RIDE WORLD WIDE

RIDE WORLD WIDE
SPAIN - Seville: Andalusia
Riding trip information sheet 2016
These 7 night rides in Andalucia are one of the special Portfolio of Spanish rides developed by our long term partner in
Spain, Maria Elena Dendaluce, in conjunction with carefully selected local guides. The rides, which are in different
regions of Spain, have been chosen primarily for the quality of horses and riding experience they offer - but also for
their dedicated owner-operating guides, who are passionate about their horses, their local area, its history and customs.
We believe that on a small group holiday, your guides are all-important. Those who have ridden with Maria Elena
before will know she is a terrific travel companion. Like her, the local Spanish guides are experienced, enthusiastic and
knowledgeable. They will show you what is unique about the region you are visiting and together with Maria Elena will
do their utmost to ensure a fantastic riding holiday experience - there’s no better way to see Spain.
Sevilla is the capital of Andalusia and the province of Seville. Situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir it is,
without doubt, one of Spain’s most beautiful cities. The Sevillanos are an extremely proud and passionate people. To
many, Sevilla is not just a place, it is a way of life. The Guadalquivir, Semana Santa, the April Feria, Velazquez, Don
Juan Tenorio, orange blossom, the dancing of Sevillanas … Sevilla is bright, beautiful and a city that must be seen and
experienced. These rides start from a ‘Cortijo’, or Andalucian country house, to the southwest of Seville. They follow
routes used by mounted pilgrims on their way to El Rocío, Spain’s International village of the horse and in May each
year site of a fantastic mounted pilgrimage in honour of the Virgin Mary. In autumn 2015 permission was obtained by
Alfonso and Maria Elena to ride on from El Rocio through the western part of the Donana Reserve to the Andalucian
coast and 7 night rides now explore this little visited area ending with a couple of nights – and some wonderfully
exhilarating canters - at a gloriously secluded beach. All in all they are a unique opportunity to see the area - to visit
some of the regions traditional country houses, learn the customs of Andalucia and to ride through the environs of the
famous Doñana National Park where forests of pine, savin, eucalyptus and cork oak, sand dunes and marshland provide
winter home to a huge array of migratory birds. A wonderful way to enjoy the kingdom of the Andalucian horse.
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[email protected]; TEL +44 (0)1837 82544; FAX +44 (0)1837 82179
STADDON FARM, NORTH TAWTON, DEVON, EX20 2BX, UK
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Riding 7 night rides include 6 days riding, with between 4 and (on one day) 6 hours in the saddle each day. Shorter 4
night rides can also be organised for groups on request. Rides are lead by a local Spanish guide, Alfonso Gonzalo de
Bustos, an expert horseman who is knowledgeable and passionate about the horses, traditions and countryside of
Andalucia and accompanied by Maria Elena, as translator and co-host. Maria Elena’s experience organising rides in
various regions of Spain together with Alfonso’s horses, expert knowledge and enthusiasm for Andalucia, ensure a
wonderful, memorable week. 7 night set date rides are run for groups of a minimum of 6 and maximum of 12 riding
guests. Horses are prepared and looked after by grooms (although you are welcome to help if you wish) and luggage is
moved on ahead of the group by back up vehicle. There is a rider weight limit of 90kgs (14 stone) in riding clothes - if
you are close to this please contact us before booking to ensure a suitable horse is available.
Horses The hor ses used ar e Hispano-Arab, Anglo-Hispano, Arab and Andalucian crosses ranging from about 15 to
16hh and selected for their good nature and endurance. Many have been bred by Alfonso and all have been well
schooled by him, with several competing in dressage, TREC endurance and eventing competitions. Typically they are
spirited but sensitive, responsive but calm and well mannered. They are also energetic, fit and a real delight to ride.
Tack is good quality English style, with leather general-purpose saddles, seat savers and saddle-bags provided. Back up
is excellent and a support vehicle is on hand throughout the trip, meeting the group for aperitifs, meals and at night.
Pace The pace of the r ide is moder ate over all with good oppor tunities for ener getic tr ots and canter s on the
many wide sandy tracks.
Riding Experience These r ides ar e aimed at r easonably exper ienced r ider s and to par ticipate you should be a
reasonably competent rider who is comfortable, well balanced, secure in the saddle and able to control a well-schooled
horse in open country at all paces. Although you don't need to be an expert rider, you must be used to riding in open
country, at a varied pace (including long energetic canters) and with a group of horses. You also need a reasonable level
of riding fitness to cope with fairly long riding hours on consecutive days.
Terrain The area you ride through is typically quite flat, with woods of pine, oak and holm oak, cut by sand tracks.
