I have been telling many (read ALL) of my friends and pals that I have never had a holiday. We furs sometimes call them holibobs but I had never been on one. Indeed I had been sent to prison a couple of times whilst they went off enjoying themselves in Edinburgh and London, and I didn’t like it at all. You might have noticed my distaste for kennels from the previous chapter.
As such when, one evening, I saw my parents packing a bag I felt a bit depressed to be honest as I thought I was going to prison again. Then some of my toys and dinner foods went into my toy crate, and this gave me suspicious ears. I had heard them talk previously of somewhere called “Morgan’s Place”. They had been there before and thought I might like it. I didn’t connect in my mind what this meant for a second. I knew of a Morgan through my Twitter pals. He lived somewhere that sounded really lovely. That night I slept wondering what mum and dad were talking to each other about. I had no idea I would be getting a holiday. A real, actual holiday.
The next day, dad was still there in the morning. This gave me suspicious ears as he usually went to school on the smelly tube to London. The bags packed the previous night were still there, and my toy crate was also still full of my food, blankets and some toys. My deeply suspicious ears only worsened when dad said he was taking me out for a walk to “try and get some zooms out of my system”. We went to the park, the hill and through the town. It was great as I get to try and pull dad about but he’s strong and I end up being quite tired. Little did I know this was all part of their masterplan. When we got back home, the bags were put into the car and then I went into my travel crate in the boot of the car. Now I travel well but I hadn’t really been anywhere further than a couple of hours away in the car with mum and dad. We went on something called a motorway and it was really interesting to see the scenery go by. We stopped so I could stretch my legs after a while and then continued. As we got further away from my home, the other cars and lorries on this motorway got more and more and we were in something called a “traffic jam”. This made mum and dad pfftt and harrumph quite a lot. I just stayed out of the way in my crate enjoying this new experience. We stopped twice more as it was a really long journey and we arrived later than expected in a place called Patterdale in the Lake District. It suddenly dawned on me that this is where Morgan lives, with his mum and dad and they have a really nice holibob cottage that I’ve been allowed to stay in. I didn’t meet Morgan when we arrived, as his mum said he can be a bit grumpy and I’m quite bouncy. I don’t believe he’s grumpy, but I did hear him growl and bark the first evening. He sounds quite big.
Once the bags had been unpacked and my beds put down on the living room floor, dad took me for a quick stroll. My eyes could not believe the sights I saw. There were hills as big as mountains, sheep the size of, well, sheep, so many green trees, beautiful rivers, big fields, lovely hills and lakes. This was beyond my dreams, I was somewhere I couldn’t comprehend and my brain was tired just trying to process it all. I decided I would have to sleep on all this. Mum and dad were hungry and wanted to go to the pub. This worried them as they really hoped I wouldn’t aroo and mess about in there, and get kicked out as a hooligan dog. So we entered the White Lion with much trepidation. Dad asked if it was ok for me to come in, and was told of course, that’s not a problem. Phew, first hurdle over. Settle mat down, but I was too tired to mess about too much with the other furs that were in there at the time. It was great fun seeing new places and new things. Even when I arooed there were lots of people saying “what a cute dog?”. Clearly I have to work on my rufty tufty image a little more. I tried to think more on this whilst I slept.
First day of holiday.
I woke up early in the Lake District. I wondered if the hills and lakes would still be there, or was it all a dream? When I nosed around the curtains in the living room, I was so pleased that it was real. The hills must be high though, as they were draped in clouds which made me wonder more about them. Once mum and dad had bothered to get out of bed, we went for a quick walk to the shop for some supplies and then had breakfast. I kept on checking to make sure the hills were still there, I couldn’t believe that I was actually here.
After breakfast, I was harnessed up again so I knew it was time to explore this wonderland. We went across the beck which I think is what describes a small river. It looked more like a normal river to me. We went through gates and then past drystone walls. I was allowed to stroll through mud and then stood in the water running off the fells. The paths were quite stony and we were going up and down hill. It was great fun. We stopped on a grassy knoll and the view was brilliant all the way back across Ullswater to Glenridding.
