All the dogs I’ve ever known have had an extraordinary sense of direction; they always knew the way back home and they can always find your hidden breakfast pasties. So quite why Barney, the beautiful Flat Coat Retriever, needs Bob and Jos Mahon to tag along on his walk from Land’s End to John o’ Groats I’ll never know.
But that is what’s happening and it’s happening in very short order!
This Friday, the 27th March, Barney and his two hangers-on are taking the first few steps from Land’s End. Barney is walking for Guide Dogs for the Blind but he is handing over the blogging duties to Bob.
You will be able to find all about it and follow this wonderful walk by clicking HERE. You can also find a permanent link in my “Better Places to Visit” column on the RHS of this blog.
Brilliant! I'm sure Dixie would have loved that challenge too, after she'd successfully got me along the Pennine Way.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine that the logistics of walking with a dog could be awkward at times. Did you have to find out if B&B's were dog friendly or did you camp all the way? And then there's the question of dog food - unless of course you did what James & Reuben do - Reuben carries the tent, stove and dog food, James just swans along unencumbered.
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We wild camped half the time and on the other nights Geoff met us in the motorhome ie mobile b&b!
DeleteUnlike Reuben though, Dixie never had panniers. By the time we did the PW she was already quite elderly for a Boxer - 10 years old - and although she was very fit and healthy it didn't seem fair to make her carry a load of extra weight, so I carried her food, pyjamas, towel, karrimat etc... Added quite a few extra kg to my rucksack!
She was lovely to walk and chat with though, never mind snuggle up to in the tent :)
One of my lurchers, Meg, once took me on the Lyke Wake walk, and guarded me at night when I fell asleep under a wall. Reckon she enjoyed my company though I couldn't quite match her pace. So good luck to Barney and let's hope he doesn't get held up too much by the hangers-on......
ReplyDeleteIndeed, Gordon.
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I wonder how oor Nellie would get on with this? Better than me I magine.
ReplyDeleteI've followed quite a few accounts of dogs LEJOGing. It seems to take quite a lot out of the humans - constantly worried about the dog. But I imagine the upsides far outweigh the down!
DeleteI would baulk at all the extra responsibility of taking a dog on such an adventure so well done and good luck both to humans and Barney.
ReplyDeleteI think you'd need a dry-run first, of say of a fortnight's walk, to iron out any problems. But I've followed quite a few LEJOGers over the years who've managed it successfully - and quite a few where it didn't work out, as well.
DeleteThanks for the link Alan. Our collies loved backpacking trips, covered twice the distance we did and never seem to tire. Made us feel inadequate really.
ReplyDeleteMy very first cat, Teacup, had far more sense. She used to follow me in the straightest lines possible to the pub and then hang on the front door until the landlord let her in, to sit on my lap. She liked a beer, did Teacup. She had a very low opinion of dogs.
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