Horse back riding and time of departure

Good morning all!

My g/f and I are looking into doing the horseback riding excursion that is found through cruises dot com. RCL doesn't have one listed on their site as an option. Anyway point is that we are to dock in king's wharf at 8:00am with a departure at 4pm. On the excursion website they only have 1 time slot available which says " departure: 10:30am"

Now from my understanding from reading this forum is that Bermuda only has 1 stable. And apparently it is a 30min drive from the port. So I am assuming the bus leaves the port at 10:30am, we get there around 11, then says about another 20min filling out paperwork. The horse ride is about an hour. Then figure another 30min drive back to the port.

Thus our excursion is approx 10:30-1pm which brings up some questions:

Has any one done this horse riding before?

Even if you haven't, do you feel like this is basically filling up the whole day while we are in bermuda? Yes after wards we can go to the beaches but then we will have to leave in around 3 to go back to the boat.

Oh I should mention that we have never been to Bermuda before and this may be our only time going there, so that is why I am a little worried that this excursion will take up all our time up.

Sorry for the long question.

I really don't think you have to use cruises dot com for this excursion. The stable that is being used is Spicelands Equestrian Center http://www.spicelandsriding.com/

I think you could deal directly with Spicelands to see if they could accommodate your schedule.

The buses (route #8) leave the Dockyard every 30 minutes starting at 8:05AM and the ride is about 30 minutes.

I do agree with you that this will fill up your day. The only beach that would be quickly accessible would be Snorkel Park http://www.snorkelparkbeach.com/ which would be about a 5 minute walk from the cruise ship. SP is a man made beach and is atypical of the beaches found elsewhere in Bermuda.

A suggestion on saving time would be to use a taxi for all your transportation needs. This will be expensive but it may open up some beach time.

SBtS

Thank you for the info! I will try and contact them but so far on their website it states that they don't do 8 or 9am ridings on saturdays! the day we are going there. I guess we will just have to decide if we want to explore the island, or do the horse riding and a quick stop at a beach before we head on back to the boat.

We too were hoping to go Horseback riding while in Bermuda then hit the South Beaches later that day. I am hoping to book the 9:30am tour on a Tuesday in May. We are planning to take the bus from Dockyard (leave by 8am?). My question is...does anyone know how to get from Spicelands to the South beaches and which beach would be the best to visit when our ship leaves same day at 4 pm...Horseshoe Bay or Warwick Bay?

You would take route #8 bus from the Dockyard to get to Spicelands. The first one leaves the Dockyard at 6:35am and then every 30 minutes after that. Warning, there is one express bus that will not stop; it departs the Dockyard at 7:50am.

The beach you could go to after would be Warwick Bay; the Google distance is about 1.4 miles. It could be walked but a taxi would be better. From WB, you could easily follow the beach paths to Horseshoe Bay. You would take route #7 bus back to the Dockyard. If you do walk it, be very careful while walking on Middle Rd; the rest of the walk would be on residential streets.

I have attached a Google map with the route; I am assuming the map is correct.

SBtS

You would take route #8 bus from the Dockyard to get to Spicelands. The first one leaves the Dockyard at 6:35am and then every 30 minutes after that. Warning, there is one express bus that will not stop; it departs the Dockyard at 7:50am.

 

The beach you could go to after would be Warwick Bay; the Google distance is about 1.4 miles. It could be walked but a taxi would be better. From WB, you could easily follow the beach paths to Horseshoe Bay. You would take route #7 bus back to the Dockyard. If you do walk it, be very careful while walking on Middle Rd; the rest of the walk would be on residential streets.

 

I have attached a Google map with the route; I am assuming the map is correct.

 

 

 

SBtS

Thanks so much SB+S for the tip especially the express bus! I guess we will take a taxi from Spiceland to Warwick Long Bay. Do you know if I need to set this up before-hand or are they typically available right outside Spiceland?

