Some years ago, with a recently acquired friend, we trogged our way up the side of Ingleborough on a cool damp June morning. After heavy rain over night, drifts of mist slid their way up through the valleys and against the hill. Walking through one of these misty drifts, my friend mentioned that she'd accompanied a serious hill walker who yomped up hills with apparent ease leaving her to gasp and stumble some distance behind. She'd only put up with this as she rather fancied him.
After a while, she began to dread the weekend walks and wondered despite his 'other charms' and her love of being out on the hills, whether to call time on the relationship. Then one weekend whilst walking in Eryri (then known as Snowdonia) a thick mist descended, reducing visibility to a few feet ahead. Fortunately he stopped and waited and walked with her and whilst they were stumbling along a slatey pathway he started to point out fossils and other interesting items. Showing her bits of forgotten mining detritus and architecture as they loomed out of the thick mist. She was fascinated by the various shades of the slate - not the grey she assumed it all was, but greens, blues and even a purply hue.
They soon parted their ways - she fell in love with slow detailed walking and took up photography and he decided he'd like to do mountain guiding as a job and left for Europe. Where this is all going is .... the last few days Willow and I have fairly galloped around the countryside to help burn off that desperate need for her to walk. But today I decided a sniff ramble would do her just as much good, if not more, than the high speed route marches we have done.
And after an hour and a half of serious sniffing interposed with short stretches of busy collie trotting... I now have a fast asleep (and muddy) dog. Interestingly enough, the last bit home is the worst in her opinion as we have to do a short bit on our village main road and it can be busy which stresses her out. This section, today, seemed a lot less awful for her. I am hoping that her nervous system found today's walk was just what was needed.
PS it also meant I could take photos - happy me
Glad you all are working the walk timing out! That headstone for a whole family is interesting, especially since the first woman died on my birthday (a few years before I was born, or even my grandparents!).
ReplyDeleteI took the photo of the headstone as the surname is featured heavily in the village, the church, streets and terraces. I was also interested to see who died when as so many appeared to be children - sad really.
DeleteSometimes it's about taking time to look around and enjoy and be thankful - we are all so busy and rushing to the next thing, we sometimes forget to take stock. I am certainly guilty of that. It's good to hear that Willow is enjoying her walks.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
Ellie
I wholeheartedly agree😊I find I miss so much just getting from A to B, so it is good for me too
DeleteMy husband walks our grand dog when she visits, while I take photos. He lets her sniff her way along, giving quality to the walk, not distance. Afterwards Daisy is tired and calm which we enjoy too.
ReplyDeleteToday was the first day I was able to take a photo with my cellphone without having to brace myself against a pulling and fidgety dog - it was a lot easier after all the sniff rambling, will certainly do more of it.
DeleteIt’s interesting how sniffing really is good for them.
ReplyDeleteKJ
I suppose it is nearer how dogs would have - and should still do - behaved. Sniffing for food, sniffing for mates and pack family, sniffing for information and this all fills their brains and keeps them engaged.
DeleteI am now a slow walker and definitely like to stop and take photos! Beloved still prefers to walk faster than me and I no longer try to keep up! Willow sounds to be doing just fine, x
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who has a caravan near Eryri and walks it as often as possible, listening to her it sounds wonderful but I prefer solid flat ground so don't think I'll ever walk there, Your photo of snowdrops is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteOh poor William, outliving them all!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad youve found a way of making your walks enjoyable for both of you. Your friend and her beau sounded like my Mum and Dad, he was a mountaineer, she was a glamorous townie, I'll never forget us on family holidays in the Lake District, yomping up hills with Mum in high heels, trying to keep her hair in place with a fag clamped between her lipsticked lips! xxx