Monday

The Dog Rambler E-diary

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February 2012
Walk Dogs on walk

Into Gore Glen, Gorebridge Dylan, Jolie, Lucas, Maggie, Solo, Tim

Length

6 miles

A warming day accompanied by the shrieks of fun from children on their half term holiday brought a sense of Spring to the day. Their voices carrying through the trees as the youngsters played down by the river in the early phase of Goren Glen. Nearest to Gorebridge where they probably lived. A much less noisy mob we presented as we headed off from the edge of Gorebridge toward a path which would drop us into the glen. Half way along we met an older couple who we often bump into when down in the glen. Their collie rushed up to greet me tail wagging and a stick firmly clenched in its mouth. As the wife shouted hello back toward us that was the cue for everyone to run on ahead and surround her and her husband. Walking with sticks they were making slow progress so we soon moved on toward the steep drop under the main road and into the almost unseen glen flanked by trees and steep sided wall like banks making its narrow slit into the land. As Jolie, Lucas and Tim began to play, Maggie dashed off to the slim Gore Water some little distance ahead. Coming back to check on us dripping with water and shaking her head. As I ushered her past the pond of slimy back water it was Lucas who almost found

himself in it. He mistook the green algae covering for solid ground, suddenly finding himself knee deep in the stinking mire. Plenty of time to clean up and lose the smell as we progressed through the walk. We soon joined up with the wider River Esk where the excited playful calls of the children came from. This time Solo rushing ahead to one of his favourite spots. A bend in the river with shallow access to the water. He was quickly joined by Jolie, Lucas and Maggie. Tim still some way behind sniffing about with Dylan in the long grass managing to get enough light to grow between the trees and the river. A great swathe of trees like tall stalks of wheat grew across a wide flood plain blocking out light to the almost bare woodland floor. I had already picked up some sticks and Solo stood waiting for me in the waters edge. He dashed out splashing into the water after them as I threw each one in turn. Not retuning any of them to me I had to resort to stones. By now Tim was into the water but not planning on going very deep. Dylan watched us all from further away with Lucas heading over the check on him. We continued along the line of the river before crossing it on an old stone bridge and making our way upwards to the top of the glen. We had to clamber over a few stricken trees tangled across the path. The dogs stringing themselves out along the narrow path. Waiting for the path to drop them to the open grassy plain across which they could race. And they did. It took a little time but Jolies persistence paid off. Naturally Solo was heading back for the river but she soon had Lucas and Maggie chasing her and then Tim and Dylan headed off on their own chase. Out of the corner of my eye I spied something half running half creeping into the thick line of pine trees along the edge of the grass plain. Probably a fox. No chance of seeing it again as the dogs rampaged about. Maggie sought out Solo in the water or more likely sought out the water. We continued through the wide grass area with the river snaking across it and a path carrying us over it on another stone bridge. Eventually turning as the dogs began to chase each other with sticks. Jolie and Maggie continued to tug over one as we climbed back up toward the top of the glen. Solo too carrying one but no one bothering him. A number of buzzards circled overhead squawking an accompaniment to the noise of the children. The dogs had done

well not to rush down to the waters edge to try and join in their play. Not quite so for the dogs we met along the path. Half restrained they held back for s long as they could and it was usually the other dog coming to them that made them dash forward a bit. All in good fun and humour. Despite the muddy conditions no one was too grubby and a final dip in the river worked wonders. A happy well worked out group climbed out of the glen and back toward Gorebridge. Nick

Photo slideshow from the walk

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