I would not think there would be taxis waiting for passengers at Spiceland, but I'm sure Spicelands would call a taxi for you a few minutes before you return from your ride. It would not hurt to ask them to do that.

SBtS

I would not think there would be taxis waiting for passengers at Spiceland, but I'm sure Spicelands would call a taxi for you a few minutes before you return from your ride. It would not hurt to ask them to do that.

 

 

SBtS

Thank you!

Great Info SB+S, Thanks! I will probably do the same and take a taxi to the beach after the horse ride.

Would it be better to take a bus or taxi to St George after Spicelands? Has anyone done the horseback riding?

Would it be better to take a bus or taxi to St George after Spicelands? Has anyone done the horseback riding?

Taxi is better...but expensive, as St. George is quite far away. There is no direct bus service to St. George. You have to take a bus into Hamilton and then change for a bus to St.George...you'll be spending a long time on the buses...not even counting waiting time.

I can't comment about the horseback riding.

Would it be better to take a bus or taxi to St George after Spicelands? Has anyone done the horseback riding?

I have done it and recommend it. Nice ride and very friendly people. It is on the to do list with my children on our next trip.

I have done it and recommend it. Nice ride and very friendly people. It is on the to do list with my children on our next trip.

Hello,

My wife and I will be sailng on Enchantment to Bermuda in two weeks, docked at King's Wharf on a Sunday afternoon until Tuesday morning. We have only been in Bermuda once before, waaaaaay back in 1987, and the horses we saw then looked in pretty bad shape. Boney with ribs showing. So we chose not to subject them to hauling us around. Spicelands Equestrian Centre looks great on their web site, but web sites can be deceiving. How would you say their horses looked? Did your group trail ride get down to the beach? Thanks.

...Karl

Hello,

 

My wife and I will be sailng on Enchantment to Bermuda in two weeks, docked at King's Wharf on a Sunday afternoon until Tuesday morning. We have only been in Bermuda once before, waaaaaay back in 1987, and the horses we saw then looked in pretty bad shape. Boney with ribs showing. So we chose not to subject them to hauling us around. Spicelands Equestrian Centre looks great on their web site, but web sites can be deceiving. How would you say their horses looked? Did your group trail ride get down to the beach? Thanks.

 

...Karl

Here's what the horses looked like 2 years ago.:)

Thanks! Those horses look very fit and well-groomed. Feeling better about being able to ride on the beach. Thanks, again!

...Karl

Hello,

 

My wife and I will be sailng on Enchantment to Bermuda in two weeks, docked at King's Wharf on a Sunday afternoon until Tuesday morning. We have only been in Bermuda once before, waaaaaay back in 1987, and the horses we saw then looked in pretty bad shape. Boney with ribs showing. So we chose not to subject them to hauling us around. Spicelands Equestrian Centre looks great on their web site, but web sites can be deceiving. How would you say their horses looked? Did your group trail ride get down to the beach? Thanks.

 

...Karl

You couldn't have been at Spicelands. I've ridden there a number of times over the years, and the horses always look to be in top condition. I have seen some rather unfortunate-looking horses on other islands, but never Bermuda.

Thanks! Those horses look very fit and well-groomed. Feeling better about being able to ride on the beach. Thanks, again!

 

...Karl

According to reports, they're no longer permitted to ride on the beach. They use trails close to the beach.

Thanks! Those horses look very fit and well-groomed. Feeling better about being able to ride on the beach. Thanks, again!

 

...Karl

This was recently posted about beach riding -

by CC member luvfanvaca on 9/8/12: …....... I saw something about horseback riding on the beach, just an fyi…I emailed the place mentioned and found out they are no longer permitted to ride on the beach but they do take the trails very close to the beach and I …..................

Trail riding is still available and does get close to the beach.

SBtS

Thanks for the current info and reference to other threads! Cheers!

...Karl

Please let us know if you do the ride and if it was worth it. Thanks

Please let us know if you do the ride and if it was worth it. Thanks

We've booked an 11:00 AM ride on Monday, October 1st. :)

...Karl