Monday

The Dog Rambler E-diary

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September 2011
Walk

Longniddry to Haddington railway walk Dylan, Jolie, Lucas, Maggie, Solo, Tim

Length

6 miles

Dogs on walk

Hidden at the end of an almost concealed track just outside Longniddry begins this railway walk. Under the busy working line through a tight blind cornered tunnel we wound up to the car park and the trace of the old line now a walkway. A genteel start to the walk with none of the dogs going too mad. They must all have had quite full weekends. Even meeting a beautiful soft blue Weimaraner, not far into the walk, witnessed the dogs being incredibly obedient. Tim only going over to it, on its lead, as we were passing it and its two owners. Dylan catching us up reached them after we had moved on. He lingered head in the air but the Weimaraner ignored him much as it had Tim and the others. A quite low sun cast long shadows down the path like ghosts of the old railway lines once embedded in it. A sharply contrasting dark from the trees and light from the sun flashed almost like a strobe as we moved along. The sunlight catching on lengthy spiders silken lines of web stretching between branches. A kaleidoscope of colours shimmering from them in the light and the breeze. The occasional wag of a dogs tail breaking the spellbindingly thin threads looking like the gauzy white contrails left by planes flying overhead.

Getting into their stride now and Jolie dashed between Lucas and Tim her trademark leap into the air in front of each working its magic and dazzling them both into chasing her. Solo making a quick sidestep to let them by. Maggie breaking into a run to follow them, then thinking again and slowing back down. Solo catching her up. At last Dylan too catching us all up. But rather than stop there he pushed onto the front finding a way by the three covering the path in their chase. Several cuttings arched under trees and crossed by mossy stone bridges led us to an enticing deep pool. Maggie and Solo had already run ahead knowing it was there. They were quickly followed by Jolie, Lucas and Tim. But this time round only Solo took the plunge, the drop from the concrete dam too much for the others to attempt with the murky water hiding the bottom. Not so on the way back with Maggie and Tim joining Solo for a swim. And Jolie too, getting bumped by the others and slipping off the side into the water. I have never seen her in so deep, although she could easily stand on the bottom where she was. She did not linger and quickly scrabbled her way out. We gave way for a couple of cyclists. Dylan and Solo not making a great effort to make room for them as the rest of us huddled under a tall tree, its cover making space beneath it. Leading the way a woman called thanks as she cycled on. Her male partner stopped to look at the dogs and was soon surrounded. Spotting a gap he set off again after we had finished a short chat. Now Jolie picked up a long stick. A branch really about six feet long. Soon Tim was tugging the other end. Until it snapped. Now they both had a section. Tim dropped his; he still wanted what Jolie had. Maggie took advantage and took up Tims discarded section. Now he was torn between who to go for. Lucas watched them from my side, only running off after them once they had bounded along the track. Almost catching Dylan up. Solo looked on a little disinterested. He was not even very impressed when Jolie chased Tim so hard that he dropped his next stick again only for Maggie to pick up the spoils. They kept up a good chase with several sticks along the final section. Their enjoyment pushing Dylan further ahead and causing Lucas to retreat back to me and Solo. This was pretty much how we finished the walk, quite strung out. Dylan having to wait at the car for the rest of us to catch him up.

Nick

Photo slideshow from the walk

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Nick Fletcher The Dog Rambler 9 Links Street Musselburgh East Lothian EH21 6JL

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