Tuesday

The Dog Rambler E-diary

top 07
February 2012
Walk Dogs on walk

By frosty hill and frozen reservoir Finlay, Jerry, Otis, Solo, Tim

Length

6 miles

We were to be joined by Struan and Talaidh today but Talaidh had hurt her foot. Limping badly on a bloodied foot in the morning she could not even get to the bottom of the street with Ian. I bathed it in warm salty water and dressed it with E45 cream. To top it off I allowed her to stay on the bed all day. That did the trick. When I came home in the afternoon you would never had guessed that she could barely walk in the morning. She bounded down the stairs. Yes I think she had been on the bed all day long. Then when we went out she chased Struan about, turning some tight corners in the process. That was about the best of the chasing I saw all day. Tim burnt his bridges with Jerry early on and Finlay, Otis and Solo are not renowned for loving to chase. So he was a bit stuck. He did try to encourage Otis and Solo but got no response other than a duck away of the head. Refusing to even look at him. He looked on longingly at Jerry who was running in wide careless circles, moth wide as if in a big grin. But his early jump on Jerrys head had seen him having to leap out the way of Jerrys flashing white teeth. Findlay was not waiting around today and took on the climb away from Bonaly with

vigour. Heavily frosted underfoot each blade of grass had its own white coating. The low growing plants huddled in the grass had fronds of frost brittly growing off their leaves. Finlay chugged over it. Looking back over his shoulder urging us to pick up our pace. We climbed away over moorland heading for the shoulder of Harbour Hill. Brightly white lit by the sun, resting in the clear blue sky. Another beautiful day. But all that sun was to undo the frost and once more leave with me dirty dogs. For now we were fine and crossed the shoulder of Harbour Hill without any interference from sheep. Below on the path cutting up to gap in two hills three dogs were playing about in the heather. We were certain to catch them as their owners dawdled along. We did, with the dogs staying reasonably to heel until upon them. Tim desperate to play tried his luck but there were no takers. He tried again as we dropped back into a line of Scots Pine trees. But this time running off to see a dog far too soon. Realising what he had done as his name still echoed in the trees, having been ignored by him, he looked at me quite sheepishly. His first warning of the day. It was about now that the ground was thawing in this constant sun. And once it did it was wet and muddy. Just as the dogs like it. It was not long before Finlay, Otis and Solo had dirt climbing their legs and onto their undersides. I soon noticed that Jerry and Tim we looking no better. The reservoir was ahead of us. Great. As we approached it became clear that some of the trees which had been toppled in the storm were now being cleared. The whine of saws ringing through the air. We had to go on the other track around it that did not allow access to the water. It made little difference because the reservoir was frozen over. Great sheets of ice having come together, stress lines across them making them look like great daubs of paint brushed onto the surface. Only fifty feet or less down was Tordfuff Reservoir. Surprisingly this gently rippled with water, catching the sparkling sun and home to a good few ducks. Such a contrast. The dogs could not wait to get to the dam at the end where they could get down to the water. Finlay getting too excited and barking. Solo almost having my hand off as I picked up a stick to throw into the water. All but Tim went in. Or so I thought. But when I looked at

Jerry as we clambered back through to Bonaly I realised he was still quite dirty. Finlay and Solo shook themselves vigorously before getting back to the car but were still dripping as they gathered about the doors. Nick

Photo slideshow from the walk

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