We kept strolling around the edge of Ullswater, and I even got to sniff in the ferns and the trees around the path. Sometimes the path went down quite steeply and I had to be good and walk to heel. This was quite difficult as I was really excited and I wanted to explore everywhere and everything. We seemed to go for miles and it was great. I still couldn’t believe I was here. On a holiday! In the Lake District! We kept on stopping to enjoy the views. Even I could appreciate them.
I was getting tired but I still had excited ears. As we were wandering back we met a BT called Buster who was 13 years old. He said he had been here before, walked something called Striding Edge, but liked the lower paths now. He was really nice, we woofed for ages. We came off the hills after some considerable time and decided we would go to Glenridding for some quick noms for mum and dad. We wandered about and found a nice spot to eat a sausage roll. It should be noted that I got no sausage roll. We sat by Glenridding Beck, which sadly flooded in winter 2016 and caused a lot of damage to the town. We wandered down onto the edge of Ullswater and I went for a paddle. It was great, I loved the cool water on my paws and that it tasted nice too. There was a spaniel playing fetch the stick from the water. She was having great fun, she said I should try it. I explained that I’m not allowed off lead as I’m rubbish at recall and would run away.
We got back to the cottage and I fell asleep on my bed. Apparently I was twitching in my sleep and snoring quite a lot. I don’t know what mum and dad were talking about, I didn’t hear anything.
Grisedale.
Yesterday was so exhausting, even for a fit and healthy Beagle Harrier like me, that I let mum and dad sleep in a bit. It rained overnight so everything was a bit more slippery when I went out with mum for a quick walk. We couldn’t get to the little shale area of Goldrill Beck as it was under the water from last night. We wandered about a bit and then we weren’t back long before I was swapped over and I went out with dad whilst mum pottered around in the cottage. We wandered a bit further than the morning and I could still feel the effects of my exertions from yesterday in my paws. It was nice to be out and about and I even met some other furs. Everyone is so nice here, all the humans say hello and the furs have a sniff of each other.
They were setting up the cricket pitch so I made sure dad and I had a snooter around before heading off up a road we had never been on before. This isn’t surprising as I’d only been here 1.5 days. I wanted to look over every drystone wall, climb every bank, look through every gate and smell every hedge possible. We wandered for about 2 miles and then dad thought we should return to see what mum was up to. When she found out where we had been, I think she had jealous ears as she said we should go back and see what it’s like further along the path. So off we strolled, me in the lead as usual, showing mum and dad the way. I was so happy to see all the hills and rivers and smell all the lovely scents. Then we were off the tarmac and onto the rocky path before I knew it and going toward somewhere called Grisedale Tarn. A tarn is a small lake in the big Lakes. We wandered past loads of sheep, some cows and lots of people coming in the opposite direction. They all seemed really nice again, and everyone commented on how handsome I was. We went on for ages and the path was getting closer to the misty clouds. This was another adventure, and it was great. I drank out of most of the becks on the way up and walked through most of the muddiest and boggiest parts of the path. I wanted to make sure I enjoyed the Lakeland experience as much as possible. It started to get a bit steep and rocky so we decided that we would cross a bigger river and then descend on another path. I was leading the way as usual, my intrepidness coming to the fore. We came back down and strolled back past the sheep and cows again. I wasn’t allowed to say hello to them as they kept on running away. I was kept on a very tight lead by mum, which was clearly for the best. When we got back to Patterdale, I was allowed in the little village shop and the lady was really nice and gave me a biscuit. Mum and dad were a bit worried as I had really dirty paws, but the lady in the shop just smiled and said I was handsome. The biscuit was very nommy too.
I was tired, this place is great but it makes me feel sleepy with all the walking, climbing, splashing about in muddy puddles and general Beagling I have to do.
Ambleside & Grasmere
Don’t say anything to mum and dad but I was still quite tired this morning. Mum and I went for a walk of about 3.5 miles and I saw a deer and squirrels. Dad went off for a run, and we got back before him but he still looked very happy with what he’s done. We had a couple of big walking days so didn’t go out until later in the morning. For some reason my parents decided to try and go to Ambleside and Grasmere on a Bank Holiday. I tried to warn them, but what can you do. We got there and both towns were packed out. I tried to tell mum and dad that maybe these people were there to see me, but they weren’t having any of it.
