registered. It’s is absolutely FREEZING. I’m not kidding. Once your heart begins beating again, you can actually feel it
pounding in your chest. But that aside, taking a dip in the stream is not be missed, it’s one of the
highlights
as the water is pristine; it’s refreshing after the long morning of riding and you do adjust after a
minute.
For those that are more intrepid than I, which would be Therese and my good friend and
neighbor Sara, this spot also offers the chance to climb atop a large boulder and leap from about
40-50’ up, into the water below. As mentioned, this stream is a gorge, so it’s quite deep. And
yes, I have it all on video ;) In fact, Sara did it several times, cheeky gal that she is!
The days were all blue sky puffy cloud gorgeous. And with the views of both mountain
and valley, as well as fields of gorgeous yellow and purple flowers, this unspoiled area will
have you forgetting that it’s the 21st century. You can ride for hours and not see anything
or anyone other than the lunch vehicle. On other days, you’ll ride through villages,
stopping
at old Roman fountains in the main square, so the horses can have a
drink of water.
On our last day of riding, we lunched at a small stone structure that
was once a toll booth for passing travelers. It sits along a dirt track and
hovers over a stream which offers gurgling (and warm) water, with
many smooth stone terraces polished by the moving water and just
perfect for sitting in and relaxing your riding legs and hips. It was
a wonderful way to soak up the sun, share life
experiences, reflect on the new friendships formed
and old ones enriched. And I don’t hate to say that Therese
was right – this was one of the BEST trips I’ve taken – one I’ll treasure
forever.
Stacey is a travel expert, avid equestrian and hiker and has worked in the adventure
travel business for over 10 years. Active Travel, Inc. is the premier provider of World
Class Equestrian Vacations and Hiking Vacations in over 14 Countries.
Want more information on equestrian travel and destinations?
Visit Active Riding Trips at: ActiveRidingTrips.com
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