I love the British countryside, and I want other people to love it too.
Not simply its views, villages and country-house hotels, but the living countryside behind them: the farmers, horsemen, gardeners, craftspeople, landowners and families whose knowledge has been passed down over generations.
Yet much of this world can be surprisingly difficult to enter. It runs on relationships and introductions. Gates are opened because somebody is trusted; invitations are extended because a mutual friend has said, “You will enjoy meeting these people.”
For an overseas visitor, that can make the countryside appear to be a closed shop.
I don’t believe it is. But I don’t believe it should become a free-for-all either.
A working farm is not a visitor attraction. A private stable yard is somebody’s livelihood. A family estate may also be somebody’s home. The people caring for these places have every right to protect their privacy, their animals and their way of life.
But protection does not have to mean exclusion.
Again and again, I have found that the people who make the countryside special are wonderfully generous when introduced to guests who are genuinely interested. They want to share what they know. They enjoy meeting people who ask thoughtful questions, understand the privilege of being welcomed and leave with a deeper appreciation of rural life.
The difficulty is bringing those people together.
We recently arranged an experience for an American guest who had ridden for more than 40 years and was a highly respected horsewoman. Despite her experience, every stable offered her the same sedate countryside hack. Nobody had really listened to her. She didn’t want to sit politely on a horse while admiring the scenery; she wanted to ride properly and feel the wind in her hair.
She did not need a more expensive experience. She needed the right introduction.
That story stayed with me while we were creating the equestrian collection for Ellenborough Park. The British horse world can appear particularly impenetrable, filled with its own traditions, language and social codes. Yet behind that perception is an enormously varied community of trainers, jockeys, Olympic riders, polo players, grooms, farmers and horse lovers.
Our collection offers many ways into that world: riding across open country, learning polo, visiting the gallops, meeting a jockey, training with dressage and showjumping champions, experiencing racing from the inside, riding to hounds, travelling by horse-drawn carriage or caring for rescued ponies. It begins at Ellenborough Park, with its wonderful Cheltenham connections, but it is certainly not restricted to Cheltenham. It is a glimpse into a much wider part of British country life.
For me, the purpose is greater than creating an extraordinary day.
People protect what they value, and they value what they understand. If visitors only see the countryside through a car window, it remains a beautiful backdrop. When they meet the people, hear their stories and understand the work involved in keeping it alive, something changes.
The countryside is precious. Sharing it thoughtfully does not diminish it. Done properly, it may be one of the best ways to protect its future.