Silly mistress

She forgot to take any pictures.  Mind you all four of my paws were covered in mud, not my best look!  We explored a couple of bridlepaths not far from home.  We had to turn back on the first one as there were cattle showing too much interest in us.  The second one we did walk past some cows but they were too busy eating to bother us.  We ended up walking along a country lane, called Beehive Lane, near Old Hutton.  Very nice it was too, somewhere to explore further another day.  If you look on Google maps and search Beehive Lane, Kendal, LA8 then drag the little yellow man to the cross roads you get an idea of the landscape here.  Quite gentle hills, just right when a strenuous walk isn't required - that happens when the mistress gets confused!
Home to tea and a lie down.  Mistress however found she had to prick lots of sloes for this years gin, and tidy up after the master who was busy cooking and then he started baking so more mess for mistress.  But she tells me the food was good so she can't complain really!

Yesterday and today

This was yesterday looking to Natland village to the left and Kendal to the right, taken from the Helme.  Seems to have become our regular Saturday walk!

 

Today we went over to the Rusland valley with the mistress' friend.  She walked Henry dog and I stayed with mistress. Dont we both look alert? There was the promise of an apple core!

This is the hamlet of Oxen Park taken from a bridlepath we followed.  Mistress decided we had to stick to bridlepaths as there are too many stiles on the footpaths and she knew she'd never lift Henry over one.  Anyway being lifted is the MOST undignified thing for a dog!

A few of the local inhabitants, fortunately these were on the other side of a wall.  And below some more native animals,  followed by a wider view of the scenery.

 

We walked for over two and a half hours in sunshine and the temperature was high enough for mistress to take her jacket off!  I just take it in my stride of course. 

Mistress certainly strode out, often through the mud!  The first part of the walk was through some rather boggy areas and some streams.  I have got used to walking through water now, I'm not always too keen given that I used to avoid water at all costs but it's not so bad now.  Henry of course loves water. But I'm not Henry.

Don't we take a good picture?  This is just to prove that we do go out of town!  We also found these poppies and a "pretty" thistle.

There you have it - more pictures and less writing!  I'm a little tired now after all that fresh air.  Henry was really tired and fell asleep pretty much straight after we got back.  He's gone home now and I've got my house back to myself.  Henry's no bother though, just makes walking harder whenthe master takes us out.  He can't cope with two leads.

 

 

 

My old chum Henners has come to stay for a week and a bit so yesterday mistress took us on the Helme for a walk. 

Today we went for a couple of hours on footpaths around town with mistress' friend.  Henry walked well for her and I actually walked well too!  I can surprise when the occasion suits you know!
BUT it rained and rained so no pictures.  There are plans for a long walk next weekend I'm told.  Hope Henners can keep the pace up!

Another sunny day

 

 

Today we walked up the Helm again.  Mistress had already walked into town and back so it was a slower walk.  Why she had her hair done before going out in the breeze again is beyond me but hey  what do I know?

Here's a view of the Auld Grey Town, otherwise known as Kendal.  We had just got on the footpath at this point

 

This picture was taken on the way back down.  It's of the pub at the end of the lane.  We haven't been in here since I won my rosette and cup for "Best Rescue Dog" at their dog show two years ago.  It's about time we had a return visit.  I'm told the food is good!  Funny it's called the Station Inn as the station is down the hill!

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!

Combined recent walks

Gosh, the mistress is behind with things, it's been a whole week since I wrote the last blog post.  To be fair this working afternoons has proved she has lost any organisation she once may have had! Woof, she does still remember to feed me though.

We walked the Helme a couple more times during the week.  (Now she's having trouble loading the pictures.  This is the second laptop she's had me try working on.  This is the hill we have to walk up to get to the fell.  Funny but it doesn't look half as steep here as it seems in reality!

Here I am at the trig point at the top

We went further on Friday again, out for a whole two hours after the mistress came home from work.  I'm having trouble with these later walks, I really want my tea first but that's because the master has been taking me on a sneaky run out with my ball after lunch!!  He only went and snitched on me on Saturday!  Still, back to Friday.  We went along a busy country road onto a quieter road and past a country house where the mistress once lived in a flat with her friend many years ago, like thirty years ago apparently.  It was rather nice there though.  I would have liked to explore but it was private property so we kept walking.  The views were good and lots of different sniffs. 
Then they found a footpath they had to explore in the interest of future walks they said!  But the mistresses friend said it was somewhere they could take me in the car if they were short of time (and energy!). 

Today the mistress and I took a short walk along the old tow path again, I didn't feel like going far, I wanted my tea!  Would you believe there's a busy road at the top of this path?

Finally a pic of my old mate Scamp.  His mistress is my mistress' best friend.  He's an old man now and not well but still chases me around his orchard when I visit.

A late start today

Mistress has started a new job which means she can't take me out until later now.  I was ready for my walk today & set off at a cracking pace until we got to the hill when mistress had to slow me down so she could keep up!

Back up the Helme again but a different route, up a steeper bit near the start instead of the gentle stroll we've got used to.  Nice views though.

Once again it was windy at the top, plays havoc with my ears you know!

Oh don't I look handsome?  If only mistress wouldn't put that nose halter on, I'm sure she'd feel better if I pulled her up the hill.

