Wool -stock

So, after having two xmas days this year, one at a holliday cottage and one in our own house, a week apart and endless rounds of turkey and pork related dinners inbetween...it was time to walk off some xmas pounds becuase I was starting to look more bear cub than dog.
So we packed up and set off for megget dam in tweedmuir. We have been there many times and it is a great walk, except the fact you need to be on the lead as there are cattle grids and sheeps.

Fogetting the season and how high up the hills are we were not dressed for the mist, which at that height was just actually rain. It seems to me the sheeps are much bolder this time of year maybe becuase they are older but they were anywhere but where they should be....behind the fences.
Now you might think that poses an issue for canines and owners as most owners will proceed with extreme caution approaching unfenced sheeps with a dog as to not scare them..the sheeps that is. But to be honest the sheeps take one look at me and and through rose tinted specticales see bambi. So owner needing to proceed with cation due to sheeps having horns and being bold enough to think I am worthy of them chasing me off.
Anyway all was well, mum did a great job of being scary and encouraging sheeps to move out of the way. However, in doing so a large gathering of them decided to run down the road to where dad was parked up and was setting up the picnic. Im glad to say it was a tuna sandwich as wollen, fur relations could have been strained, had lamb been on the menu.
So as we sat inside the car having our picnic and cup of tea, the indigenous sheeps population gathered around outside, which was not so great for me becuase despite the weather being so foul I still would have appreaciated a sniff around outside and a customery free wander after my dinner.

Walks of the waterfalls

Yet another holiday adventure for me,this time not too far from home near a village called Caputh in Perthshire.  We stayed in a cottage by the river Tay. The cottage belonged to the woman who caught the biggest Salmon fish in the country by line in a river ever. The cottage was spacious and perfect for dogs, it also had a fantastic window seat for mum over looking the river.
The river side walk began from the back garden and went on for over a mile. Mum and I found a secret spot where I could go in and paddle about a mile and a half from the house.
No lead required and I ran around off lead every morning of the trip.

Perthshire has much to offer for walkers and every town/village has a walk or more. Mum decided that each day of the holiday her and I would conquer a waterfall. Starting in Dunkeld on day 1 we reached the heights and we're rewarded with spectacular views whilst doing the Hermatige walk. Mum got lost on the way back and we ended up in the wrong car park so the walk was a lot longer walk than we anticipated. We finished up for tea and a smoked salmon sandwich at the Dunkeld hotel. Dad didn't come with us on our walks as he wasn't well, having saved a chest infection for his holiday instead of contracting it before hand.



On day 2 we went further a field to Kenmore that was an adventure, a miss timed phone call saw dad miss the turning for Aberfeldy resulting in us driving way up in to the mountains on a single track road. The car was piping hot from the brakes by the time we made it all the way down in to Kenmore.

Mum and I walked to the falls of Acharn,  this was a steep climb but importantly a circular, helps mum not get lost.On the way is a hermits cave,mum was too scared to go in on the way up because it was black dark inside but I dragged her through it on the way back and she was glad I did as we found a secret viewing platform for the waterfall and it was spectacular.
We went to the watermill in Aberfeldy for a sandwich and cup of tea after this walk. A Lovely wee place where I can sit out side with mum and dad.

Day 3 we went to Pitlochry and mum and I set off to find the black spout waterfall, this was the least impressive of the waterfalls we saw this week but a nice walk up through the forest.  Mum got lost on the way back (sigh) so we ended up walking round the edge of a big field where we finally met up with dad who was checking out a distillery. We found a dog friendly pub in Pitlochry and I sat out side with mum and dad whilst they had tea and a sandwich. Mum.opted for cake on this occasion but I think she had earned it.



All in all a fantastic holiday great cottage, great walking country I'm rating it 4 out of 4 paws and a waggy tail!.

Classic Drive Out

So last Sunday we headed out to a favourite spot at Tweedmuir in the Scottish Borders the first stop was a quick run about for a wee, mum and I had our picture taken up the hill.
Then it was back in to the car and off we go up the hills.
 As we reached the turn to go up in to the hills we were flagged down by a very official looking man with a Walkie Talkie. I misinterpreted this at first as I thought were getting out for a stroll and a chat but it turns out it's a distance communication tool. The man asked us to wait because there was a classic car Raleigh on that day and some of the cars were coming down the single track road. We waved and beeped as they went past.

We squeezed past all the classic cars huddled in the top car park and we thought that was it. We were most dissapointed as there were actually 100s and 100s of cars all the way along the trail. Not one single picnic spot was free for us to sit out and have lunch.

