Horse riding
The North Pennines offers a range of opportunities for horse riding, from leisurely guided pony rides for beginners, to technical upland hacks across historic packhorse trails for the more experienced.
Discover our networks of bridleways and quiet lanes rom the saddle. One of the best ways to enjoy horse riding in the North Pennines is through one of the area's six riding centres. These centres offer riding lessons and pony and horse trekking.
Our five 'do in a day' Packhorse Trail routes are ideal if you want to ride with confidence in the exhilarating landscapes of the North Pennines. The routes have been developed to help you to explore the area on horseback along some of our oldest networks, including improvements in surfacing, water crossings and gates, with horse riders in mind. The Packhorse Trails guidebook can be bought from the AONB Partnership office.
Alston Packhorse Trail - Horse
![Riding the Alston Packhorse Trail © NPAP/Charlie Hedley Riding the Alston Packhorse Trail © NPAP/Charlie Hedley](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/_57.jpg?itok=FKAlDyES)
Baldersdale Packhorse Trail - Horse
![Baldersdale Packhorse Trail © Natural England/Charlie Hedley Baldersdale Packhorse Trail © Natural England/Charlie Hedley](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/_66.jpg?itok=O6Nf9nf8)
Barnard Castle to Middleton-in-Teesdale: Taste Trail
![Tees Railway path © NPAP/Shane Harris Tees Railway path © NPAP/Shane Harris](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp122_0.jpg?itok=BUtUsmGi)
Blanchland Packhorse Trail - Horse
![Blanchland Packhorse Trail © NPAP/Charlie Hedley Blanchland Packhorse Trail © NPAP/Charlie Hedley](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/_64.jpg?itok=B8sPBNg6)
Derwent Reservoir - Walks, rides and wildlife
![Derwent Reservoir © NPAP/Shane Harris Derwent Reservoir © NPAP/Shane Harris](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/_22.jpg?itok=ByF0vKIV)
Discover Mid Teesdale - routes to walk, cycle and ride
![Walking the Tees Railway Path © NPAP/Shane Harris Walking the Tees Railway Path © NPAP/Shane Harris](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/_42.jpg?itok=vyS3VCvm)
Hamsterley Forest
![Hamsterley Forest © NPAP/Louise Taylor Hamsterley Forest © NPAP/Louise Taylor](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/_23.jpg?itok=lv-4Mgf-)
Hamsterley Packhorse Trail - Horse
![Hamsterley Packhorse Trail © NPAP/Charlie Hedley Hamsterley Packhorse Trail © NPAP/Charlie Hedley](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/_62.jpg?itok=BycqRZgn)
Hartside Packhorse Trail - Horse Riding
![Hartside Packhorse Trail © NPAP/Charlie Hedley Hartside Packhorse Trail © NPAP/Charlie Hedley](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/_59.jpg?itok=GlGQyEDI)
Mickleton - Romaldkirk Moor
![Walking the Teesdale Railway Path © NPAP Walking the Teesdale Railway Path © NPAP](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/_51.jpg?itok=UXhuJoKu)
Sinderhope Pony Trekking Centre
![Sinderhope Pony Trekking © NPAP/Charlie Headley Sinderhope Pony Trekking © NPAP/Charlie Headley](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/enp112.jpg?itok=v_NoR93c)
Teesdale Railway Path
![Walking the Teesdale Railway Path © NPAP/Shane Harris Walking the Teesdale Railway Path © NPAP/Shane Harris](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/_49.jpg?itok=M1ytHIfE)
Waskerley and Lanchester Way: Taste Trail
![Running on the Waskerley Way © Shane Harris Running on the Waskerley Way © Shane Harris](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/_47.jpg?itok=v8d7NzWH)
Waskerley Way Railway Path
![Waskerley Reservoir © NPAP/Shane Harris Waskerley Reservoir © NPAP/Shane Harris](https://explorenorthpennines.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/activity/images/_48.jpg?itok=rdnekuMr)