Woof, woof

Woof.
 Wouldn't you think the master and mistress would be used to me waking them by now?  If they aren't downstairs at a time that seems right to me I whine.  Loudly.  Then one of them come to give me breakfast and make a cup of tea.  Then I thunder upstairs to wake the other one.  Surely they can hear me coming?  It seems not, I launch myself onto the bed and they look so surprised to see me.  If they don't move I sit on them until they do!  If that doesn't work I bark very loudly, they have to move then.  As soon as they get their act together I lie down.  I like that bed, it's comfy.  Sometimes if master is away I settle up there with the mistress until she is ready to sleep but she fidgets too much for me to stay there.  It has been known for the cat to sleep there as well but it makes the bed a bit crowded, it's bad enough having to share the settee with that cat.  And when Henners or Simba stay they want to share as well.
Looking ahead, apparently later in the year we're going travelling so mistress found a site that tells me all about other walks.  http://www.drivingwithdogs.co.uk/ 

Rusland

What a lovely day afternoon walk the mistress and I took today.  She took me out in the car which I like now - I never used to but now I know I always end up back at home I don't mind.  We went to Rusland and the mistress told me how she used to enjoy caravan holidays here with her Mum and Dad. We walked around the church yard where mistress got a little upset when she told me her Dad's ashes were scattered here.  It was a lovely view from up there.

Then we crossed the road and mistress persuaded me to climb some narrow steps up the side of a stone wall.  It took some doing but I was glad I was brave as we then went into the woods.

Lots of sunshine and dappled shade then some muddy bits and then views of a big stream!

Then on the way back mistress saw the caravan site she used to stay at.

Crosslands Farm



So she got all sentimental reminiscing about her youth!! Apparently you can see deer from the caravans when they come down from the woods.  On the way back down the valley we stopped suddenly when mistress saw a buzzard hovering.  By the time she had the camera out it had flown off!!  Got to laugh HA HA

Woof, woof
Well that wasn't much of a weekend for walks.  They even left for me for a morning so they could go fishing!  Not, I believe that the master caught anything other than a bad temper.  Young master did though!  Ha Ha!!
Monday, mistress took me back up the Helme again with the same old dull grey views & she forgot the camera.  Huh.  It was windy & my ears don't look their best flapping in the breeze.
Yesterday the mistress and her friend took me to Hest Bank (where's that?).  We walked along the shore, along a lane and around the back of Bolton le Sands along the canal towpath.  It was several miles and the mistress and friend talked, and then talked somemore.  Discussing the houses we passed and what a good boy I was.  I always am.  Then we had to wait at a level crossing for some noisy trains to pass.  I didn't mind but they had the nerve to buy an ice cream each and not give me any.  Still no photos as mistress said the weather was too bad to even consider getting the camera out.  It was wet, that horrible fine stuff - mizzle - mistress's friend called it.  No lovely views over Morecambe Bay at all, just that horrible clag as mistress said.  But they want to do the walk again in better weather so I'll get another photo shoot with lovely views behind.  That's the theory anyway.
BUT I do have a picture of me hard at work.  That's my mate Henners in the background.  Not sure he's as computer literate as I am.

Further on Fridays

Woof, woof.  Mistress's friend comes over nearly every Friday and we usually go further on our walks.  It does them good you see, fresh air and exercise. 

 Today we walked up to Kendal Castle, they admired the views and talked a lot.  A very lot.  I only sat down once and that was because I didn't want to leave the grass! 

We had a quick look in Fletcher Park at the carved tree trunk throne, done with a chainsaw I'm told.

Then we came down and walked along the old canal path and round where we went yesterday.  Then I fell asleep when we got home.   I woke up and thought I'd chase the cat but young master told me off.  He's far too fond of that cat!

Short pleasures

Woof, hello!  Another dull day and what could have been a boring walk.  Mistress said she couldn't take me far as she has to go back to work in an hour so we walked along the old canal path -there's no water there now - out towards the countryside and back along a lane.  Just a couple of miles, if that.  Mistress tells me I need a variety of walks on different surfaces with different smells for me.  Does me good apparently - the walk not the smells!

On the way we cross a main road with a pedestrain island in the middle.  A fire engine came along with it's blue lights flashing and making a noise.  Mistress calls it a two-tone siren - blues and twos!  BUT they saw me and switched the siren off until they had gone past.  I wasn't scared of it I just wanted a closer look.  Still once across the road we went down the canal path, I wanted to go back and see the fire engine but mistress wouldn't let me.  There are plenty of interesting smells along here but mistress said we hadn't time to stop at every blade of grass!  She wouldn't let me eat the discarded sandwich either.  Sometimes she's no fun.
We walked back along the lane and on a short footpath alongside the big supermarket they sometimes take me to and then tie me up outside while they go in .................. I'm sure I could help them shop in there but I haven't managed to get in yet.  One day I'll figure out how to untie myself and follow them in.

Woof, woof.  Hello & welcome to my blog.  My name is Dillon & I live with master & mistress & young master on the south east edge of the English Lake District.  I love eating, sleeping and going for walks.  I was rescued apparently and now I no longer live in a cage that I can't get out of.  I like to run but mistress doesn't like it when I run out of sight for very long as she says she's frightened I will get lost or hurt.  I just run because I like running & the freedom it gives me.  I have lived here for three years now & as mistress says "I could have gone to a worse home".

This was taken today on the Helme, a small fell near my house.  I was resting, it's hard work you know being Dillon.  Really I didn't want to go home I wanted to run, but mistress says I'll run off up here as it's so wide open.  Still the views were OK even if the weather was dull & windy.