Saturday 20th April saw me saddling up for a client. One of the most enjoyable extra-curricular Manifest activities I’ve had the pleasure of being involved with was the Super Sponsored Event for the Confederation of Three Peak Schools.
Setting off from Clapham
The objective of the day was ostensibly to raise money for Austwick, Clapham and Horton Primary Schools, but for Head Teacher Gill Woods and yours truly, it also provided a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other better – and to introduce our ponies. The schools’ £9000 budget for travel, which enabled the three schools to share classes and extra curricular activities has been withdrawn as part of the widespread funding cuts. The first fundraising event idea enabled walkers, runners, cyclists and riders to experience part of the fabulous new Pennine Loop bridleway including its magnificent new bridge.
After a few days of hasty sponsorship gathering (thank you to those who supported me), Magic and his best friend Hercules (the big palomino) travelled up from Appletreewick in the sunshine on the Friday night before the event. It was the first time Hercs had been out of the parish for seven years!
At the checkpoint
They spent the night in Gill’s field alongside the Settle-Carlisle railway line, and were introduced to high-speed trains for the first time. Gill’s four magnificent Dales ponies were very intrigued by the visitors, but not allowed to play out with them. Back at Gill’s house we enjoyed a fabulous roast home-reared lamb dinner and a very welcome glass or few of wine.
In the morning, a miraculously gorgeous springlike day, our boys were boxed up again and taken to the start of the event at Clapham, where they made the most of the rich grass at the car park as a hearty late breakfast prior to the ride.
Magic bravely leads the way
Taking it steady for a while for me to recover my wits and prevent any potential danger to participating walkers and cyclists, we revelled in the breathtaking scenery. Limestone pavements stretched for miles and the views over Ribblesdale were spectacular.
Before long we reached a checkpoint with refreshments where the bridleway crossed the road between Horton and Selside. Gill headed back on a shortcut to the finish leaving us to follow the map and simple directions to complete the remainder of the course.
Mark arrived to meet us with gluten-free cake from a tea shop in Horton (hurray), joining us to walk a stretch with Snow down as far as the bridleway bridge. Hercules was not too enamoured with the impressive structure, but Magic steeled himself and led the way having seen that Snow survived the ordeal of the bridge unscathed.
A few canters and a jog down Newhouse Lane and we were soon in sight of the finish at Horton pavilion field, where Linda and I were met with bacon butties and an impressive array of home-made cakes, and the ponies with haynets and tasty grass.
“All that way, and we only get hay at the end?!”
Confidently boxing up the boys again, we travelled back to Gill and Dave’s, turned them out and after I had a brief altercation with an electric fence, enjoyed a relaxing early evening drink in the sunshine before bath, dinner, booze and bed. What a great weekend…and all in a good cause.