We've settled into a nice pattern of three walks a day. One longer one that gets photographed and documented, and two that are for lead training and toilet breaks. But we're also going further afield because Freya can manage longer distances than the end of our little street, which is good because it was getting a little boring. It'll be a long time before we're up to my and Matthew's longer walks from earlier in the year, but there's no rush, eh?
Anyway, I was trying to decide where we could walk that wasn't our street last weekend, when Thomas asked for a lift to the skate park. We took Freya with us and decided it was time to show her Halton Park and see how she would react to sheep. I'd already checked to see if she was allowed in the park – wasn't sure if cattle grids were only there to keep sheep and cows in, or whether they meant you had to keep dogs out. It was fine.
I stopped at the cattle grid, just to see what she would do. Some dogs, I know, can manage a cattle grid by themselves, and some freak out and have to be carried. Freya managed the first one without falling between the gaps, which I thought was quite impressive.
The few days before this, she'd been learning quite nicely to walk without pulling, but I already suspected that would be too much to ask when she saw the sheep. I had a little time to prepare her because they were at the far end of the road today, as you see here. But she doesn't speak English, so all of my soothing words and reassurance didn't really mean anything to her. Besides which, soothing wasn't what she needed, being a shepherd – she wanted to play with them, obviously.
And here they are, all running away from us. This was in response to an enthusiastic bark from Freya that sounded like, 'HI! I'M FREYA! WANT TO PLAY?!' I couldn't blame the sheep for running – she sounded like a psychopath.
Matthew wanted to test himself by running up the hill to the little copse, like we did last time he was here. I didn't have the legs for that hill today, so he went off on his own and said he'd meet us on the other side of the little wood. Smashing! It's not often Matthew wants to do more exercise than required.
Here it is again, just because this view is worth photographing every time, whatever the weather. I tried to show it to Freya, but she's a look-down kind of gal when there's sheep poo to sniff and dancing leaves to chase. This makes taking photos quite difficult when she's pulling the lead to get to something interesting, but I manage.
We came to the next cattle grid eventually, but Freya couldn't manage this one. She'd clocked that there were gaps and a bit of drop between them; she wasn't having any of that, so I had to carry her over. I foresee this being a slight problem when she's fully grown because she's already very heavy, now being about twice the size she was when she came to us.
And this is what she thought of the little wood. She stopped in her tracks and looked at me. At first I thought this was because she was a bit nervous, you know, because of the werewolves? But she just wanted another treat.
We waited on the other side of the wood for Matthew and I took pictures of tall trees. Then Matthew called me. 'Mother, erm, I'm really sorry,' says he, 'but I'm pretty sure I've broken my leg.' Oh bloody hell! 'Where are you?' says I, very calmly, immediately heading back into the wood, 'I'll come and get you.' What I was going to do when I got to him, I wasn't sure, because he's now almost the same height as me and I wouldn't be able to carry him. I started asking what had happened, if he'd been running down the hill and tripped, wondering whether it would be quicker to phone someone to come and help us, when the little bugger started laughing. 'I'm just messin',' says he, 'I'll be with you in a minute.' It was a good one, I'll admit – Matthew's a terrible liar, but he got me this time.
Anyway, I took some more photos of the view while we waited for Matthew. We can't take Freya down there yet – two more weeks until we can go near the river.
Another big tree.
I thought that was far enough for Freya, so, after Matthew had caught us up and had a little rest, we went back into the wood and had another scare when a pheasant screeched down out of a tree. Did you know pheasant like to sit in trees? I didn't. I didn't even know they could get up trees. They never seem to fly much. I thought they were like chickens and could only jump and flutter a bit. They're pretty loud, anyway, and this one dropped very close to us and scared the life out of Matthew and Freya. Not me – I'm very brave. I didn't think it was a werewolf at all.
All of the sheep had gone up to the top of the hill, so there was nothing for Freya to bark at one the way back. She was quite interested in the sheep poo instead – I foresee many dog baths in our future.
I was curious to see where the road led, so when we got back to the car, I turned it around and drove back through the park. It's very hilly! There are a couple of very steep and twisty inclines that I think we should make it our mission to climb one day. It looks like Middle-earth the further up you go, very pretty. And then it emerges in near Halton at the other side. Not surprising.
Apparently, my camera was open as I was driving because my camera roll had about fifty pictures like this:
Lovely, fairly eventful walk, in which no bones were broken, but several frights were had.
Until tomorrow, crazy pheasants.
WQ+M+F
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