Two riders and their cobs will be covering 500 miles to raise awareness of horses on the roads.
Megan Koss and Emily Castledine and their horses Jack and Pippa will travel from Louth, Lincolnshire, to Loch Ness, Scotland, from 7 May, 2018.
The riders hope to awareness of horse and rider road safety and raise money for Bransby Horses, the British Horse Society and the Alternative Animal Sanctuary, a non-profit-making organisation that cares for abandoned and unwanted pets.
“Our ride takes us from Louth through Caistor, Thorne, Garforth, Bewerley, Yorkshire Dales, Penines, Haltwhistle, Keilder Forest, Selkirk, Falkirk, around Loch Lomond, Loch Leven, Fort William, Fort Augustus, and along the south bank of Loch Ness to the top in Dores,” Megan told H&H.
“We will ride an average of 30 miles a day over 19 days with two rest days.
“We aim for an average pace of four miles per hour so we will be riding no more than eight and a half hours a day on our longest days.”
Megan and Emily will stay at livery yards and B&Bs, as well as camp.
“We have some lovely people who are allowing us to stay with them at no cost including Joanne Pettit for our night in Caistor, Silvia at Bewerley Riding Stables in the Yorkshire Dales, and Steve Webb at Keilder Village Campsite,” said Megan.
“We have a local sponsor, Spire Windows and Thermotec, which has kindly offered to pay for our accommodation and equipment.”
The pair hope to raise £3,000, to be split equally between the three charities.
To sponsor Megan and Emily visit paypal.me/louth2lochness
Training for the ride is well under way and Jack, a six-year-old Irish cob gelding, and Pippa, a seven-year-old cob mare, are getting fitter by the day.
This month Megan and Emily rode 30 miles to Theddlethorpe beach and back.
“We are fortunate enough to be situated on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds so we can work on hills, beaches, fields, and woodland so the horses get accustomed to different surroundings,” said Megan.
“But we cannot wait to experience the amazing scenery we will see on our way to Loch Ness!
“This ride is to raise awareness for horse and rider safety on the roads and I am passionate about increasing the number of bridleways in my local area and nationwide.
“I have spoken with my local council, Louth Town Council, about changing pathways into bridleways and I plan to speak with other councils and planning committees to improve off-road access for riders.
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“With the 2026 deadline looming ever closer to register bridleways, it is paramount we make an effort and secure our sport’s safety when out riding.”
Each highway authority keeps a definitive map of public rights of way, which is the formal legal record of their existence.
Routes not recorded on this map by a 2026 “cut-off date” introduced by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 could be lost to riders.
