Tuesday

The Dog Rambler E-diary

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September 2011
Walk

Through Gore Glen to Arniston House Chutney, Finlay, Gina, Jerry, Solo, Tim

Length

6 miles

Dogs on walk

There were going to be some identification challenges today as Finlay joined us on his first outing with the team. He made the numbers up to three retrievers on the ramble. At times it did not feel like there were six dogs out and I had to double count just to make sure as Finlay, Gina and Solo blended into one. Finlay fitted straight into the team. This was fantastic as he does have some confidence or anxiety issues. Difficult to spot them today. He looked like a long standing team member and brought Solo out of himself more. Solo has been becoming more active in the last few weeks and could be seen running about all over today. Tim on the other hand was quite slow yesterday. We can now probably put that down to having stolen a bottle of baby oil at home and in playing with it having drunk some. And he had the cheek to turn his nose up at one of varieties of Ramblesnacks. Today must have been Finlays lucky day as he was spared the slightly forward attentions of Tim. Not because of his sore stomach but because of a sore eye. Chasing after Chutney, Finlay and Gina through the undergrowth and into the river a whimpering yelp escaped him. He

came back with one eye half closed and that pretty much put paid to any madness from him for the rest of the walk. He is quite good at feeling sorry for himself. Chutney, Finlay and Gina were loving the flowing water. Running into the Gore Water and then the wider River Esk as we cut deeper into the glen. Heavily shaded by the trees still thick with leaves deep shades of translucent green in the strong sunlight. In the dimly light depths of the glen the paths were very muddy telling the truth about the recent weather, something the sky above was not revealing. They were joined by Jerry and Solo who love the water too. Leaving only me and Tim to walk along the bank. We reached the dogs favourite river spot where the river turns through ninety degrees cutting a steep cliff on one side and on our side a shallow pebbled bank. Their favourite because I can throw stones for them. But not today. The pebbled bank was already occupied by a man and his Dalmatian and Germen Shepherd. Not wanting to crowd him out we did not linger and as Finlay began to bark to get my attention, he wanted something thrown, we moved on. Chutney, Jerry and Solo crowded around him looking expectantly at me as well before slowly making their way onward with me. Under the tall trees, casting long dancing shadows on the breeze, we meandered with the river. Jerry showing Finlay all his secret ways into it. It was eerily calm with Tim so quiet. But several inspection of his half closed pirate eye revealed no damage. He did perk up for a while after we had climbed to the top lip of the glen before descending to some expansive glades of grassland. Here he forgot about his eye for a while and chased across the broad open area with both Chutney and with Gina. Solo too not being left out of the fun. Finlay cast a glance toward them but then raced off to find a way to the river which we had rejoined as it gently chatted across stones and rocks. Answered by the coarse call of the crows gathered in two trees to pointlessly argue. The river cut through the glades, set in a bowl of the trees. We crossed it on a tumble down stone bridge. An old track around the back of Arniston House. We climbed with the track toward a field that normally has some sheep in it. A good tester for Finlay. But there were none. Instead we sneaked into the formal lawns of the house with their strategically placed trees and tried to get a photo of the dogs with the house in the background. The trees pretty much defeated us as they seemed to gather closer together nearer the house in

a protective shield. We headed back from here down into the glade and back up along the top of the glen. The dogs having used a fair amount of energy contented themselves with sticks. Chutney carrying one for most of the rest of the walk. Tim still feeling sorry for himself ignored the temptation to pull and tug at them. Solo still pretending not be interested in sticks, when the evidence at home suggest otherwise. Back at the car and once on board the dogs settled quietly, a sign of a successful outing. Nick

Photo slideshow from the walk

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Nick Fletcher The Dog Rambler 9 Links Street Musselburgh East Lothian EH21 6JL

www.thedogrambler.com nick@thedogrambler.com t. 0131 665 8843 or 0781 551 6765

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