THE BEST PLACES TO GO HACKING WITH YOUR HORSE IN THE NORTHEAST

23 Aug 2023

There’s nothing better than exploring new land from behind the ears of your best friend, and if you’re looking for some inspiration of scenic and safe hacking spots to share with your horse, you’ve come to the right place. With members of our team based across different parts of Northumberland and Durham, we have between us enjoyed many a hack across beauty spots of the northeast. Here is a list of our favourites!

1. Druridge Bay

One of the most beautiful stretches of coast in Northumberland, Druridge Bay, located 12 miles northeast of Morpeth, provides a 7 mile stretch of coastline to school, have a good canter or gallop, or of course let your horse play in the sea. Parking to access the beach without having to cross a road is in Druridge Bay Country Park, where there is a purpose made, hard-standing carpark for horseboxes and trailers. From the car park, you can follow a track of about 20m to the beach. Once you are on the beach, to your left is an approximately 1 mile stretch of coastline, and if you turn right, the stretch is approximately 6 miles.

The beach provides a great setting for fitness training, with plenty of space to let your horse go and be able to pull them up in your own time, as well as the opportunity to present your horse to water. Druridge Bay is a very wide beach, so even at peak times when there are lots of dog walkers or families, there is still plenty of space to give yourself some room. When visiting any beach, including Druridge Bay, we would advise checking the tide times and visiting when the tide is low. However, even when the tide is high, there is a reasonable stretch of sand to ride on along the sea front. Druridge Bay is open all year round, but is likely to be busier on very hot days.

2. Hamsterley Forest

Located just outside of Bishop Auckland, Hamsterley Forest has long been a popular destination for families, cyclists, horse riders and walkers alike to enjoy nature, with several purpose-built tracks running through the forest. There are two designated horse riding trails running throughout the forest. The Redford Trail is marked by purple markers and is 7 miles long, or you can follow the brown markers for the Pennington Trail which is 10 miles long. Access to both of these trails is from the Grove Car Park located on Forest Drive, which is a purpose built car park for horseboxes and trailers, with a large turning circle and areas of hard standing. There is a charge for use of this car park. In this car park there is a mounting block and a tether post if required. The tracks are surfaced with small stones and gravel, and so even when the ground is very wet, the horses are able to safely use them, making Hamsterley Forest an ideal hacking spot in all seasons. These tracks are suitable for walk and trot work, and the verges provide some opportunity for short bursts of canter. The forest is so big that it is usually quiet in our experience once you are on the trails, but it is worth being aware that the mountain biking paths occasionally cross the horse riding paths, and so if your horse is frightened of bicycles, it may be best to choose quieter times to visit. There is also very little (if any) phone signal in the forest – perfect for switching off for a few hours! – but be sure to tell someone where you are going, when you expect to be back, and do not go alone.  

The forest is open all year round from dawn to dusk, while the Grove Car Park is accessible from 9am-4pm on weekdays, or 9am-5pm on weekends, during the months of April to October.

Check out everything else you may want to find out about horse riding at Hamsterley Forest at https://www.forestryengland.uk/hamsterley-forest/horse-riding-trails-hamsterley-forest

3. Chopwell Woods

Chopwell Woods has long been a popular destination for hacking, with horse riders travelling from across the northeast to explore the huge woodland, located just outside of Rowlands Gill in Gateshead. Being affiliated with Forestry England means that Chopwell Woods is well-maintained, with trails through mixed woodland specifically deemed safe for horses and riders to enjoy. The woods comprise of 360-hectacres of mixed woodland so the trails are on varied terrain, with lots of different routes to explore. There is space for a canter, as well as level ground to walk and trot over. The car park is ample in size for horseboxes and trailers, but is not purpose made. We would advise getting there early in the morning in the summer holidays or on weekends and bank holidays when the weather is nice to make sure you have plenty of space to turn around and let the ramp down, and we would probably suggest leaving your ramp down to avoid anyone parking too close and leaving you unable to load your horse. The only thing to be mindful of in the car park is that there are overhead power cables which can be noisy, so if your horse is very sensitive or inexperienced, it may be worth putting on some acoustic ears and/or ear plugs before you set off. The woods and car park are open and accessible 24 hours a day, but the car park and access road are not lit after dark.

There is a Chopwell Wood Horse Riding Association Facebook page which advertises events held in the woods, as well as local shows and activities organised by volunteers that you may want to attend with your horse.

4. Derwent Walk & the Derwent Reservoir

Running from Consett to the River Tyne along the old railway line, the Derwent Walk is easily accessible from most corners of the northeast and provides miles of off-road riding across County Durham and Tyne & Wear. Horse riders share these tracks with dog walkers and cyclists, but because the stretch of the Walk is so long, you are unlikely to encounter lots of other users, especially at less busy times. Gateshead Council maintain the Walk to ensure it is safe for all users, including horse riders.

