Saddle up in the sun

Aug 8 2008 By Graeme Evans

Discover a different side of Portugal with special horse riding packages

Galope! Galope! Came the cry in Portuguese from the sidelines, as I gripped the reins and willed my horse, the laid-back Boneco, into some sort of action.

After months of riding lessons at home I had failed to go faster than a brisk trot, and was hoping an equestrian break in Portugal would get me out of the slow lane.

It worked. The journey may have been brief, but I was determined to savour the moment as Boneco broke into an impressive canter.

My partner in crime was an eight-year-old Lusitano horse, one of many highly-trained animals at the stables run by former international eventer Miguel Athayde and his wife Cuca. At my regular stables back in Berkshire, I'd battled for weeks with a stubborn beast, so riding Boneco was like being upgraded from economy to first class.

My teacher Mario promised that Boneco displayed "a good temperament, gentle movements and a great generosity," and was eager to please his rider.

Some of the country's up-and coming riders are pupils at the stables, which can house up to 60 horses and are set in glorious vineyards some 30 minutes drive from Lisbon. The recently opened Westin CampoReal - one of two five-star resorts in this region of Portugal - is next door, and the two outfits have gone into partnership to offer equestrian breaks.

Given the luxury accommodation at the hotel - there are also self-catering apartments in the grounds - it was only to be expected that the horses would be of the five-star variety. There are also plenty of other things to do in the surrounding area.

After my first two hours in the saddle, I headed back to the hotel for a massage at the spa and some authentic Portuguese cooking.

At Grande Escolha, the plushest of the Westin's three restaurants, the menu is made up entirely of locally-sourced dishes.

As well as traditional Portuguese fare such as locally cured cod fish, there were some surprises in black pudding from the Beira region and fig cheese from the Algarve. The same applied to the wine list, where the local grape varieties made for a pleasant change to the usual choices of home. In spite of the luxury of the hotel, it was the riding which made my weekend.

This time I was also given an example of how it should be done, with riders as young as seven faultlessly tackling their jumps. Clearly I still had some catching up to do.

But I left inspired and keen to get back in the saddle again on my return home.

Travel facts...

Graeme Evans was a guest of The Westin CampoReal Golf Resort & Spa in Turcifal which offers four-day riding packages from £395 based on two people sharing a one bedroom apartment until December 2008.

Package includes three nights' B&B in apartment or townhouse, two riding lessons per day, lunch or dinner and full access to hotel facilities.

Hotel information: 00800 325 95959 or at www.westin.com/camporeal.

Portugal reservations: 0845 601 0932.

Regional departures to Lisbon include Manchester and Glasgow from £253.