When we got back to the cottage we decided that it would be better to walk to Brotherswater which was a fairly straightforward stroll of 3 miles each way. It was great, I met loads of people and other furs, but I wasn’t allowed to play “fetch the stick from the water” – again. There was a lady spaniel there and she was having a great time, but for some reason mum and dad thought I would run away. Would I?? Here in the Lakes?? We wandered down by the shoreline and then I decided it would be good fun to drag dad up a really steep bank. Not sure he enjoyed it as much as I did.
By the time we were on our way back I was getting more tired and even dad noticed that I wasn’t pulling so much on the lead. But we went past a farm with some sheep and I got a second wind. He didn’t enjoy that either. But it was as much as I could do to flop onto my bed when I got back to the cottage.
When we went to the White Lion in the evening, I was recognised by the people behind the bar. I even got a tickle and a gravy bone. It’s always nice to know that my reputation precedes me. We had a table booked, apparently it’s so I can’t see other furs in the pub. I can see them, I can smell them but don’t have the heart to tell mum and dad as they think I can’t. To be honest I settled down really quickly until a very nice lady called Paula wanted a big snog off me. How could I resist her. She said she had lost her JRT last year, so it was clearly my job to show her that she needs another fur for company. I also reminded all the other peeps in the pub that I was back – aroooo. I think everyone loves me. They all seemed to like me, I hope so as I’ve been working hard on my charm. Have I mentioned I was very tired.
Pooley Bridge
I woke up with a pawly paw. So it was decided that we would take it a bit easier after 30 odd miles pretty much uphill and down dale in the previous few days. We chilled out for a while and then decided it would be fun to go to the most northerly part of Patterdale, a place called Pooley Bridge. This was where the bridge washed away in the terrible floods earlier in 2016 and there is now a temporary bridge there. When we got there, we parked quickly and were soon on our paws to the lakeside to explore the area. There are some great views from the waters edge, but there were also billions of little midge things that were attacking everyone. We wandered around the edge of the water and they took some photos with the boats on the water. It was very nice to see the area from a different place, but there were loads of midges.
In the evening we went to the pub, as we were all hungry and they wanted a drink. They had some dinner and we were sitting there chitter chattering (I was sleeping!!). What I didn’t know was that they had arranged to meet Raffa Beagle and her mum who had come up for the following day and were planning on doing some zooms with us. Before Raffa and her mum arrived, my mum and dad were talking to some ladies about something called the Coast to Coast walk of about 192 miles. This is quite a long way, even for a Beagle Harrier, so it was interesting to listen to them, in between me trying to sleep. When Raffa and her mum arrived I was still sleeping. I was awoken by a wet nose sticking through the balustrade. This was Raffa, in case you’re wondering. Raffa is very nice and her mum gave me loads of tickles and belly rubs, so I was very happy to see them both.
Having said that I did go back to sleep after they had been talking for quite a while and so did Raffa. All the humans were very impressed with us being so calm and being able to sleep.
Grisedale walks with Raffa
We woke up and I knew that something different was on the cards. Mum and dad were fussing about and making sure I was ready to go. We met up with Raffa and her mum outside the pub and I greeted Raffa with an arooo and a nose bump. She seems quite nice. There was much chattering whilst we wandered along. Raffa and I sniffed and arooed at each other as we had never met before. I found out that she had a pawly leg from a week ago, so I was more gentle than usual when I meet another fur. I’m usually quite boisterous and like to jump and play. When Raffa said her shoulder was bad, I thought I should be gentlemanly.
We went up the Grisedale valley and I showed Raffa all the sheep and cows that I had seen a couple of days before. She was quite impressed and the views up toward Helvellyn were really great. We sniffed about on the grass and when the sheep were too near we arooed in unison to move them away. Teamwork all the way. We even managed to get one sheep that leapt over Raffa and her mum, when it felt a little penned in by a gate. We were arooing so much at one point that the farmers came out of their house to see what all the kerfuffle was. Fortunately we were both on very tight leads so we couldn’t get anywhere near the sheep. We didn’t chase them, just arooed at them. I don’t think the sheep wanted to play anyway. We seemed to walk for ages, and the humans were chattering to each other. Raffa & I just patrolled and sniffed about in the long grass. Raffa also nommed some sheep do-do’s which was horrible but apparently she said its quite tasty. I didn’t believe her so I decided against this little delicacy. We were quite a way up the path and Raffa told me she was getting tired so we turned round and wandered back. Raffa had a ride in her chariot so that she didn’t injure her shoulder any more, which wouldn’t have been good. My dad even helped push her chariot, I suppose thats what humans are there for really.
