Taunton Deane Bridleways Association

Summer Riding Routes – Somerset ☀️🐴

Discover the Exmoor Circular Route – an unforgettable ride taking in the stunning landscapes of Wimbleball Lake and Haddon Hill, right in the heart of Exmoor National Park.

📍 25.15km | ⏱️ ~4hrs 54 min | 🟡 Moderate

🌊 Ride alongside the picturesque shores of Wimbleball Lake
🌄 Climb onto Haddon Hill for spectacular panoramic views across Exmoor
🌿 Enjoy a mix of open moorland, woodland tracks and peaceful countryside trails
🐎 A fantastic longer-distance route for riders looking to spend a day exploring one of England's most iconic national parks

Keep an eye out for Exmoor's famous wildlife and take time to soak in the far-reaching views along the way.

Ready to explore? Check out the full route here 👇
https://explore.osmaps.com/route/18601218/exmoor-circular-route

More routes across the South West coming soon. Where will you ride this summer? ☀️🐎



Image by Adam Cli

There is an increased risk to horse and rider safety and the safe and appropriate use of bridleways in the below area should the development go ahead.

How can you help?

1- like and share the excellent Save the Blackdown Vale campaign page and posts

2- have your say on the consultation- check the campaign page for details of how and what to do- this closes tomorrow so be quick

3- talk to your fellow horse riders/dog walkers/cyclists and anyone else who uses to area to spread the word

Taylor Wimpey has been flushed out. The map shows the New Town they want to build in the Blackdown Vale. It is the size of Wellington. And it doesn’t include the other developers.

We had our first campaign meeting last night. A full recording can be found here; https://www.youtube.com/

A copy of the slide presentation is available on our website (blackdownvale.org.uk) together with guidance on how to respond to Somerset Council's planning consultation.

So if you want to make a difference, please either

- respond to Somerset Council's planning consultation
- write to your Councillor
- write to your MP.

We will be holding meetings around the Vale in the coming months. Please stay posted.

It has only just been brought to our attention that a key piece of the Harepath at Staple Hill has been closed from this week, for up to 6 months to allow for forestry work to be completed

This essentially encompasses the route from Underhill Lane (T23/15), which passes by the carpark at Staple Hill (T23/16 and T23/30)and the byway (T23/29) that goes across the hill towards the linking road at Castle Neroche.

There are ways to bypass this section and continue to ride the Harepath but they are not as direct and involve navigating a busier road.

We have contacted Forestry England this morning and Somerset Rights of Way to see if there is a compromise we can faciliate on behalf of local riders, and users of the Harepath.

In the mean time, please respect the closure of the routes which have been put in place for safety reasons. If we are able to negotiate any dispensation to these closures, we will communicate it on here.

Forestry operations at Staple Hill Staple Hill is a working forest producing sustainable timber. We are working here from July 2026 for several weeks. This page provides information about what's happening and how it affects your visit. What is happening? We are thinning trees across a large area of the forest, starting in the eastern...

We are looking to reschedule our cancelled Walk / Trot organised ride but are short on volunteers which means we cannot run it safely at the moment.

We would need 2 more volunteers to be available from 9am to 2pm on 6th September.

Please comment, or DM us if you can give up some of your valuable time.

Thank you.

The Committee have made the decision to cancel the ride on Sunday.

At this stage we do not know whether it will be possible to reschedule for another date.

Refunds will be processed via our booking partner Equine events.

We’d like to take this opportunity to remind people that this ride, and many other equine events that you enjoy are run by a group of volunteers who do so in their own limited free time.

These events are run to raise funds for the good causes we champion from pony club events to fun rides and are not for profit.

Every person who gives up resource to support these events from land owners to stewards does so with good grace and we must all continue to be thankful for this.

We have been disappointed by the attitude of a small amount of people towards our committee over the last few days and we’re sure this has been felt by other organised events as they have tried to navigate a situation which is out of their control in the interests of health and safety.

Our association and I am sure many others will have incurred costs when setting up these events which will now be lost, and have to come out of club funds. It’s never an easy decision to cancel an event, but even more of a responsibility when considering the financial impact doing so can have.

We hope that those who had still intended to attend the ride understand the difficult decision we have had to make.

And those in the Ilminster area - please enjoy the bridleway we have paid to have cut that was totally blocked before hand!

🏴‍☠️ **TREASURE HUNT!** 🗺️

Looking for some fun with your horse this August? Our **Virtual Treasure Hunt** is officially open to EVERYONE—both members and non-members! 🐴🕵️‍♂️

No matter where you are based, you can join the fun. It’s the perfect way to spice up your hacking or schooling sessions this summer! ☀️

**How to join the fun:**

📅 **When** From 1st - 31st August 2026
👥 **Who** Open to members & non-members, all ages and abilities, ridden, in hand and carriage drivers
📍 **Where** Virtual (right from your own yard)
🎟️ **How to Enter:** Head over to Horse Events to sign up!

Don't miss out on the summer fun. Tap the link in the comments, sign up via Horse Events, and let the hunting begin on the 1st August! 👇