Day 39

Today was in many ways the highlight of the whole journey - we crossed the famous Far Moor bridge! I know that the area is called Far Moor, but I cannot get over the fact that the Far Moor bridge opens up to far more bridleway. I just had to hop off to get a picture of Juniblest on the bridge! 

Apart from that today's ride was by far the wildest one - not a human in sight for hours and hours. We met the three Billygoats Gruff (And to let mum know what I'm talking about: Bukkene Bruse in Norwegian), but luckily no trolls =) Aaaand in the distance I saw a railway bridge that looked suspiciously like the one used in Harry Potter! I will keep believing it was the one although I googled it and the HP one turned out to be in Scotland... =p

Anyway! Please sponsor RDA and WHW generously to show that you appreciate us crossing the Far Moor Bridge =)

"The bridge was flooded, but it looked safe..." (Just a quote from Black Beauty)

"As soon as I reached the middle I knew at once that something was wrong!" (Not really, just another Black Beauty quote..)

Far Moor Bridge

"WHO'S THAT STOMPING ON MY BRIDGE??"

"Oh, just us, the Billygoats (Billysheep?) Gruff. We are really scared of horses! There is one following us right now so you'd better eat him instead of us.."

"OK, SO GO THEN!" the troll roared. And he sure tried to get his teeth in that pony, but he fought back so fiercely that the troll had to give up. Or something... 

Juniblest quenching his thirst after fighting off that troll.

Harry Potter bridge! 

"I know dark clouds will hover over me, I know my pathway is rough and steep
But golden fields lie out before me where weary eyes no more will weep" =)

I came across a very amoosing candle holder!

Day 38

From Long Preston the Pennine Bridleway took us to Selside where there was a lot of confusion thanks to technology (I'll blame it on that). Basically, as we came closer I phoned up the place at which we were going to stay just to talk to a lady who had not heard about me and who had definitely not recieved a phone call this morning. As I often end up phoning several places before I find somewhere for us I tried another B&B for horses in the same area but they were not at home so it couldn't have been them. Freaking out slightly as Sina, who had the number I called in the morning saved on his phone, had been sent off ahead again and was somewhere outside mobile reception I decided to keep going and hope for the best. After a while he came cycling back to tell me we were just around the corner, and that he had met a very helpful woman. Long story short, the phone call I did in the morning was the right one and the second one must have been the wrong number or something. It really got me sweating for a few moments! I don't mind where I sleep but Juniblest sure needs food and water every night..

To help other horses get food and water every night, please donate some pounds to World Horse Welfare ;)
To help people with a wide variety of physical challenges get a good night's sleep after a riding session, please donate some pounds to Riding for the Disabled Association =)

We got some veteroplast (or something like that?) of the lady who owned the field in which Juniblest slept in Long Preston and I decided to try this instead of normal bandages. Turned out to work beautifully!

Juniblest asleep in the beergarden of a pub. Clearly, Health and Safety is a bit less strict in the North (Have I mentioned that I love the North?)

He's not eating the flowers even if it looks that way...

An Owl outside Far Moor Horse and Rider B&B. Owls are clearly following me! =S

The Warrior Princess and the Princess Pony =)

Day 37

From Colne the journey went on to Long Preston, and today we had company by Sina on his bike. Turned out that "bridleway" means hard work for cyclists so he was sent off ahead on the road to find us humans a place to stay close to where Juniblest would be. 

We found another canal, met some pigs and were surprised by a stag who decided to run out of the woods just in front of us. Apart from that we had a quiet day with good weather - what more can you want? =)

Well, one thing obviously: A generous donation to RDA or WHW ;)

Yeah, right! 

Sina the Warrior Princess

The shadow rider!

Piggies! One had a mohawk =)

Can you see the stag?

Day 35 and 36

We are now in an area where my maps are worth nothing as the Pennine Bridleway is a lot newer than them. Therefore I have to follow the sign posts which are not always as visible or existing as I would like them to be, but generally we do find our way without me cursing too much. Going to Jerusalem Farm near Colne turned out to be a bit demanding as I didn't really know where it was in relation to where we were but we got there too in the end, safe and sound. As they clean and wash rugs here we got to wash all pads and bandages while Juniblest was enjoying a day off, and we met up with our companion on bike for a few days - Sina the Warrior Princess (or the Prince of Persia as he prefers it)!

If you need to wash, reproof and repair any rugs I'd recommend Stinky Rugs on Jerusalem Farm!

And if you need to feel important I'd recommend donating lots of £££ to World Horse Welfare and/or Riding for the Disabled Association ;)

Just to prove I'm here too =)

Pegasus crossing! I have to reach up for the one made for horses, though... Find the human one a lot easier to use! =p

Forest! <3

Juniblest having a Wella moment..

Lunch break 

After being drenched and soaked and cold and wet again and again and again it was a delight to watch the rain from afar!

And then there was a bit of a hallelujah moment =)

You can hear the angels sing, eh? =)

Day 34

From Diggle we left for Longfield Equestrian Centre in Todmorden. The ride was epic although tiring - I think there might be a direct link between the two as epic means hilly and hilly means tiring.. Juniblest was a true soldier and struggled his way up all those mountains - and I had to lead quite a lot..
When we got there he was offered the largest stable I've ever seen and I got to sleep in a permanent caravan with a bed, a kitchen and a bath. Bliss!
Not to mention the food at the pub... =D

Since we've come so far I think we have earned your donations to our charities ;) They can be found at www.justgiving.com/ponytrip (World Horse Welfare) and www.justgiving.ponytriprda (Riding for the Disabled Association)

We didn't box through Manchester, by the way! I misread the route and it didn't go through there at all =)

This stable didn't exactly make him look big... =)

(And I promise that after the ride and after his time off, I will work on that topline ;) )

Day 33

Leaving Hargate Hill turned out to be a bit of a challenge as I got very confused as to where the Pennine Bridleway went from there and took about a thousand wrong turns. I have gotten lost more or less every day, but this was by far the worst one as I ended up following the Trans Pennine Way east instead of Pennine Bridleway north. We must have been rambling around looking for the right way for at least two hours... But we got there in the end and arrived in Diggle safely =)

I haven't done any sponsored rides or anything earlier as we haven't really got that tradition in Norway, and so I don't really know what to expect when it comes to how much I can hope to raise but I do think WHW and RDA are brilliant charities that do a very important job so I would urge you to donate a pound or ten. Can we make £300 for each of them? At least! ;)

You can donate to RDA here and WHW here

How to control chafing =)

Getting lost meant going on a footpath, which meant squeezing through one of these gates.. Although Juniblest might be a bit small sometimes, that size is a blessing in situations like these! Not to mention his attitude - "so you want me to walk through that thingy through which I cannot possibly fit in a place I've never been before without any companions apart from you, human? Sure!"

For those of you who have seen Trollhunter we are clearly entering a troll territory. Better get to our destination before dark! (And yes, this is in the middle of the day although it sure looks gloomy..)

Another high place...

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Pictures from day 31 and 32

View's not bad, eh? =)

Definitely quite far North by now =) 

Juniblest and the vet. He had to walk up and down the yard on gravel and tarmac with and without boots in order to pass the inspection. Not boots on back legs were needed.

Looking at long grass and other horses. 

And I should be banned from using a microwave.... This is nuked and exploded chocolate flavour porridge.