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The Dog Rambler E-diary

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April 2012
Walk Dogs on walk

A circle of Capelaw Hill

Length

6 miles

Cyrano, Darcy, Dylan, Finlay, Tim, Struan, Talaidh

Fantastic, what a warm day. No need to even take a waterproof with me as we returned to The Pentland Hills to end the week with a circuit of Capelaw Hill. A challenge for Darcy who on his last couple of visits to The Pentlands has not been too happy. Today he had a wobble again but by half way was finally into his stride. It was left to Dylan, Struan and Tim to make the running. Struan stretching his long legs easily across the heather. Tim gallantly pushing hard though it on much shorter legs. Making no indent in Struans lead but still giving it his all. Even as Dylan swept by him to be the main pursuer of Struan. Cyrano and Finlay appear to have opted for the more relaxing and luxurious approach to today. Both having a generous mud bath once we had climbed away from Bonaly and out onto to the moors at the top of White Hill. This meant that they had stayed clean for all of about ten minutes. Onto the moor and the sky opened out above us only the rising of the hills nudging into it. A striking blue with cartoon fluffy clouds sailing by on it. Behind me a panting Darcy. A

striking red tongue emerging from his sea of black. Partly he was not yet certain and partly we were climbing and still had a good climb on our hands. From now it was upward all the way to the top of Capelaw Hill. Directly in front of us challenging us with its small cliffs and long bold side like a castle wall.

Striking onward with the rising fanfare calls of larks around us we breached the hills walls of tough heather and wiry grass to reach its summit. Some of the higher hills beyond still flecked with snow in sheltered gullies and shaded holes. We turned left, traversing the very wide grassy ridge. Cyrano deciding he needed some exercise after that nice muddy wallow raced along with Dylan. Finlay still a nice shade of black with an aroma to match just sauntered along slightly ahead with Talaidh not too far behind and Darcy still with me at this stage. We swooped off the hill to head around its far side on a small and indistinct grass path heading through its old corrie torn from the hill thousands of years ago in an age of ice. Now grass slopes, home to sheep. We had to close up together as a couple of sheep watched us very closely with their very young lambs half hiding themselves under the thick woollen coats of their mothers. We came off the hill. Taking it easy between the sheep and detouring higher up to avoid disturbing some lambs nestled into a scoured hollow. Climbing through Phantoms Cleugh and Darcy perked up, moving ahead of me to join the leading pack of Cyrano, Dylan and Finlay. Talaidh was with me and Struan and Tim were behind. Tim pestering Struan to play with him. At the top of the cleugh on the path beneath Capelaw Hill, near Bonaly Reservoir, we stumbled on sad sight. A sheep on its side, weakly moving its legs but with its eye missing. Pecked out by a crow most likely. We did not linger by it. The dogs had looked and sniffed and Struan did not want to leave it. It had an unsettling effect on us all and the dogs became a little sombre and Struan now lagged far behind stopping as though imploring me to go back and do something. But there was little I could do, especially with all the dogs. It would only distress the sheep further. The best I would be able to do was phone the numbers in the car park once back down.

The sombreness did not last too long with Darcy and Tim. As we came off the hill for the last time they began a mock fight and a chase. Struan was obviously no good to Tim now. The rest revived themselves too as we strode down the grassy moor looking at Edinburgh spread below us. Cyrano reverting to his sticks as we crossed an empty field leading back to Bonaly. Back at the car park I alerted the local farmer, leaving a message on his mobile phone and the Park Rangers. The ranger told me it had already been reported and they were trying to contact the likely farmers. The farmer I had phoned, phoned me back. He did not think it was one of his sheep but he did give a great tip. Sheep will sometimes fall over and if they land on their back they cannot get up again. In this cowpt state they will die fairly quickly. So if a sheep is on its back or side and is flailing its legs it just need righting and it will usually be ok. He reckoned that may have happened to this sheep but a while ago hence the pecking out of its eye by a crow. Nature is not always pleasant. But on a positive note I am now ready to right sheep when required. Nick

Photo slideshow from the walk

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