The weather on Exmoor is nothing if not unpredictable. Days of low cloud and rain cleared like magic for the second Phoenix Endurance ride from Treborough Cross Country course in Somerset.

This Wessex Group ride is organised by Jane and John Hudson, who live just over the border in Devon and are members of the South West Group of Endurance GB. More than a quarter of the horses and riders at the ride had travelled up from Devon and Cornwall to take part.

At many rides bridleways and forestry routes are linked by lanes but at the Phoenix Ride the local landowners are so generous that the route crosses miles of private farmland.

"Not only did the local landowners give us permission to ride across their land, they went to great lengths to make it possible by moving their stock and leaving the gates open," said John Hudson. "There were 67 gates on the route and 58 of them were left open. It was amazing. One farmer even mowed a track across his fields for the horses and riders to follow.

"We can't thank them enough for all their help."

The route consisted of two main loops. The first went east and north to Treborough, where it split. The riders doing the 45 km (26 mile) class continued north around Croydon Hill near Timberscombe before turning south to the Forestry Commission woods of Kennisham Hill and Checkpoint One. The 34 km (21miles) route went through Kingsbridge to Churchtown, where it rejoined the route to Kennisham Woods.

From here, all but the riders doing the shortest non-competitive class, crossed the B3224 and went downhill across fields and a bridleway to Wimbleball Lake and rode along the edge of the lake to Hill Farm, before turning uphill through Kings Brompton Forest and back up to the checkpoint again.

The return to the venue followed different tracks through Kennisham and Chargot woods to Treborough Common.

The route marking was done, with their usual expertise, by members of the TRF from Gloucestershire, who set up camp at the venue for the weekend.

The last two Competitive endurance rides of the season in the South West region are Brentor, near Tavistock on Sunday September 5 and the Camelford Ride on Sunday, September 29. There are non-competitive classes at both rides and non-members are always welcome to enter.