You can join the Walk at several points, but one of our favourites is at the Derwent Reservoir, where you can hack around the reservoir. You can park at Pow Hill Country Park, accessible from Edmundbyers or Blanchland, and ride around the edges of the reservoir on a multi-user path which is made of an all weather, flat surface with gentle gradients. Again, if you choose to go at a time that is not particularly busy, you are not likely to encounter too many other path users. For a map of the route you will be able to take, check out this guide from Gateshead Council: https://www.thisisdurham.com/things-to-do/derwent-reservoir-walks-rides-and-wildlife-p969621 Remember you can use the blue as well as the green paths.

If you’d rather explore some woodland paths, Derwenthaugh Park has a three mile route on an all weather surfaced track, where your horse will also cross a ford from the rive

5. Deerness Valley

Through the west of Durham run the old railway paths, from Broompark to Crook, which provide miles of off-road hacking and are referred to locally as ‘the lines’. The lines are accessible from many points, but if you are looking to park a horsebox or trailer, there is plenty of space at Broompark Picnic Site, just ten minutes outside of Durham City. From the picnic site, you can set off on the 8.5 mile route to Crook. The route is on an all weather, stoney surface suitable for walking and trotting over, with verges providing space for short canters. You will have to cross some roads in villages, but these roads are generally quiet with good visibility. There are children’s play parks and houses close to the lines. Remember that although 8.5 miles doesn’t sound that far, by the time you have reached the end and turned around and hacked back to your transport, your horse will have covered 17 miles! Cyclists and walkers use these paths, but it is rare you will see many other people, especially if you avoid very warm days during the holidays.

6. Auckland Way

Another off-road route that goes for miles is Auckland Way, running from Spennymoor to Bishop Auckland and covering 4.3 miles. Again, this trail follows old railway lines, and on the way you can see remnants of this railway history. The lines can be accessed at several points if you are local, or if you are looking to box up and take your horse, a car park big enough for most horseboxes or a trailer is Whitworth Road, just outside of Spennymoor. This trail is shared with dog walkers and cyclists, but as with all off-road riding, if you avoid the busier times, you are unlikely to bump into too many people.

7. Tudhoe & Croxdale Woods

Easily accessible from the A167 just south of Durham is Sunderland Bridge, from where you can hack to Croxdale Woods and Tudhoe Woods, where you could spend hours. On one side of the River Browney you can ride a loop along a stretch of the river and back, which is about a half an hour ride through a woodland area, a field and stoney tracks. On this loop, there is safe access to the river which is shallow in this area, providing an ideal opportunity to introduce your horse to water in a relaxed environment and let them cool off on a hot day. When the weather is nice, however, this access to the river can get crowded with people barbecuing or enjoying the water, and it would be best to avoid trying to take your horse into the river on these days. On the other side of the river, towards Croxdale, you can follow the river until you hack up the hill to Croxdale Woods, which is a lovely stretch of woodland. You may see the occasional dog walker, but these woods tend to be quiet. If you keep going through Tudhoe, you will come to Tudhoe Woods at the back of Tudhoe Village, which is generally very quiet. If you are wanting to go on a shorter ride, you can hack up to Croxdale Hall from Sunderland Bridge, which is a scenic route mainly on tarmac.

The parking at Sunderland Bridge is a little tighter than at some of the other spots we have discussed, so is probably most suitable for smaller horseboxes and trailers rather than big lorries. Sunderland Bridge is situated between Durham City and Bishop Auckland.

8. Slaley Forest

Slaley Forest is made up of 508 hectacres of mixed woodland governed by Forestry England, meaning, like some other forests in this post, it is maintained and kept safe for use by horse riders as well as dog walkers and cyclists. The forest is open all year round. The surrounding area is very rural, and there is a dedicated layby for parking which is free of charge. It is advisable to get there early to secure a parking spot for your horsebox or trailer, especially during the holidays, on weekends or on warm days. You may want to leave your ramp down where possible to ensure you have ample space to be able to load up again when you are ready to come home. You could explore Slaley Forest for hours, and because it is so vast, you are unlikely to encounter many other users, although motorbikes do occasionally ride near the woods. The trails are rarely muddy except after heavy rain, and there are ample places for a canter without the surface being too hard. The trails in the forest are not marked, so you are free to explore the forest on your own terms!

These are just some of our favourite local places to explore from horseback. Maybe you are looking to introduce your horse to new places as regularly as possible, wanting to strengthen them by working them on a variety of terrains and gradients, are looking to give them a break from their training programme, or are hoping to find a local hacking spot that will become a regular route for you to enjoy. Whatever your reasons are for looking for the best places for horse riding in the northeast, the above are great examples of safe places to enjoy down-time with your horse. If you have already explored the above, more places to go include Hetton Lyons Country Park, Herrington Country Park, Wynyard Hall, Waskerley Way, Thrunton Woods, Watergate Forest Park, Rising Sun Country Park, and Elba Park.