Tuesday

The Dog Rambler E-diary

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April 2012
Walk Dogs on walk

Around hill to Bonaly Reservoir

Length

6 miles

Archie, Finlay, Gina, Gustave, Jerry, Otis, Tim

A repeat of Fridays walk. I enjoyed it so much I thought we would head out along it again. Only Finlay was there on Friday out of todays group. Not entirely a new walk as it covers ground we have been across before but the start is different and we have not had Bonaly reservoir as a destination either. I knew Finlay would not mind, he loves the reservoir. The rest would all be quite excited as well, once they knew where we were headed. It would take them a long time to realise the destination however. It was a wet start to the day so a dip in the reservoir would make little difference to their state. Indeed it would clean them up nicely. Sad thing was that we still have come all the way back to the car so little chance of them staying clean. We had good tracks for the first couple of miles. Not that the dogs stayed to them. Jerry in particular was keen to bounce and nose about anywhere but on the track. Small streams of water rippled over the stony surface. Up to and above little Gustaves ankles. He may have looked a little worried because last time he set off from here I dragged him up Black Hill. Poor chap was exhausted. So he paced himself.

Gina was quite excited and tried to keep up with Jerry as much as she could. She certainly has a soft spot for him. Otis is trying to ignore the girls. They have proved too much for him. All his efforts having gone unrewarded. He wandered about quite carefree now only having to dodge the dive bombing Tim. Yes Tim was up to some of his old antics that we have not seen for a while. Absolutely full of energy and desperate to play but no one was taking him up. Perhaps if he asked a little more nicely. Archie was giving him a wide berth preferring to keep Gina company when she was not following Jerry. He would probably have done the same with Finlay, a trio of retrievers, if he was not his customary twelve paces in front of everyone else. Having to come to heel when a young collie approached. In desperation Tim leapt at it. A look of horror on the owners face until she realised and I explained that there was not intent. Tims efforts were not rewarded but it and Gustave took a liking to each other as I chatted to the owner and her friend. Ahead some dispersed sheep with their lambs were easily spotted against the wet grass and heather. Far enough away for us not to bother about them and for the dogs to run free. However, they were still quite calms even with all this open space to run in. Gustave was still glancing warily to his right where the bulk of Black Hill taunted him. The rest were being drawn to a slow pace by the array of smells rising with the increasing heat. Steam rising from the grass like smoke. We left the good tracks and cut across the side of Harbour Hill. Splodging along the grass path more like a flooded river. The dogs getting seriously dirty. But not far around the corner, past some pine trees, was the reservoir. Today I managed to keep them to heel right up to its edge. Then in they dashed turning to look at me ready for fun. Gina waded quite far out. She will swim one day soon I am sure. Not to be out done Tim swam a long way out, even leaving Finlay in his wake. Jerry leapt for stones close to the shore and Archie and Otis raced along its side. Too much for Gustave he came and stood behind me until we were ready to set off. Lovely clean dogs. Four about five minutes. Deliberately collecting as much mud as they

could as we traversed back across Harbour Hill to our good track. Stopping at one point to let a labouring cyclist slip by on hard to controls wheels. Then it was downhill all the way across the open moor with its sheep still firmly planted in the heather. A couple more dogs on the way back down provided a little distraction before we arrived back at the car. Nick

Photo slideshow from the walk

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