TRAVEL: Portugal
Take the reins on a riding holiday in Portugal
Galope! Galope! Came the cry in Portuguese from the sidelines, as I gripped the reins and willed my horse, the laidback 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 that 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 exquisite 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 rural Berkshire, I'd battled for weeks with a stubborn beast, so riding Boneco was like being upgraded from economy to first class.
Given that Lusitanos - one of the world's most admired breeds - have been bred for war and bull-fighting it was always a fair bet that Boneco would cope with the demands of this particular novice rider.
My teacher Mario promised that Boneco displayed "a good temperament, gentle movements and a great generosity," and was always eager to please his rider. I'd found my perfect match.
Both horse and rider are handled with unstinting care at the equestrian centre.
First up I was put on the lunge lead so that Mario could see I had the confidence and balance to ride unassisted in the arena. Once my heels were pointing in the right direction and hands relocated somewhere near the horse I was ready for action.
Lusitanos may be renowned for their dressage skills, but in this case Boneco's abilities to spin on a sixpence and stop in an instant were surplus to requirements. An ability to decipher the confused signals from above were more important. For me, it was obvious, the canter pirouettes would have to wait.
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 were no riding school nags here, and the school will cater for any level of rider, including the disabled.
The residents don't want for much in the well-appointed stable yard, where rosettes and certificates adorn the walls for triumphs in dressage, show jumping and other disciplines.
The centre features an indoor school, show jumping arena and access to some stunning Portuguese countryside.
Competition in the horse world is fierce in this part of Portugal, never more so than in June when immaculately-turned out riders and horses meet in the nearby town Cascais for the international festival of the Lusitano.
There are plenty of other things to do, at both the hotel and in the surrounding area. After my first two hours in the saddle, I gave Boneco some carrots and 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. Given that the west is Portugal's largest wine producing area, and Torres Vedras its first wine producing region, locals see this area as their version of Tuscany.
The newly-opened Westin hotel has quickly settled into its stride, alongside the existing 6,000 yard golf course, designed by renowned golf architect Donald Steel. Guests have access to fitness studio, 30-metre pool, saunas, steam room and hairdressing salon, tennis courts and a kids' club in season.
The Silver coast may not be the first port of call for the majority of British tourists, but those who do venture from the Mediterranean will discover a different side to Portugal.
The Atlantic coast has always been popular with surfers, but until recently a lack of investment meant many of the historic villages, vineyards and rolling hills remained hidden from view. A new motorway link has changed that, although in the post-Algarve era developments here are strictly controlled.
The jewel in the crown is the walled medieval town of Obidos, about 30 minutes drive from the hotel, with its narrow cobblestone streets and whitewashed houses with terracotta roofs.
The shops are piled high with local handicrafts, while in the spring geraniums, morning glories and bougainvillaea light up the streets. And how many towns boast their own chocolate fair, held each February with a different theme every year to inspire chocolatiers into creating mouth-watering displays?
In spite of the luxury of the hotel, and the beauty of Obidos, it was the riding which made my weekend. It had been the intention to explore some of the surrounding area on horseback, but due to a rainy day it was back to the indoor school to finish the second part of my riding mission.
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 (E498) 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 can arrange single transfers from Lisbon from 60. Local taxis at airport may be cheaper.
Hotel information: 00800 325 95959 or at www.westin.com/camporeal.
TAP Portugal has six daily flights into Lisbon from Gatwick and Heathrow from 107 return.
Regional departures to Lisbon include Manchester and Glasgow from 253.
TAP reservations: 0845 601 0932 or visit www.flytap.com
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Weather for Biggleswade
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 12 C to 25 C
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