A selection of postcards and photographs of pony trekkers from Pencerrig Hotel, Builth Wells.

The postcards were produced in the early 1960s when pony trekking was at its height of popularity.  The hotel could accommodate up to 38 guests and would be fully booked during school holidays, particularly in the summer.  Horses and ponies were hired in as needed from Llangammarch based supplier, Bill Price.  Saddles, bridles, girths, etc were retained at Pencerrig to ensure the equipment was properly maintained - these would be stored in the cellars during winter months and cleaned weekly when used.

Riders ranged from novice to experienced and were required to complete a form detailing their experience, age, weight and height when they booked to stay at the hotel so that individuals could be matched with the appropriate horse or pony.  The stable yard consisted of numbered posts which the ponies were tied to and these corresponded to the numbers in the tack room housing saddles and bridles.  On Sunday morning a list containing the names of the riders and their numbered mount would be put up on the stable door so that everyone knew who they would be riding that week - the names of their ponies came later.

In view of the differing riding abilities, trekking was at a leisurely walking pace but the terrain provided enough excitement for most riders and the spectacular views could only be fully appreciated in that way.  This was an era before mobile phones and if there was an accident it was down to the three guides to deal with it, armed with just basic first aid knowledge and common sense!

Treks went out daily from Sunday to Friday, gradually getting longer.  Sunday morning was taken up with instruction followed by a short trek onto the hill, lunch, then back to the hotel in time for afternoon tea.  The treks got longer as the week progressed.  Packed lunches were eaten on various hill locations (whatever the weather). Thursday’s destination was Aberedw with its village shop and pub, and Friday was the Hundred House Inn - both very popular with guests.  

Once back in the stable yard, riders would be responsible for taking saddles and bridles off and putting these away before heading to the ‘Changing Room’ where tea and cake awaited followed by a hot bath.  From Monday morning onwards trekkers groomed and tacked their own ponies and on Friday afternoon they cleaned their own tack ready for the riders arriving the following week - all part of the riding experience!

This was the format used pretty much throughout the 20 years Pencerrig offered pony trekking.  Guides were hired for the summer but Geoff Carrel was the trekking guide for most of that time, joined by  his younger siblings when they were old enough.  Local huntsman, Ian Harley, was a popular guide at the centre for three seasons.  Many guests returned year upon year from all over the U.K. including London, Manchester and Carlisle but, as foreign travel became more affordable in the late 70s, the number of bookings began to drop.  The hotel was well placed to offer other outdoor pursuits, of course, and it catered for external groups who wished to ride, but the days of the long line of happy pony trekkers heading home for tea were essentially over by 1977.