With craggy landscapes, a fascinating history and the wide open spaces of one of England’s last true wildernesses. Dartmoor is the perfect setting for an exhilarating horse riding holiday; the freedom of thundering across the moors with the sun on your face; fresh air in your lungs and the wind in your hair is unbeatable.
At Bovey Castle, we offer a horse riding experience in conjunction with Liberty Trails, in Devon that is perfect for experienced riders looking for a horse riding holiday with a difference. Dogs are welcome at the hotel and non-equestrian guests will find plenty to do, including fishing, golf and falconry.
Ideally suited to experienced riders looking for an adventurous horse riding holiday in a beautiful setting, our Devon horse riding break is one of the best ways to explore Dartmoor. We offer exciting rides across the remote and unspoilt countryside. Accompanied by experienced guides who have ridden on Dartmoor National Park all their lives; whether you choose to ride one of our forward going, high-quality horses or bring your own mount, you can be sure of an unforgettable horse riding experience in Devon. If you opt to bring your own horse, the break includes three nights livery in our stables. Western saddles are available if you prefer.
By far the best way to explore Dartmoor is on horseback; off the beaten track, hidden treasures await. Dartmoor has so much to offer equestrian fans: miles of open unspoilt moorland and woodland to explore; Bronze Age settlements; sparkling waterfalls; ancient stone circles and majestic tors rising above the heather covered hillsides. We also tailor your horse riding experience in Devon to suit your preferences, with options that include trail rides, a full day’s or half day’s ride at hunting pace and rides accompanied by a falconer.
Five star Bovey Castle is the perfect setting for a horse riding break in Devon’s beautiful countryside. So return from an exhilarating day’s riding to the luxurious comforts of the Spa, followed by a delectable dinner with menus featuring fresh local produce in one of the hotel’s first class restaurants. Non-riding partners are not forgotten and can choose from a range of activities such as golf, a relaxing and restorative session in the spa, walking, off-road driving and traditional falconry. With an historic setting, recently refurbished and beautifully appointed rooms and a meticulous attention to every detail required for a memorable stay, a horse riding experience in Devon at Bovey Castle is the ideal way to escape from the stresses of everyday life and restore your equilibrium.
Discover more of our Bovey activities or book your horse riding experience at Bovey Castle today.
With two distinct coastlines, one facing the Atlantic Ocean and the other overlooking the English Channel, Devon has plenty of attractive golf courses to explore.
However, the county also stands out from the rest of the south west because of its inland courses; some of which overlook dramatic natural scenery; not least those in the National Park of Dartmoor. If you usually play on the Costa Del Sol or the Algarve, then Devon cannot necessarily guarantee similar weather. But, it can promise the exhilarating experience playing golf in a unique environment matching anything in southern Europe. For a golf resort in the UK where golfers can enjoy in perfect scenery, why look at anywhere other than Devon?
One of the top luxury golf resort destinations in Devon is Bovey Castle. Designed in the 1920s, it is located between the villages of Moretonhampstead and Lettaford in the heart of the National Park. A truly stunning 18-hole championship course, it was first devised to match the splendour of Gleneagles and Turnberry and, by the time it opened in 1930, it had certainly achieved that aspiration. The golf course architect, J F Abercromby, a highly regarded course designer of the twentieth century.
The River Bovey runs by the luxury golf resort; an almost ever present feature of the first few holes. The use of this natural feature in the course design is what Bovey Castle is all about. Although your ball may end up in the river, it is not deep or wide and therefore your ball can be retrieved without much fuss. The third and sixth holes are a particular delight to play and involve plenty of potential water traps, despite both being deceptively easy par threes. The seventh is named after the Open Championship winning Henry Cotton. He listed it as among his favourite holes to play in the UK. It, too, features the river as it meanders its way through the plush estate.
Although the course is established as one of the best golf courses in Devon, there are more reasons to visit. A golf resort that UK visitors can all truly enjoy, it provides a fully-equipped and modern clubhouse plus a driving range, a golfing academy and a brasserie for meals and snacks. Indeed, luxury golf packages can easily be combined with stays at Bovey Castle’s excellent hotel, making it an ideal choice for corporate golf days, for example.
Rated as a 5-star hotel, Bovey Castle features a luxuriously appointed spa and a fine dining restaurant, named the Great Western. There are 60 bedrooms in total, all of which have been individually styled to match the splendour of the manor house. Many of the rooms overlook the golf course and wider views of the natural scenery that Dartmoor provides.
Why not discover more about our golf packages?
Birds of prey are fascinating creatures, getting up close and personal to them is a dream opportunity. Discover our top flight falconry experience at Bovey Castle…
Although falconry displays offer the chance to see these wonderful birds working under the guidance of an experienced handler, there is something to be said for going that step further and flying them for yourself. Birds of prey are handled in an exhilarating way at Bovey Castle, in the dramatic landscape of Dartmoor.
Among the top destinations in the UK for wild birds of prey, our team offer a falconry experience visitors can enjoy at any time of year. A hands-on falconry session is on offer which runs on either a morning or afternoon for roughly three hours. A typical session starts with an introduction to the various types of birds of prey that can be handled and flown. Clients will subsequently gain experience of flying owls and working with falcons, one of the fastest wild birds of prey in Devon. The thrill of a falcon hurtling towards you at up to 100 miles per hour is something to behold!
However, the action does not stop there because the highlight of the experience is yet to come… The majestic eagle is a bird of prey that is also available during the experience. Flying the most iconic of all hunting birds makes a falconry experience a cut above the norm.
Well-known for its often bleak beauty, Dartmoor is the perfect place to learn how to handle wild birds of prey. Bovey Castle is also home to a stunning and naturalistic championship golf course which has a river running through its frequently challenging holes. As such, the short walk between the falconry centre and the hotel located at Bovey Castle is a joy. Why not book a superb experience that you will never forget when you happen to be in such great surroundings? You will get the chance to wear a handler’s gauntlet and to feed and fly raptors under the guidance of experts in a perfect natural environment.
After a face-to-face encounter with a beautiful bird of prey, what could be better than relaxing at Bovey Castle’s premier spa facilities or taking in a round of golf? The hotel is equipped with a number of places to eat, including a sumptuous à-la-carte restaurant, and a charming bar. Set in one of the country’s most stunning National Parks, the hotel has 60 rooms and is dog friendly. Bovey Castle benefits from a grand country manor feel with bedrooms individually decorated to complement that sensation.
Would you like to meet our resident birds of prey? Book this activity.
Eden Hotel Collection is part of Rigby Group (RG) plc.
Bovey Castle Property Limited is a company registered in England and Wales with Company Number 09552863.
Registered office address: c/o Eden Hotel Collection, Bridgeway House, Bridgeway, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 6YX
VAT Number: 806641241
