Birthday boy

Nic's (the husband) birthday today so we headed up into Derbyshire so that he could see some hills. The only negative Nic can find about where we now live is that it's too flat. Having spent some happy bachelor years living in Alstonefield in the Peak District, supping real ales by roaring log fires, he pines for the hills (although prefers to observe them through a pub window rather than conquer them!). With 4 children aged 7 and under in tow (not all our's as we met up with family from Derby) and mad dog on lead, we wanted a short, easy stroll in dramatic scenery, so we chose Dovedale, knowing full well that we wouldn't exactly be getting away from it all. Daisy was in full-on mad dog mode, straining on the end of the leash, desperate to make friends with fellow walkers, not fussy whether they were on two or four legs. And there were plenty of them, queuing to get through the bottlenecks caused by narrow, steep and slippery footpaths littered with small people! We did well to end the walk with only one minor casualty - Abigail tackled to the ground by a very muddy Daisy. Tears were wiped away, mud ineffectively dabbed at and we headed to the hospitality of the Knockerdown, another favourite haunt of Nic's in a previous life.

Apart from this exciting outing Daisy has had to make do with walks around Wincham and Pickmere this week. Must be wierd being a dog and never quite knowing what the day holds - a quick route march around the village checking out familiar lamp posts or a trip in the car to a whole new world of smells. She definitely prefers outings which involve water or steaming piles of horse dung. In Daisy's world a fresh cow pat simply completes the day! A walk to Pickmere Lake ticks all the boxes - lots of mud, a few horses to bark bravely at (as long as they are on the other side of an inpenetrable hedge), rapidly scarpering ducks - whose quacks sound a lot like they're laughing at us - and plenty of familiar canine friends to greet by sniffing them at both ends.

By Jane Burkinshaw. Share this post by clicking on one of the Share buttons on the right hand side. I'd love to hear your comments too!