Close to La Corbera there is farmland, almond and orange orchards, vineyards, olive groves and grassy pasture and as
you get to the Donana Reserve, there are patches of marsh and open water-meadow. On the last day you ride through
sand dunes and on a several km long, usually deserted, beach at Mazagon. Overall the going underfoot is excellent for
horses and the route followed is predominantly on soft sand tracks through pine forest, with some stretches of
“dehesas” (oak land and pasture) on privately owned estates. In places you will ride on tar or gravel roads.
Accommodation Accommodation for the week is at comfor table Andalusian Cor tijos and hotels. Cor tijo de La
Corbera, Alfonso’s home, where the first two nights are spent, has 7 twin / double guest rooms, each with en-suite
bathroom and separate entrance porch, in a building in the gardens of the finca. They are furnished and decorated in
typical Andalucian style, with wood or wrought iron furniture and fittings, geranium covered brick patios and terracotta
tiled floors. Cortijo Ardea Purpurea (‘Purple Heron’) where one night is spent (3* standard) is within the boundaries of
the Doñana Nature Reserve and built in the traditional country style with white washed walls, thatched roofs cont. over
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STADDON FARM, NORTH TAWTON, DEVON, EX20 2BX, UK
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Accommodation cont. and exposed wood beams. Ther e ar e about 14 guest r ooms her e all with separ ate
entrance / terrace (some in individual bungalows), set in large grounds, with swimming pool and views of the lagoon. In
the village of El Rocio, you usually stay at hotel Pato Malvasia in the village centre for two nights and the last two
nights are spent at the 4* Parador of Mazagon set amongst pine forest of the Donana National Park with views out to
the sea and Mazagon beach. Accommodation throughout is well chosen and rooms on all nights are double or twin
bedded with private en-suite bathroom (shower and loo). Single rooms can usually be arranged on request at an
additional charge although where the number of rooms is limited, singles are on a ‘first come/ first served’ basis. All
hotels have WiFi.
Meals Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day on the ride is included (dinner Day 1 to breakfast Day 8) as well as a
mid-morning aperitif. Breakfast is at your hotel and is generally simple in Spanish style - bread, cake or croissant,
perhaps yoghurt, fruit and tea or coffee. Light tapas and a selection of drinks including the delicious fino "manzanilla’’- are served mid-morning at an 'aperitif' stop and lunch is a substantial picnic, eaten at a long table set up
in the countryside. It might be a delicious gazpacho soup followed by a paella, freshly cooked on the spot, or dishes
prepared by a local restaurant, served with a selection of salads, bread and cheeses. Dinner is three courses usually eaten
at your hotel. Menus are carefully selected to allow you to sample regional specialities. Meal times are generally a little
later than in England - breakfast is usually around 8.30am, aperitif at 12.30-1.00pm, lunch at around 2 to 2.30pm and
dinner served at about 9pm. Vegetarians and those with other particular diets can be catered for with advance notice please tell us of any special diet requests when you book. A selection of soft drinks, beer, good local wines and tea and
coffee are all included with lunch and dinner.
Weather The climate in this par t of Spain is near ly tr opical and winter months ar e best for r iding with gentle
temperatures that range, on average, from a daytime maximum of 18 to 22ºC and a minimum at night of around 8 to
10ºC. In February, March and November the average number of days with rain is about 5 a month.
What to bring We will send you a list of things to br ing when your booking is confir med.
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[email protected]; TEL +44 (0)1837 82544; FAX +44 (0)1837 82179
STADDON FARM, NORTH TAWTON, DEVON, EX20 2BX, UK
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Example Itinerary The daily r outine is gener ally to set off at about 10am r iding for a couple of hour s befor e
stopping for a rest and aperitif to keep you going until lunch. You then ride on for about 2 hours before lunch. After
lunch and a siesta until about 4pm, you will ride until early evening, stopping at about 6 or 7 pm or sometimes a little
later. An example of the itinerary planned is set out below but please note that this is only an example and your guide
may change the day-by-day route if the weather or other local conditions require.
