Ludlow – Dexter

Early rambles

It’s a scorcher out there and I haven’t blogged for a while. There appear to have been quite a few things that have gone on in my life since I last updated anyone who will listen.

Our walks have become earlier and earlier due to the vagaries of the British summer being very hot on 7-10 days, wet and drizzly for another 7-10 days and then warming up again to the temperature of the suns core recently. As an older fur I am struggling to adjust to the heat, as well as the changes in the temperature. We aren’t stopped from going out for a walk, it just means that the well placed kidney pounce on our dad is performed much earlier than he would like. We have been near and far in our walks, exploring the lanes and fields locally as well as taking road and rail trips to far flung destinations such as Carding Mill Valley and Ludlow. Somewhat unsurprisingly the two trips on the train have deposited us, with our parentals of course, in the pubs of Church Stretton and Ludlow. We didn’t complain and nor did they as the pint of welcome ale was consumed under the shade of a large oak tree in the Kings Arms pub garden at Church Stretton. For clarity we had walked around the town first, exploring the streets and alleys before being dragged kicking and screaming into the pub for a lunchtime swift half. The Blue Boar in Ludlow was also visited so the standard of the ale could be taste tested. Also The Old Street Tavern was checked out and found to be more than reasonable. As quiet and dignified furs both Lenny and I were welcomed into all the establishments.

We then found ourselves in the car for a trip to Bishops Castle. This is where our vets is located so we watched with much trepidation as we wound our merry way along the lanes toward the town. We needn’t have worried as we were discharged from our travel prison cells, wandered around the town and then found ourselves in the Three Tuns Inn, which is not the pub for the brewery. It is actually owned by Heineken who have recently closed it for “refurbishment”. I think the trips out in the car is a ploy to get Lenny more accustomed to travelling for the future.

For a trip that didn’t include a pub, we were put into the car early one morning and found ourselves pointing north. Some 30 minutes later we parked and the discharge of the beagles took place. We had arrived at Attingham Park, near Shrewsbury. Our friend Griff had told us about this place so we did a dry run to see where it is and what it was like. We will be going back with Griff as we liked it very much. It’s very dog friendly and we saw plenty of other dogs there.

It is run by the National Trust and allows dogs to walk about for their pleasure. Some places we all need to be on leads but it was great fun.

Anyway, closer to home we have been cheered up because the farmer has cut all the hay grass in the front field outside our house. Having left it for a few days to dry out (it was very dry thanks to the heat) the farmer rolled up the grass to make excellent obstacles for beagles to sit on. Lenny needed a bit of help but he enjoyed himself. We actually found out about the hay bales from Griff’s predecessor Charley and his brother fur, Boot. They were both pictured jumping from bale to bale, ears all flapping in joyous excitement.

Beyond these shenanigans it has been life as usual. Summer is taking her toll on us, making it too hot for a daytime bimble and meaning that we are forced to try and chill out during the day, all the while having fans pointed at us to try and keep us cooled. I have just got a cooling mat which means I can now snooze with my back legs on my flat bed, have my belly on the cooling mat and my head on the tiled floor. As an older fur I am struggling quite a lot with the heat so I am lucky that the parentals keep an eye on me to make sure I’m not overheating too much as well as make sure all my 14 beds are plumped up and ready. Sometimes my cooling mat is transferred to my sofa, although this is usually accompanied with excessive eye rolling from our staff.

Finally, for now, the vegetable and fruit garden is giving up its delights gradually. We have the first and second crops of potatoes, blackcurrants and soon to be more tomatoes and lettuce. Once the chillies, peppers, apples, pears, plums, onions, spring onions, cauliflowers, leeks and Brussel Sprouts have all done their growing I think we will need some new freezers. Hopefully this weather becomes somewhat cooler so Lenny and I can get some more adventures and shenanigans under our harnesses. Watch this space.

January ramblings

I’ve done it again. After my early January trip to the vet for my persistent ear infection, I have reverted to my thought process of considering nothing has happened that is worthy of publication. No doubt this will be judged by anyone who reads this blog as an effort at a catch up.

My ears seem to have become better in that I am not scratching them beyond the odd itch. I am still being watched constantly to ensure that I do not have any repeat trips to the vet. I suppose it’s for the best that I am surveilled permanently. The assistants seem pleased.

Snow came and went within the space of two days on 5th January so we enjoyed ourselves trying to eat as much snow as possible, which caused concern amongst the assistants that I was going to give myself an upset dietary system. Thankfully I managed to avoid the midnight trips to the garden accompanied by an adult.

The log burner has been running for a while now and it is lovely to toast our toes (metaphorically of course) once we have completed our walk and daily shenanigans. Lenny seems to have taken to the log burner quite easily, although I think it has shown his Cypriot heritage in that he also likes a blanket to snooze beneath.

His inability to keep his extremities under the blanket do correspond with being a beagle as I also seem to be unable to tuck myself in fully with all limbs duly withdrawn from the outside.

We took a stroll to Lady Halton near Ludlow and walked along the road and farm tracks for quite a way. The scenes in the bright morning January sunshine were a tonic for the normal cloudy, foggy days we seem to be having recently. We are promised that the gloom will lift so we will look forward to that happening.

In between times it has rained, been foggy, misty and generally drab. We have got wet and dirty and been washed more times that we would ordinarily care to be cleaned. Lenny has become champion at sleeping for extended periods of the day and I am happy to see that he is feeling so comfortable not only in the house, but in his own fur.

