EPICENTRE to bids farewell to an Exmoor pony institution.

Snoot was a Scottish Youth Hostel near Hawick. For nearly half a century, it has offered Exmoor Trekking in association with the Royal Dick Veterinary College's herd in Edinburgh. The Snoot hostel, a leaky old church in the middle of nowhere, succumbed to dry rot. Throughout its long life it excelled as the basic youth hostel's basic youth hostel. What it lacked in creature comforts it more than made up for in creatures. 15 hairy Exmoors parked outside the door. Thousands of people from all over the world have had the opportunity of a close encounter with an Exmoor pony; trekking, galloping, and parting company from, swimming with and taking to the pub.

The good news is that the ponies are still around and now they are operating from the Glendevon hostel near Stirling.

by Tim Mackintosh