Thursday

The Dog Rambler E-diary

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November 2011
Walk

The Union Canal from Ratho Finlay, Jerry, Lucas, Otis, Ozzy, Tim

Length

6.85 miles

Dogs on walk

Wet and windy conditions today, along with my tooth infection and swollen face sent us the way of the Union Canal. A flat walk but one where we can get a good pace up and cover quite some distance. It was quiet today and although we saw several people, one on a bike, we only actually met up and crossed paths with one couple of men walking, wrapped up against the conditions. The cyclist turned off up some steps by a bridge just as we were about to collide and another man with his dog disappeared beneath the canal rising back up on the other side. He may have regretted it as his dog began to run amok amongst a group of school students preparing to launch five large canoes into the canal. So by and large we had the canal to ourselves. A few Mallards gently bobbed on the slight ripples of the water. Sometimes taking cover in the reed beds, matting some of the sides of the canal. Having died away once the mild weather has been encouraging new growth and from this carpet some young lush green leaves were growing. Tall, thin and erect pushing skywards. Jerry, very keen to be in the canal but not brave enough to take the required leap off the bank, instead waded out on the reeds. Sploshing about in the water penetrating the reeds.

I waited for him to fall through but it did not happen. Finlay was the only one to take the plunge and this only after we had covered more than half of the walk. A gap in the bank with a relatively kind slope saw his gently slip into the water. His example encouraged Ozzy to try a little further on but he did not go more than knee deep. A little like Jerry he found it too much of a challenge. Better instead to chase with Tim and Lucas. The tow path wide enough for them to lope along. Turning their heads toward each other in mock snarls and snaps. Otis left them to their game, finding plenty of smells to entertain him. For most of the outward journey Finlay was happy at the front. I let him go and he looked back from time to time to ensure we were not too far behind. Jerry the only one to really explore off the path ran up the embankments where the canal cut though the landscape, keeping its level course. Tim followed him once but got tangled up in the twisted undergrowth. On the way back Ozzy joined him but worried he could not get back down, quickly retraced his steps and back onto the path. Finlay joined the group coming back and was often to be seen with Otis who was making his bid to be the leader. Having hung around at the back for so long. As we got further into the walk the shuffling of places continued and Lucas fell in behind me often now with Ozzy joining him. The noise of the M8 receeded, with us having turned at the bridge it crosses the canal on. The railway line veered away with it and we were left with open fields. Some still recently ploughed giving off their heavy damp smell. Others already planted, tender green unrecognisable shoots, making their first growth into their alien landscape. Several bridges and a high aqueduct counted down our route as the fields gave way to deep cuttings. Flanked by nearly bare trees. Silent sentinels stripped of their colour rank. Their discarded uniforms fading gold on the path being slowly trodden to mush on the muddy ground. The bright shuffling of moored canal boats heralded our arrival back in Ratho. Their cheerful line bringing us back under the humped back bridge and into the car park. Nick

Photo slideshow from the walk

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