Spain -'Horse Riding in Almeria'

by Roxane Wilkinson
May 2007

“Ride in Clint Eastwood’s Hoofprints across the Tabernas Desert in Spain!”

I've been horse riding in Almeria many times now and have fallen in love with the place. There are a few places you can go across Almeria but my favourite has to be a friendly little family run trekking centre called Desert Riders Spain which is the only one located right in the heart of the Tabernas Desert. It's my special getaway - the place I go to relax, forget about work, soak up the sun and gallop thru the mountains with the wind in my hair! There are quite a few "adventure trekking" places springing up around Spain and I’ve been trekking with several. In my opinion none of the other locations I’ve been to offer such unique and unspoilt scenery and if you ride in Tabernas you’ll get to see the most stunning views.  

The first time I rode with Desert Riders Spain, it was in August and very hot! I got out the car, looked around me and the scenery took my breath away. As far as the eye can see in every direction there are uninterrupted views of mountains and canyons. The sunsets they have are out of this world! There’s a Moorish castle which sits on top of a mountain just across the canyon and the sun sets right behind it – truly beautiful. I took some great pictures while I was there so if you like photography you'll have a field day! If you visit their website have a look at the gallery. There are loads of pictures of Tabernas on there and some of the guests they've had stay – including me!

I've taken friends and family there and everyone I took loved it too. You definitely need a hire car but it’s easily accessible. Its 20 minutes from Almeria airport to Tabernas and the roads are really good. Not like some other remote Spanish locations where you have to travel miles and miles on bumpy dirt tracks up the side of a mountain with perilous drops on each side! The roads are excellent and really straight forward to navigate. This means it's not so daunting to get a hire car and in fact having one is much better as you have loads of freedom to go anywhere you want and explore the area.

While you’re there I highly recommend you “mosey on down” to Fort Bravo, which is the original film set for all those spaghetti westerns we know and love. It's amazing! You feel like you're in the middle of absolutely nowhere and that you've stepped back in time. When you're riding through the desert you really feel like you could be in one of those scenes on the Clint Eastwood films. In fact I rode through the same valley he did in “The Good The Bad & The Ugly”.

Incidentally, I heard Desert Riders were also filmed in 2006 by the BBC for “Living in the Sun”. I believe they filmed that recent western-themed Halifax advert there as well - on a plateau I rode across last Christmas! So strange seeing it on TV! They film loads of stuff round there and you can’t blame them really. The landscape is so picturesque.

It’s diverse too. You can be riding thru cactus fields one minute, then up a rocky mountain path. Then galloping across a vast mountain plateau or salt flats surrounded by big imposing mountain ranges. Or trotting through little winding paths in between tumbledown old fincas and the old abandoned emerald mines. There’s also big canyons – which make you feel like you’re in Arizona not Spain! Because they're right on the edge of national park with unspoiled scenery in every direction, they have a pick of limitless routes in any direction you like.

Article about Horseriding Holidays:

Desert Riders have a good arena as well, so if you want any lessons before you venture out that’s there for you. Their horses are really well trained and they know what they're doing. They treat their horses like family and are very knowledgeable. I’d class myself as an experienced and competent rider who's just been out of the saddle for a long time due to work and other commitments. Riding in Tabernas really made me pine to own my own horses again! Or at least make more of an effort to get out and ride back in the UK. But if you’re a rider yourself reading this you'll know what I mean when I say it's just not the same riding in the UK. It's often a wet, windy, muddy, freezing cold affair and while that can be really exhilarating, there’s really nothing like riding with the sun on your back and a cold San Miguel waiting for you when you get back!

They give you lots of freedom too. Every day I woke up with the sun beaming down and sat down for breakfast with them and they asked me "Where d’you fancy going today then?" and I'd say "Ooh, it looks great up in that direction, what’s up there?" and they'd explain, we'd agree on a plan for the day and how much riding I wanted to do then that was it - we were off! They're not a professionally run hotel or anything like that, so don’t be afraid of some "rustic charm"!

You're not walking into a Hilton or anything, but I personally think that’s part of the appeal. If you do go to Tabernas one thing I’d definitely recommend is to get out while you're there and have a drive into Tabernas. It's a lovely sleepy typical little Spanish village with all whitewashed houses and everyone sat outside drinking coffee in the streets and little cafes. If you do venture out into Tabernas village though be prepared and take a phrase book with you! If you go into a shop they will try their best to speak English to you but bear in mind this isn't Lloret or Benidorm this is the real Spain and they are Spanish people, not all English ex-pats!! That said, if you do want all that while you're here, you can just drive another half an hour or so down to Mojacar Playa and there the beach is lined with countless bars clubs, restaurants, souvenir shops etc and they're all geared to tourists. So I guess it's the best of both worlds really. You're really getting away from it all ...but it's all there for you within reach if you still want it.

I can’t recommend Tabernas enough. Go and find out for yourself! Go against the grain a little bit and have a holiday with a difference you'll really remember and look back on really fondly!

Property Ref: http://www.holidayrentalcentre.co.uk/property/Spain/Costa_Almeria/2315

The Writer:

This is my first article/review to be published (in May 2007), so 'many thanks' to the Holiday Rental Centre team at www.holidayrentalcentre.co.uk for all their encouragement and giving me the inspiration to write.

Roxane Wilkinson - Bolton, UK