Horse Riding

Catalan Coast & Hills - Can Jou, Catalonia, Spain

Further Information

• Prices and dates
• Travel
• Riding ability
• Horses
• Tack
• Riding / pace
• Terrain
• Guides
• Minimum numbers
• Other activities / non-riders
• Accommodation
• Meals
• Climate
• Additional information

Riding ability: intermediate for local riding programme (comfortable at all paces, including a controlled gallop, and able to ride in open country but may not ride on a regular basis). Fit intermediate for the trail rides (as above but also able to ride for several hours over varied and sometimes challenging terrain).

Horses: standing at around 15hh, the Andalucian horses are fit, lively and astonishingly agile over the hilly terrain. Riders are asked to tack up and groom their mount each day. Weight limit: 14st/90kg.

Tack: English. Saddlebags are provided.

Riding / pace: on the local ride, the pace is moderate to fast, and you typically ride for between 3 and 5 hours each day. The four trail rides are fast, with even more opportunities to lift the pace, and between 4 and 7 hours in the saddle per day (4-6 on the Volcanoes & Castles Trail).

Terrain: the terrain is very varied, from rolling plains to rugged mountain tops. The routes cross meadows and forests and lead through gorges and green valleys. There are ascents and descents on many days, particularly along the trails.

Guides / Minimum numbers: Englishman Mick Peters, owner of Can Jou, leads many of the rides himself, but is helped out by experienced guides Rudi and Birgit, both of whom speak excellent English and know the region well.

Minimum numbers: 2 for local riding, 4 for trails

Other activities / non-riders: during the course of all the rides you pass through some beautiful historic villages, and there is usually time for sightseeing. On the local riding programme, you can join fellow riders on an excursion to Girona on Wednesday afternoon for shopping and sightseeing. Only the local riding programme is suitable for non-riders. There are walking possibilities in the mountains around Can Jou. For sightseeing, a hire car would be necessary.

Accommodation: for the local ride, you are based for the entire week at Can Jou, a 15th-century farmhouse with sweeping views over the wooded hills of the Garrotxa and to the snow-capped peaks of the Pyrenees. Rustic in style, the bedrooms are comfortable and all have en-suite facilities. There is plenty of space to relax in the farmhouse and Rosa, Mick's wife, even offers aromatherapy massages (pay locally). The four trail rides start and finish at Can Jou. The nights along the trail are spent at characterful small hotels and inns hand-picked by Mick for their warm welcome and tasty Catalan cuisine.

Meals: dinners, included every night, are always taken as a group, whether it is round the large dining table at Can Jou, or in the restaurants of the hotels along the trails. Local specialities include duck with pears and rabbit with meatballs, though with the proximity of both the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean, menus often also feature lots of fish and seafood, as well as game. Vegetarians are well catered for. Wine is included with both picnics and dinner and is carefully selected to enable you to sample a range of regional varieties over the course of the week. Breakfast is included every morning.

Climate: temperatures in the summer may rise above 30°C during the day, but the nights are pleasantly cool. The Mediterranean influences make for excellent riding from February until late November, and you can ride in a T-shirt for much of the season, though you should take warmer clothes for the days in the mountains.

Prices (£) and dates for 2008:

LOCAL RIDING:

£ per person based on 2 in a double rm	Ride price	Non- rider	Single room
Local riding (7 nights/6 days riding; dinner & breakfast each day, plus 4 picnic lunches) Start dates: Sunday
2, 9, 16 Mar	401	-48	90
23 Mar	557	-48	90
6 Apr	515	-48	90
4, 18 May	557	-48	90
1, 15, 22 Jun	557	-48	90
6, 13, 20, 27 Jul	557	-48	90
24, 31 Aug	557	-48	90
14, 21, 28 Sep	557	-48	90
26 Oct	453	-48	90
9, 16 Nov	453	-48	90

WEEKEND BREAK:

£ per person based on 2 in a double rm	Ride price	Single room
Weekend break (3 nights/2 days riding; dinner & breakfast each day, plus 2 picnics) Start dates: Thursday
13 Mar	298	42
27 Mar	414	42
10 Apr	375	42
24 Apr	414	42
8, 22 May	414	42
5, 19 Jun	414	42
18 Sep	414	42
2, 16 Oct	414	42
30 Oct	310	42
13, 20 Nov	310	42

VOLCANOES & CASTLES TRAIL:

£ per person based on 2 in a double rm	Ride price	Single room	Non- rider
Volcanoes & Castles Trail (7 nights/6 days riding; breakfast & dinner each day, plus 6 picnic lunches) Start dates: Sunday
24 Feb	625	108	n/a
30 Mar	650	108	n/a
13 Apr	754	108	n/a
11, 25 May	754	108	n/a
8, 29 Jun	754	108	n/a
20 Jul	754	108	n/a
31 Aug	754	108	n/a
5 Oct	754	108	n/a
19 Oct	754	108	n/a
2 Nov	650	108	n/a

SMUGGLERS' TRAIL:

£ per person based on 2 in a double rm	Ride price	Single room	Non- rider
Smugglers' Trail (7 nights/6 days riding; breakfast & dinner each day, plus 6 picnic lunches) Start dates: Sunday
27 Apr	754	108	n/a
11, 25 May	754	108	n/a
22 Jun	754	108	n/a
6 Jul	754	108	n/a
7, 21 Sep	754	108	n/a
12 Oct	754	108	n/a

MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA TRAIL:

£ per person based on 2 in a double rm	Ride price	Single room	Non- rider
Mountains to the Sea Trail (7 nights/6 days riding; breakfast & dinner each day, plus 6 picnic lunches) Start dates: Sunday
3, 10, 17 Feb	605	108	n/a
2, 9 Mar	605	108	n/a
23 Mar	780	108	n/a
30 Mar	780	108	n/a
13, 20 Apr	780	108	n/a
4 May	780	108	n/a
8, 15 Jun	780	108	n/a
14, 28 Sep	780	108	n/a
19 Oct	739	108	n/a
2, 16, 23, 30 Nov	682	108	n/a

THE MEDITERRANEAN COASTAL TRAIL:

£ per person based on 2 in a double rm	Ride price	Single room	Non- rider
The Mediterranean Coastal Trail (7 nights/6 days riding; breakfast & dinner each day, plus 6 picnic lunches) Start dates: Sunday
6 Apr	739	108	n/a
27 Apr	780	108	n/a
18 May	780	108	n/a
1, 29 Jun	780	108	n/a
13 Jul	780	108	n/a
24 Aug	780	108	n/a
7 Sep	780	108	n/a
5 Oct	780	108	n/a
26 Oct	682	108	n/a
9 Nov	682	108	n/a

You can combine the local riding programme with one of the trails to make a superb 14-night holiday. Please contact us for prices.

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Travel

Ride prices include a return transfer to Can Jou from Barcelona or Girona - our two recommended airports. We particularly recommend flying to Girona as it is closer to Can Jou and served by many 'no frills' airlines. Whichever airport you fly to, there is only one transfer per day, so your flight must arrive in Barcelona by 1715 or Girona by 1845. Your return flight must depart from Barcelona no earlier than 1200 and Girona no earlier than 1100. You should only book your flights once we have confirmed the holiday to you.
You can book your flights through us - we will discuss your requirements with you and find the best route, times and price to suit you. Alternatively, if you decide to book your own flights, you should do this only after we have confirmed the holiday to you.

Additional information

Add-ons: for a fortnight-long riding holiday, you could combine a week of local riding with one of the trails. Alternatively, the High Mountain Trail combines very well with any of the other three trails that lead down to the coast. For something different, combine a week of riding with a walking holiday (we offer walks in the Catalan Pyrenees, the Garrotxa and along the coast), a cycling holiday, or a few days at one of our self-catering properties. Please call us to discuss the options.

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