thing’s horses, dogs, travels, and trekking. I’ll be back for a couple of nights in the Highlands by saddle. Not quite the 300km route that Karen took around the Outer Hebrides, but we’ve all got to start somewhere?
The excursions just kept coming, every morning after a run and dip in the river, a hearty breakfast, and a short drive (easily walkable) to Highland Offroad for an hour on some pretty handy Polaris Phoenix quad bikes! We were given a very good introduction and safety direction (necessary as let’s not fool ourselves, we all think we
are Barry Sheen after a couple of sessions, don’t we?), then off with the big boys into the forests, over the rocky tracks, rivers, and through the wildlife; deer, birds of prey, rabbits, and riding like we were pros! And by the time we had debriefed with a swift single malt of course we were all pros!
The last morning was spent at the superbly managed and presented County Clays. We are all keen on shooting the clays, and some into the feathered variety when in season, so this excursion had much to live up to... No worries there. Lindsey Taylor’s welcome was smooth and warm with fresh coffee all round, with introductions to the instructors. Split into two teams (them and us!) we set off with an instructor per group to start the North South battle. With gentle and effective instruction, it seemed that our ‘instructor’ was pretty handy, we were set for victory, and on asking if he was a champion? Clark’s very modest reply was a gentle yes – got to love a Scottish Champion, he was our champion of course and indeed the owner, Clark owns and runs County Clays with Lindsey – what a superb set up. Ending on a debrief of our successes on the creative course of hides and a dram to see us on our way in the stylish clubhouse. The winner was indeed the Dunkeld team – let’s face it Dunkeld is a winner all round...
A last afternoon with our newly found friends merged into a Thursday night spent in the neighbouring Taybank at its inimitable Dunkeld trad session, the biggest in Scotland I understand (is there nothing these folk aren’t
good at?), they came from far and wide with fiddles, guitars, made use of the house piano and there’s me on my recently acquired finger symbols – at last something that I can play!
Everyone is a winner in Dunkeld,
go to live a little, dust yourself off, walk, swim, ride, run, cycle, shoot, fish, dance, laugh, perform, read, paint, eat, drink, sleep and above all remember how to live – as that’s the most important adventure of all.
We’ll be back for the fishing and Scotch tasting – and to spend more inspiring time with these superb folk from Dunkeld!
Tay House Sporting Lodge: Equine Unlimited: Highland Offroad:
County Clays:
Caledonian Sleeper:
thetayhouse.co.uk equineunlimited.co.uk highlandoffroad.co.uk countyclays.co.uk sleeper.scot
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