It's been a while

Oh the tale of woe..........

Actually I had a poorly paw which meant I couldn't walk too far, then mistress started to work in the afternoons as well so longish walks went out of the window for a while. 

Yesterday however we went out with with mistress' friend and her friend and dog, Sula the collie.  This was their territory.  We did a 5 mile circuit of the Dales Way, leaving one car by a big viaduct at Firbank and starting out from near Docker Brow on the A685.

This was the view once we hit the foot path.

 

 

And another view of the surrounding mountains of the Howgills, I think!

Here's mistress' friends and Sula.  I got on with her all right but being a collie she did what she was told whereas I .........

got myself into trouble twice.  We had to negociate several fields of cattle which was OK once we shooed them away but we also had a narrow bit of footpath through a gap in an electric fence.  I didn't want to go but they made me.  Oh I did yelp when I danced backwards into the fence.  Nearly made my hair stand on end.  I did walk better afterwards though. 

The only other problem on this walk was the number of stiles, both stone and wooden.  I dislike going up over these intensly and oh the indignity of being hoisted up and over by mistress who isn't quite as strong as she thought she was.  It was most un-doglike for a hound like myself. 

There was lots of mud about and I was covered up my lovely long legs onto my belly.  I decided the best way was to accept that as a beauty treatment.  Mistress' legs were covered in mud as well when she sank into a boggy bit.  That was funny but I didn't laugh too loud.  I also had a mouthful of sheep poo.

 

The viaduct was a welcome sight.  Mistres said we should explore it further one day.  I think that should only happen if we don't have to climb any stiles and there aren't any cattle about.  Funny thing they all walked much quicker through the fields of cows!