Tuesday

The Dog Rambler E-diary

top 10
January 2012
Walk Dogs on walk

I spy two hills beginning with c

Length

6 miles

Finlay, Gina, Jerry, Solo, Tim, Struan, Talaidh

With Archie limping on a cut paw it meant space for Struan and Talaidh today. Sorry Archie he had to stay at home on vets orders. With a full load we headed for Bonaly on the very northern edge of The Pentlands. A rowdy and excitable group of dogs more than ready to go. But first they had to wait in the car until another dog which had arrived with its owner had time to set off. I did not want it put out by being surrounded by this rather agitated bunch. Thankfully it went in a different direction to the way had planned so we set off. After running several times around the car as though counting each other they gathered at the gate shooting me rather impatient looks. Open the gate and of course they shot off in the wrong direction. Soon they realised as I began to dip from sight down a small bank to a little bridge over the nearby burn. They hurtled after me, skimming past and over the bridge. As they began to settle and sort of their positions and partners we climbed on a little used narrow path climbing steeply through the precariously gripping Scots Pine trees beside the deepening cut of the burn. The floor loose brown earth and mud on the path. Discarded

orange pine needles softening the effect. Tim and Struan began to chase and as we left the woods for the sweeping moor Gina and Jerry joined them. Finlay made for the front but could not get far ahead today. Joined by both Gina and Solo. He kept coming back toward the group. Gina meeting Struan and Talaidh for the first time was quick to make an allegiance with Struan but could still not resist the lure of Jerry. When she could catch up with him. On his first day out since before Christmas he was dashing about madly through the heather and long, faded grass. Harrying back between us all and then off on the other side of the path. Gina now giving chase. Tim and Struan heading off another way. We climbed across the moorland and then higher through a wide gate toward the top of Capelaw. A stiff shrill wind trying to force us backwards. The dogs slinking low to the ground continued to chase to the expansive backdrop of Edinburgh, a Lego city below us. Finlay just reached the top first. Solo had stopped to peer back and check on my progress with Talaidh my fairly constant companion. The others got there too as their chase petered out dwarfed by the long line of a further off Pentland ridge. And to our right, as we swung onto the hill, about one mile away the bulky, oval lump of Castlelaw Hill topped by a flapping red flag. It drew us toward it. Our path snaked off Capelaw Hill and onto a good track leading us over little hills and knowes to Castlelaw Hill. But first I had to try and distract the dogs from hassling a group of five men, sheltering behind a drystone wall at the bottom of the dip between two hills, sipping drinks and nibbling on food. With some calling and coaxing we got away, the guys food safe and untouched. Closer and bigger Castlelaw Hill got. Then we had to push hard head down for the final strike to the top on a very steep and stony track. Finlay looked askance at the nosily flapping flag, battered by the wind, and moved off quickly. We were rewarded by the sight of a few sheep hunkered low in the grass on the sheltered side of the hill. The dogs came to a ramshackle heel and of course we then found more sheep as we descended. They moved away and let us down the track slicing across the bottom of the hill.

A left turn and it was back toward Capelaw and a meeting with the five men coming the other way. Gina rushed off to greet them like long lost friends. As we crossed the shoulder of Capelaw Hill Tim and Struan chased again. Finlay and Solo waiting for their chance to leap into Bonaly Reservoir, giving an encouraging morse code as the ruffled water flashed further down the hills. Jerry did not fancy the water. Even when a stick was thrown. Tim gave it the cold shoulder too. Finlay and Solo vigorously shook out the cold water before we headed across moorland to the wooded area above Bonaly. The car came into view as the track dropped between the trees. The dogs surrounded it waiting for me to open the doors. Nick

Photo slideshow from the walk

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