Day 1 Met at Seville air por t (or if you ar e alr eady in Seville, at the centr al Santa J usta tr ain station) usually at
around 16.30 to 17.00 and driven 20 to 30 minutes to La Corbera, 17 kms south of Sevilla, near Utrera and a beautiful
‘cortijo’ where the horses are based. Time to settle in and meet the horses, then a welcome drink, dinner and the night at
La Corbera (D)
Day 2 Br eakfast and tr y the hor ses in the sand school befor e heading out on a shor t intr oductor y r ide to get used
to them and for a first view of the area. Ride across farmland and through pinewoods stopping for an aperitif
mid-morning. Then continue to the beautiful Hacienda La Indiana before stopping close by for a picnic lunch in the
woods. After lunch and a siesta, ride back to La Corbera by a different route. Dinner and night La Corbera (B,L,D)
Day 3 A shor t tr ansfer to the 16th C Hacienda Tor r equemada wher e the r ide pr oper star ts. After visiting the
hacienda, a traditional stopping point for pilgrims following the Camino de Triana to El Rocio, set out riding through
olive groves and farmland before reaching a pine forest where there is a rest for an aperitif. Mount up again to head on
along the Camino de Triana, breaking the journey for lunch at the Dehesa de Torneros. In the afternoon cross the river
Quema, where pilgrims heading towards El Rocío are traditionally baptised! Continue riding to Villamanrique de la
Condesa and to your hotel for the night, ‘cortijo’ Ardea Purpurea which is within the boundaries of the Doñana National
Park and has been named, because of its great location for birding, after the Purple Heron. Dinner and night Ardea
Purpurea (B,L,D)
Day 4 After br eakfast set off again following sandy tr acks thr ough pine woods and the Dehesa de Boyal, a for est
of holm and cork oak. Follow the Camino de Pilas through farmland, stopping along the way for an aperitif in the pine
woods. Then join the ‘Raya Reall’, an impressive wide sand avenue surrounded by forests of pine, cork oak and
eucalyptus, where many tracks join and hundreds of mounted pilgrims congregate for the final part of their journey on
the pilgrimage to El Rocio. A picnic lunch close to the Palacio del Rey, a royal hunting lodge built for Alfonso XIII. In
the afternoon reach El Rocío, Spain’s International village of the horse, with its imposing church, Ermita de la Virgen
del Rocío built to honour the Virgin Mary. El Rocio is a unique village; all the houses have a courtyard and stables
behind, many have traditional wooden hitching rails to the front and all the streets are sand. At the time of the
pilgrimage the village hosts a million people and thousands of horses. The night at the comfortable Hotel Pato
Malvasía, a traditional house now converted to a hotel, in the centre of El Rocío with views over the marshland (B,L,D)
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STADDON FARM, NORTH TAWTON, DEVON, EX20 2BX, UK
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Day 5 Today a half-day ride around El Rocío and time to visit the church Ermita de la Virgen del Rocio. Aperitif near
the River Ajolí and lunch at a restaurant in the village centre. The afternoon is to relax, enjoy a siesta and to explore on
foot. On some rides a group visit to the Royal School of Equestrian Art in Jerez may be offered (extra charge). Second
night Hotel Pato Malvasía. (B,L,D)
Day 6 A full day r ide today following the “Camino de Moguer ” alongside the str eam of La Rocina, also known as
“La Madre”, which runs for about 40km and is the water-source for the marisma - the marshlands which are the heart of
Doñana. Along the banks one can often see many different species of bird and perhaps also deer and the wild black pigs
of the Donana, as well as a variety of plants. Mid-morning aperitif today is in the countryside surrounded by pine trees
where the Hermandades de Huelva (pilgrims from Huelva) rest when making their pilgrimage to El Rocío. Ride to the
lagoon of Rivatehilos through a forest of native mastic trees and shrubs stopping for lunch near the lagoon. Then, in the
afternoon, head to the abandoned village of Cabezudos, where the horses spend the night. Transfer by vehicle a short
way to the comfortable 4* Parador of Mazagón in a lovely secluded position on the coast, looking out over Mazagon
beach and the Atlantic beyond. Dinner and night here. (B,L,D)
Day 7 Br eakfast befor e meeting up with the horses and mounting up to r ide into the most western part of Doñana,
a little known area that combines seasonal lagoons and pine forests with a variety of wild shrubs - rockrose, mastic,
rosemary, thyme… and some spectacular wild flowers in early spring. Aperitif by the Laguna de la Piedras, then,
leaving the forest behind, ride to the dunes, which in this part of the Doñana are fossilized. Picnic lunch at the top of the
dunes and first views of the Atlantic Ocean as you ride through the dunes down towards the beach. Riding along the
coast for more than 7 kms, the ride usually ends with some wonderfully exhilarating canters on the beach and then a
farewell dinner and final night at the Parador of Mazagón. (B,L,D)
Day 8 After br eakfast, you will be tr ansfer r ed about 1 ½ hour s (appr ox. 120 kms) back to Seville air por t or tr ain
station for your onward journey.(B)
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[email protected]; TEL +44 (0)1837 82544; FAX +44 (0)1837 82179
STADDON FARM, NORTH TAWTON, DEVON, EX20 2BX, UK
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Dates & Rates 2015
Please note that due to constantly fluctuating exchange rates, ride rates are quoted in Euros. The sterling price
will be the equivalent sterling rate using the euro/sterling exchange rate in force when you book/pay.
