The Mountain Portion of The High Atlas Explorer Trail

To give our horses some respite, we walked with them on parts of the uphill side of the pass.  At an altitude of nearly 8000 feet, those of us who are used to living near sea level were soon a bit short of breath!  Val, who always seemed to have brought two of everything to allow for those of us who did not have one, even had a suitable winter jacket to wear!

One of the amazing aspects of the High Atlas Explorer trail was the ever changing scenery; even on horseback it changed appreciably from morning to afternoon every day.  Here is a view looking back the way we came as we slowly work our way up to the summit of the pass at Tizi-n-Tichka.

The Berber children were fascinated by our horses - and by their riders.  After a little shyness, most were delighted to have their pictures taken.  This one of Susannah with children who 'appeared from nowhere' when we stopped for lunch in a walnut grove, was taken with her digital camera  and the children were really excited because they could see themselves in the camera previewer straight away.  

Our horses about to leave for their summer work on the coast.

After the rigours of the High Atlas Trail, our horses were moved to their summer work on the coast at Essaouira.  The transport wasn't so much a horsebox, more a sort of 'horsetray', really.  Nevertheless, our horses all loaded without hesitation and seemed quite content to watch the world go by from their elevated and well ventilated transport.  This view may seem odd to those of us used to seeing enclosed trailers and boxes but the seven horses loaded in less time and with far less drama than many horse owners would take to load just two at a local show in the UK.  Nassim is in front as he 'argues' with the others if he is put anywhere else.