Loch Ness Riding
Loch Ness Riding
5
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
About
Loch Ness Riding offers great hacking in a wonderful landscape for competent english-style riders only. Sorry but we do not take beginners. We are endurance specialists but we also give lessons in all disciplines. You can ride from an hour and a half to several days. Advance booking is essential. BHS approved riding and training centre with resident Stage 4 Senior Eventing Coach on hand for lessons.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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5.0
78 reviews
Excellent
72
Very good
3
Average
0
Poor
3
Terrible
0
Berit B
Oslo, Norway11 contributions
Aug 2023
Amazing horses and the beautiful landscape surrounding Loch Ness makes this a unique experience. Candy's horses are of high quality and very well schooled and trained. It is both a privelege and a learning experience to be allowed to ride such living, vibrant horses. Candy's demand that you must be an experienced rider makes more than perfect sense - her horses deserve nothing less and an inexperienced rider could harm both themselves and the animals, making it a question of both safety and animal welfare.
We did a three hour hack and my only regret was the porcinis and chanterelles we trampled going through the forests around Loch Ness. ;)
I'll be bck for 'shrooms and brambles next year, and hopefully also to ride :)
We did a three hour hack and my only regret was the porcinis and chanterelles we trampled going through the forests around Loch Ness. ;)
I'll be bck for 'shrooms and brambles next year, and hopefully also to ride :)
Written 6 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karin E
2 contributions
Aug 2023 • Friends
We loved this ride, this year and last year. The horses and the guides Are great and take good care of you. Candy is strict but fair, and she wants the best for her horses. We hope we can be back.
Written 3 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
McKenzie S
1 contribution
Aug 2022 • Solo
I absolutely loved the 3-hour hack! Candy was a wonderful guide, and the horse I got to ride, Frankie, was so fun! The scenery was incredible, and I would absolutely do this again! It was a great, unique way to see a touristy spot.
Written 4 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jutta P
1 contribution
Aug 2022 • Solo
Great hacking for riders. Good horses and good instructor. Beautiful nature and a great tour for 3 hours
Written 3 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael C
1 contribution
May 2022 • Solo
I'll start with the positives: the horses are lovely and clearly well cared for; the location is great.
Sadly the experience was ruined by Candy (the owner). My partner had booked a 1.5 hour hack, and it was Candy who took her out. We always try to find a good riding centre while in Scotland and it is usually very much a highlight of the holiday for my partner. However throughout this ride Candy's attitude was patronising and rude. I understand she holds a high standard of riding at her centre ("experienced riders only") but the whole ride was like an assessment, with shouted orders and unnecessary criticisms, which made the experience far more stressful than enjoyable. Perhaps "perfect riders only" would be more appropriate, though it seems from other reviews that some riders of all levels have experienced harsh words from Candy.
My partner is a very experienced rider, but came away from this centre genuinely upset and it's knocked her confidence while riding too. Sadly negative experiences stick in the mind and this one cast a shadow over the entire holiday.
I think Candy really needs to think about what she's trying to do - if the aim is to provide an enjoyable experience riding in this lovely area then the guides should have the personality to match. If the aim is to provide riding critiques then it should be advertised as such.
Sadly the experience was ruined by Candy (the owner). My partner had booked a 1.5 hour hack, and it was Candy who took her out. We always try to find a good riding centre while in Scotland and it is usually very much a highlight of the holiday for my partner. However throughout this ride Candy's attitude was patronising and rude. I understand she holds a high standard of riding at her centre ("experienced riders only") but the whole ride was like an assessment, with shouted orders and unnecessary criticisms, which made the experience far more stressful than enjoyable. Perhaps "perfect riders only" would be more appropriate, though it seems from other reviews that some riders of all levels have experienced harsh words from Candy.
My partner is a very experienced rider, but came away from this centre genuinely upset and it's knocked her confidence while riding too. Sadly negative experiences stick in the mind and this one cast a shadow over the entire holiday.
I think Candy really needs to think about what she's trying to do - if the aim is to provide an enjoyable experience riding in this lovely area then the guides should have the personality to match. If the aim is to provide riding critiques then it should be advertised as such.
Written 6 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah Schulz
1 contribution
Mar 2022 • Solo
I had a wonderful two hour hack with Loch Ness riding. Connie took me out, and I rode Jonty who was absolutely perfect. Connie knew the trails very well and there were plenty of opportunities to trot and canter. She was a lovely guide and we had great conversations while we rode through the beautiful landscape. Like the website clearly states, Loch Ness riding caters to experienced riders, so you should be a confident rider who can walk, trot, and canter over varied footing. Candy’s horses are wonderfully trained and each one has its own personality, which makes for a lovely ride, However, this is no pony trek and you do need to ride them not just sit idly on their backs. I hope to return if I am ever in the area again!
Written 19 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fanny B
3 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
The best souvenir from our trip in the Highlands. The views during the ride were outstanding, the trail goes through the forest but as well on the top of the Loch Ness. The stables are really well located. Candy was really flexible to accommodate us and I can’t be grateful enough as we really wanted to ride. We were taken out by Connie who is lovely and you can see she is passionate about horses. The horses were beautiful and really calm. Thank you again for this memorable time and I recommend it 100%!!
Written 8 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Millie
United Kingdom2 contributions
Jun 2021
Hating to go a week without any riding, we've done many a holiday hack across the world. No where compares to Loch Ness Riding for the quality of horses and exhilaration of the ride. It is nothing like a typical riding school experience.
THANK YOU to Candy for schooling such wonderful horses, and sharing them with strangers like us.
The ride took us through deer, woodland, along the edge of the loch with some stunning views, before climbing back up through knee-high ferns, across heather and between foxgloves. The scenery was utterly stunning, and so varied - we felt very lucky.