2016 Dates (7 night rides)
21st to 28th February
13th to 20th March
3rd to 10th April
17th to 24th April
23rd to 30th October
6th to 13th November
20th to 27th November
Price - 2750 Eur os per per son shar ing
Single supplement - 250 Euros per person
Rate INCLUDES 7 nights twin / double accommodation (single r oom if paying supplement), all r iding, guiding
(including English speaking guide) and equipment, meals (dinner Day 1 to breakfast Day 8) and aperitif each day, wine,
beer and soft drinks with meals, support vehicle and back up throughout and transfers to and from Seville on the first
and last days with the group at set times.
Rate EXCLUDES Inter national flights / tr avel to Seville and taxes, tr ansfer s fr om / to Seville air por t / tr ain
station on the first / last day at times other than scheduled, any visa fees, additional drinks (at bars, hotels or outside
mealtimes), personal medical / travel insurance (which you must have with cover to ride), any gratuities you wish to
leave and personal items such as shopping, telephone calls etc. On some rides a day trip to the Royal School of
Equestrian Art in Jerez may be offered as a group extra at an additional charge (usually 200 Euros per person including
transfers, preference tickets, a private visit to the stables, aperitif and lunch at the Tio Pepe bodegas). This visit is on a
group basis (all or none); we will let you know if it an offer for your particular ride.
The ride rate is based on a minimum of 6 ride participants; if there are less the ride will still go ahead but the itinerary
may be varied. If less than 4 riders there may be a supplement for transfers.
Single supplements - The rate assumes twin bedded rooms in hotels and the single supplement is payable if you are
travelling alone or wish to book a single room. If you are travelling alone and are prepared to share with another (same
sex) guest on the ride to save paying the supplement, we can sometimes arrange this - let us know and we will see if we
can find someone to share with you - if there is no sharer, the supplement will be charged.
Rides can be run exclusively for private groups. To block set dates a group of at least 10 riders is required but other
dates, in addition to the above, can also sometimes be arranged for private groups on request. For the above rates to
apply, a group of 8 to 12 riders is usually required, but rides can be run for smaller private groups at a supplement.
Please call for details.
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[email protected]; TEL +44 (0)1837 82544; FAX +44 (0)1837 82179
STADDON FARM, NORTH TAWTON, DEVON, EX20 2BX, UK
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Flights The r ide meeting point is Seville International Airport or Seville’s Santa Justa train station at about 16.00 to
17.00 so you should plan to arrive in good time for this (NOTE if you are staying in Seville before the ride, you will
need to make your way to the train station or airport for the meeting – vehicles cannot (and time does not allow them to)
access all streets in Seville). You can fly to Seville from London via Madrid (or other major Spanish cities) and can also
take the high speed AVE train from Madrid to Seville (approx. 2 hours). British Airways have direct flights from
London Gatwick to Seville; Easyjet and Ryanair have direct flights from London Gatwick and Stansted but only on
certain days. Fares to Seville vary but expect to pay from around £150 to £250 per person economy return. If you would
like help booking flights or a fare quote please contact us - we can book British Airways scheduled flights for you. Our
ATOL number for flight bookings is 6213
Transfers and Flight times Please note when or ganising flights ther e is ONE set tr ansfer for the gr oup on the
first / last day of the ride. The pick-up time in Seville is organised as far as possible to suit the group and is normally
mid to late afternoon on the first day. The drop off is in the morning on the last day. If you cannot get to Seville in time
for the pick up or need to get back to Seville earlier than the drop off time on the last day, you will probably have to pay
extra for a private transfer / taxi (we can help arrange this).
General visa and health information (NB br ief outline only - further information will be sent if you make a confirmed booking.)
Visas Holder s of a full Br itish passpor t do not need a visa for visits to Spain whatever the length of stay, although
for visits of over 90 days residence permits are required. Please check up to date requirements with the Spanish
consulate before travel.
Health No vaccinations ar e needed by EEC r esidents to enter Spain (accor ding to the Spanish and Wor ld Health
Organisations). If you have a particular condition requiring special medical treatment, in case of emergencies you
should carry a letter from your own doctor translated into Spanish describing your condition and the medicine /
treatment required.
Draft 17/09/2015
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[email protected]; TEL +44 (0)1837 82544; FAX +44 (0)1837 82179
STADDON FARM, NORTH TAWTON, DEVON, EX20 2BX, UK