We went to the boat house coffee place near Glenridding for the humans to have coffee and buns, and Raffa had some lunch and I ate biscuit noms. It was really nice as there were loads of other people there, as well as many furs coming and going. The nice ladies in the the coffee place even put out the awning when it started raining. Raffa had a sleep as she had woofed she was a bit tired. Whilst Raffa wasn’t looking, I thought it would be a good idea to remind Raffa’s mum that she had promised me belly rubs and tickles.
Once they had been administered, I went back to my mum to give me more tickles as well. I managed to sit on her lap to watch the world go by. It was great, apart from the rain, and the views are brilliant. I wanted to stay but Raffa had to go home, so we wandered back slowly along the road. I thought it would be polite to give Raff another nose bump which she gave back. I did blush a little, as my rufty tufty image was being dismantled. We are pals, which is good as I like being friends with other furs, especially Beagles. We said our farewells so that Raffa and her mum could go home again. I had a great time with them.
Once Raffa & her mum had left to go home, I had sad ears but I knew I had a new friend for life. Actually I had 2 new friends as I think Auntie J quite liked me. She certainly liked my arooing ability. We went to the White Lion and I got more gravy bones from the landlady. And Paula, the nice lady who wanted snogs earlier in the week was there, so I had more tickles and belly rubs to help me sleep more soundly.
Keswick
I still had a bit of a pawly paw, so after our early morning strolls around Goldrill Beck and Side Farm, we relaxed for a while before we all got in the car to go somewhere I had never been before. We drove alongside Ullswater and then took a fast road to a place called Portinscale, which is near Keswick. Mum and dad decided that we could take a walk through the woods and paths near the quieter side of Derwentwater. We went through the woods and along streams and trails toward a hill called Catbells. I couldn’t see any cats, and I certainly couldn’t hear any bells. I wonder who gives the hills their names? We didn’t climb the hill as I was getting quite a few scents and was pulling on the lead and harnesses. I have two bungee leads and a harness so I can sniff and wander around somewhat. We skirted round the edges of Catbells for a while and then strolled back along the road toward Keswick. It was at this point that I became quite agitated. It was only when mum & dad saw about a thousand grouse in the fields and road that they realised why my behaviour changed so quickly. Once we got back to Portinscale, the grouse were a distant memory and I was back to walking somewhat nicely. When we arrived in Keswick, it was market day. There were so many people there, that we were a bit worried that it might be a bit much for me. There were an awful lot of furs there, but I was a really good boy and many people complemented me on my good behaviour. I kept on looking in all the push chairs or strollers for Raffa, but she wasn’t there. I was disappointed as I wanted to walk with her again. I even nose bumped a small human child who was in the stroller. I think they enjoyed it!
Whilst we were in Keswick we went to the Dog Shop which sells plenty of things for us furry friends. We didn’t buy anything, as apparently I have everything I could want, but mum managed to step in ice cream on the pavement. She wasn’t very happy. Keswick is great as nearly every shop is dog friendly, which means we can go in and explore most places.
When we got back to the house we recuperated and then went to the White Lion for our last evening in the pub. We had our normal table so I could survey everyone coming and going. Not that it mattered much as I spent 99% of my time sleeping like a good boy. Sometimes when the door opened I looked up expecting Raffa to wander in with her mum.
She didn’t. I had sad ears as I was beginning to realise that this was my last night in the Lakes and Raffa had gone home. I managed to get one last tickle and snog from Paula who was also going home the next day. And, of course, a gravy bone was duly provided and scoffed with glee. My last night in lovely Patterdale was great, we really enjoyed it all. I wanted to stay.
The next morning we had to go home. So we packed all of our things into the car and headed south, down the motorway and back home to my house. I have been on a wonderful holiday to a beautiful place and met a great new pal. I am a very lucky Beagle Harrier.
Dexter 