We found a small grassy spot at the edge of the road overlooking the loch I had a small spot of lunch mum and dad had sandwiches and a freshly made cup of tea.

It was fun to spot all the cars and guess what they were but note to self, not a good day to find a picnic spot.

For this particular day I am scoring 2 out of 4 paws

Rain Rain and more Rain

So I'm thinking about building an ark, not to share but just for me, my toys and my Frisbee. It's rained now for days non stop. Road works due to flooding in my village means going walkies further afield is less attractive and more time consuming.
So today I woke determined not to sit in doors but to face the day, unsurprisingly it rained and rained and rained some more. I headed up to Crichton castle where the gale force winds were so strong I could barely walk forwards up the hill. My ears were pinned right back and the driving rain meant my eyes were tight shut. No chance of Frisbee today in this weather, mum braved the weather with me but it was a short jaunt along the path and then a quick jog back to the car.

Feeling disappointed and in a huff we headed back home.

Mum offered to help me put up the Christmas decorations in my room as she was decorating the living room anyway.This cheered me up no end, my stocking is out ready for Santa and my toys are all neatly put away in my room. So Iv'e been awfully good and hoping Santa will visit me, I try to leave food out for him and his reindeer but it's just too tempting not to eat it myself. I think Santa understands that about dogs :)

East Lothian days

So for the past few days we have been exploring East Lothian making the most of the patchy sunshine :)

Dad also has a new camera so he's been testing it out on the road trips,  check out the YouTube video below, guest staring yours truly as always :) . If I may say so myself still looking dapper in HD. ; )

Argyll Again

So a week ago Saturday we set off for the north west coast to Argyll, back to the big house with the Frisbee lawn, conservatory and the massive garden by the loch.

After initially settling in after packing pretty much the Kitchen sink we were soon joined by the Son, Partner and granddaughter. After teaching her how to play throw so I can fetch we were soon house bound due to diminishing light and the descending of the Scottish Midge cloud of death.

The next day was billed to be full of Frisbee, walks, swims and general holiday super-ness but unfortunately dad got a stomach bug and so spent most of the next three to four days on the toilet or sleeping on the couch.

Mum and the guests headed in to town for a look about and finished the day with fish and chips.

Next to arrive on Wednesday was the grandparents, by now the weather was a heat wave, Dad was feeling a bit better and I had the most amazing time swimming in the sea loch and spent every minute of day light wandering through the house and to the garden with my ball.

I improved my throwing accuracy by managing to be able to throw my ball through the railings of the decking for appropriate human to pick up and throw.

On the final day we were all packed and ready to go for our hike, dog food was packed as well as ball and water bottle. We were off on a five hour walk from village shop to old historical Iron Age village museum. Along the way many sights to take in including Roman bridges and Wolf Rock. (some-what of a pilgrimage for me as wolf Rock is an actual rock and is legend to be marking the place where the last Wolf of Argyll was killed.) After folding carefully their very vague instructions in to a pocket, we set off in to the amazing sunshine to begin our walk. After a bit of debate over where to start and which way to go ...... we were almost on the right track when Nana slipped and broke her ankle. 

Being the most highly trained member of the team I was the first in to action – sniffing the injury and making an assessment of the damage. After trying a nearby house for assistance with no avail I headed back down the track to fetch help leaving Granda with the patient and taking mum with me for dexterity support- (after all not being able to speak the lingo or acquire tools, I needed human back up – even if she did slow me down). 

Almost reaching the main road we came across a pick-up coming towards us containing a forestry commission park ranger. I flagged him down with my tail and asked Mum to translate specific instructions to fetch the injured party and bring them safely down the track to the main road. Mum did an ok job but not being the professional that I am we had to follow the truck and eventually I had to get in the passenger seat and give specific whisker and nose instructions myself. But hey, we got there in the end.

Whilst the Ranger and Granda helped Nana in to the truck, Mum and I headed down the track to meet Dad who was making his way to meet us to take Nana to A and E. Which was over 30 minutes drive away in the next town.

Whilst Nana and Granda waited in A and E and Nana got a cast fitted to her very broken ankle. Mum, Dad and I went in to the town (Lochgilphead) to look around. We found a smoked fish shop and Dad bought a smoked trout which we shared as a picnic in the car. I must say it tasted amazing and they generously allowed me to have all the best bits (Head, Tale and Skin)

Good Times.

After returning to the house to wait for the grandparents to hobble home, I made the most of my last night by tucking up on a sofa made for three J

Best Dog holiday ever!