An
Umbria
riding
42 www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com
“Idyllic surroundings, fantastic food and the
warm welcome offered by the family make this
a unique and exceptional riding holiday,” said
Claire Cavini, just back from a recent visit to do
the Umbrian Adventure programme, her second
so far this year. “Many guests just keep coming
back for another slice of this Umbrian paradise;
I’ve been 10 times in the last 5 years!” Her
impressive record is beaten only by a Dutch
group of friends, who make a pilgrimage to the
riding stables at least once a year for their fix
of dizzyingly beautiful scenery, mouthwatering
home-cooked food and memorable treks. One
of them has chalked up 15 visits so far, and is
already planning to return to try a new trail ride
to the pretty medieval hill town of Monteleone
di Spoleto, famous in this part of the world for
the Roman chariot found by a local peasant
farmer in his field.
With rolling mountains, hidden valleys and
mediaeval hill villages, the views defy description
in this unspoilt corner of Umbria, where
time has stood still. You can ride for hours
without seeing a soul, other than the occasional
shepherd grazing his flock on the hillsides,
or the woman farmer who makes her own
pecorino cheese. This will later be served as
part of one of the many picnic lunches laid out
for hungry riders on a wooden table beneath
a shady chestnut grove, together with salame
and frittata – omelettes made with home-grown
courgettes – and washed down with a glass or
two of wine and a shot of strong dark espresso
coffee to finish.
ADVENTURE
There is something distinctly addictive about
the riding holidays offered by the Unicorn
Trails equestrian centre based in Italy’s spectacularly
beautiful region of southern Umbria.
Beguiled by glorious countryside, delicious
food and the friendly hospitality of the large
Italian family who runs the centre, many of
the guests find themselves unable to resist
the temptation of returning time after time.