If you're a confident rider, you won't find better than Loch Ness Riding for a holiday trip. I only wish there were more yards like them about!
THANK YOU to Candy for schooling such wonderful horses, and sharing them with strangers like us.
The ride took us through deer, woodland, along the edge of the loch with some stunning views, before climbing back up through knee-high ferns, across heather and between foxgloves. The scenery was utterly stunning, and so varied - we felt very lucky.
If you're a confident rider, you won't find better than Loch Ness Riding for a holiday trip. I only wish there were more yards like them about!
Written 7 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Constance&Shobbie
2 contributions
May 2021
We were very excited about riding at Loch Ness Riding and were not disappointed, despite being soaked by the playful Scottish weather :-)
Candy was very welcoming and her horses are great and very well trained! it is so much fun to ride with experienced riders and have a good pace. We had a beautiful ride through the woods and the along the Loch Ness, with beautiful changes of scenery through the ride. It was lovely to be followed by the deers and does at the beginning.
A great way to discover Loch Ness if you ride decently
thank you candy for having us and for leading us trough your beautiful region. Shoaib and I will definitely come back and hope to see you in Portugal too
Give some carrots to Cruz from me too :-)
Candy was very welcoming and her horses are great and very well trained! it is so much fun to ride with experienced riders and have a good pace. We had a beautiful ride through the woods and the along the Loch Ness, with beautiful changes of scenery through the ride. It was lovely to be followed by the deers and does at the beginning.
A great way to discover Loch Ness if you ride decently
thank you candy for having us and for leading us trough your beautiful region. Shoaib and I will definitely come back and hope to see you in Portugal too
Give some carrots to Cruz from me too :-)
Written 4 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fiona Preston
1 contribution
May 2021 • Solo
Having not ridden for a while, I had an amazing experience this morning getting back in the saddle. Great company and amazing scenery! Catering only for experienced riders makes this so much more fun and fast paced. We had a beautiful ride out in the Misty Loch Ness, making the experience even more magical! Much needed time away from work and boosting my mental health! Thank you Candy! Fiona
Written 25 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
So Glad you had a good time Fiona - you certainly deserved it with the type of stress your job has menat for you latterly. Stay well and hopefully you'll be back
Written 7 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Greetings, we would love to join one of your tours. Could it be possible to pick us (two people) from Inverness or do we have to come on our own?
Candy C
Dores, UK4 contributions
HI there -best to reach me directly by email as I dont always see messages here. There are buses to Dores from Inverness all days apart from Sundays and we could pick you up from the bus stop in Dores if that would help. Taxis are also available from town to our yard.
Hi there - looking for some additional information on what rider levels you can accommodate. (For example, could someone just recently able to walk trot canter on their own be suited to this?)
Candy C
Dores, UK4 contributions
HI Georgia,
Thanks for your enquiry.
I am quoting our requirements for riders of our horses as we send it out to enquirers -
We require our riders to be balanced and competent on responsive and forward going horses over all types of terrain at walk, trot and canter – to maintain their distances in a ride and to ride the horses sympathetically. They are all my babies!!
If you feel that you can comply then we would be delighted to take you out. The thing to remember is that these are not riding school horses - we do not teach people to ride and the horses are all responsive and reactive as they are not ridden by novices.
Hope this helps
Candy
Hi, I live in Brazil, and thinking of visitinha my daughter who lives in Glasgow. Is it possible to book several days of your trips? Maybe four or five days? In this case, how mantém hours a day and what is the cost? Are there hotels nearby?
Visiting* and “how many “*
How much is for one hour and half of riding?
Candy C
Dores, UK4 contributions
All our riding prices are on our Loch Ness Riding website.
1 1/2 hr ride out is £50. Please note that we can only take experienced english-style riders
hmartfitch
Gaylord, MI32 contributions
My mom and I are planning a trip to Scotland in mid July of this year, and we'll be spending a day in the Inverness area. We're considering doing a short ride. While I am an experienced rider, my mom is only comfortable as long as the horse is well behaved, and she's never ridden English. Do you offer a 1ish hour ride that would accommodate our riding abilities?
Candy C
Dores, UK4 contributions
Hi there, Thanks for your query. As long as you Mom is able to ride in a balanced way at walk, trot and canter on a quiet horse then I would be able to take you for an hour's private ride. It is necessary to book in advance however and our weight limit is 14st.
I look forward to hearing back from you.
Mission Taxi
El Arish, Australia9 contributions
How long is the ride and is it suitable for a very average and rusty rider? Also do we need to book? Many thanks
Candy C
Dores, UK4 contributions
Sorry - I have only just seen your question. As long as you are confident and balanced at walk, trot and canter (english style) then we can take you out. We do not gallop hard or jump.If you haven't ridden for a long time then I suggest you book a reasonably short ride. And yes - you need to book in advance. I look forward to hearing from you if it is not already too late
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Frequently Asked Questions about Loch Ness Riding
- Loch Ness Riding is open:
- Sun - Sat 09:30 - 18:00
- Hotels near Loch Ness Riding:
- (0.70 mi) Balachladaich Loch Ness B&B
- (1.93 mi) Loch Ness Lodge
- (1.24 mi) Ach-Na-Sidhe
- (3.68 mi) Airanloch Bed & Breakfast Loch Ness (Adult Only)
- (4.94 mi) Kilmore Farmhouse
- Restaurants near Loch Ness Riding:
- (1.87 mi) Dores Inn
- (9.65 mi) Milk Bar
- (9.52 mi) River House Restaurant
- (5.19 mi) The Loch Ness Inn Restaurant
- (9.64 mi) Miele's Gelateria