So there you have it, an update of rambling stuff which can either be read or not. However if you have got to this point, then you’ve read it and that’s two minutes of your life you’ll never get back. 😀

What a cracker, second part

I would like to continue my run down of our year 2024. Lenny and I had so many fun things to do and see. Here are some of them and I apologise if I have left any out.

July

Lenny and I ensured that people behaved themselves whilst performing their civic duty at the polls. We managed not to mess about for around five to ten minutes.

We went for a climb up onto the hill at Flounders Folly and welcomed our friend River to our house. Griff came along to join in the fun too, which is always good.

Our fruit trees were starting to produce fruit which needed to grow further. We helped water them.

We were so tired after all our July exertions, we needed a lie down to recuperate.

August

The weather was warm and trips were planned. We went for a walk up to Wart Hill and we went almost into Wales when we visited Clun.

The Victoria Plums ripened on our tree and they were devoured greedily by our assistants.

We finished our month with a polite and quiet stroll around Town Brook on the Long Mynd which was great fun, if somewhat tiring for me.

September

The month started with Lenny needing to go to the vet for a blood test. They wanted to make sure he didn’t have a nasty disease so he had a blood sample taken. I felt sad for him but there was a lull in bitey face games for around 30 minutes.

We went to Llangollen to meet up with Sasha, Griff, Smudgey and Ted in the hope of going for an interesting walk across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Unfortunately Lenny kept on trying to get through the railings when we were high up so we turned around and strolled along the canal itself. It was lovely, despite being somewhat soggy under paws.

Lenny and I decided we would take the assistants for a walk from Bromfield to Ludlow but we had planned it badly as the cinnamon bun cafe wasn’t open. There was much disappointment all around.

It rained, rained some more and then poured down. The flood plain did its job thankfully and the river took the flood waters away.

October

The days became cooler and the mists began to rise more often, shrouding our area in a cloak of secrecy. Lenny needed the Fingerposts to be able to navigate some days.

It rained even more than it had done in September so the flood plain and river were called into action once more. It was like a giant duck pond.

The fields in the valley stretching away toward Bromfield and Ludlow became misty and mysterious. And muddy, very muddy.

November

We decided on a trip to Carding Mill Valley in early November, just to stretch our legs and explore a new place. It was great fun.

My ear trouble flared again so I was forced to go and see the nice vet ladies who looked after me admirably. They still made me wear the Cone of Shame though.

The sun was lowering in the sky but it still managed to shine over Norton Camp whilst I was out on my walk.

And then if rain wasn’t enough it decided to snow, turning our meadow into a snow filled playground for Lenny and I. We love the snow albeit it disappeared within a few days.

December

Just to prove our assistants wrong, we proved that we could snooze together without antagonising one another. Maybe it was a brief lull in shenanigans but it was a lull. We were being watched as my time in the Cone of Shame continued.

We met with Griff for a pre-Christmas stroll from Bromfield to Ludlow and this time the cinnamon bun cafe was open. We returned via a slightly longer and different route which gave us some lovely views over the hills.

Lenny got the chance to explore slightly off-piste on Christmas Eve and he dragged his handler up onto the top of the hill so he could survey all that we would like to wander across.

And to finish we had a Christmas morning walk up onto the top of the Long Mynd. It was a wonderful quiet stroll and we enjoyed ourselves very much.

To sum up then. Wow, what a year it has been for us. Moving home again (apparently it is the last time we are moving) and having some lovely places on our doorstep is a huge bonus. We are closer to one of our best buddies who is happy to show us the places we don’t yet know about, as well as accompany us to the places we do know of. We will explore further to see what else lies beyond our current horizons. One thing is for sure though, we will try our best to enjoy ourselves.

Ludlow calling

Last weekend it was decided on our behalf that we would take a little trip to Ludlow. It appears that our assistants had heard about some festive cinnamon buns that were being sold at the local cafe near Ludlow Castle and unless we went to sample the fayre, they may sell out and we would miss out. I hesitate at this point regarding the use of the word “we” as it would be made plainly obvious that particular pronoun was not alluding to beagles.

As we were loaded into our travel crates for the short hop to Bromfield, there was some chatter from the front of the car in relation to the conditions of the lane, whether the correct footwear was used and if a certain beagle would behave himself. I am not sure who this last part is referring to! Down the lane, turn right, turn left, follow the road and turn right at the church. Upon our arrival our pal Griff was being released from his carriage and we made sure he was aware that we had arrived. In fact I think those people in the nearby half mile radius were aware of our presence. Once shackled to an unwilling parent we leapt salmon like from our cells and proceeded to try and walk to Ludlow as quickly as possible all the while forgetting that we were attached to said parent. Initial greetings with Griff were dispensed. We strolled along the lane, over the river, past the gate house, around the next gate and then through the piggery. As happened previously our leads were significantly shortened and we were warned to behave and not eat the treats that were kindly left for us by the resident porcine pals. Parents are no fun sometimes. Lenny also avoided puddles. We continued along the winding lane until we could see the castle and St Laurence church looming on the horizon. Around the bend, over the bridge and four festive pastries were bought, along with coffee to keep the chill at bay. Us beagles sat and waited in a manner in which you expect us to behave, all the while without sampling these delightful festive buns. Lenny and I have a sneaking suspicion that Griff may have got a little corner of bun, but he didn’t let on.

It was decided, again on our behalf, that we would take a more circuitous route for the return journey. So it was that we found ourselves pulling our parents up the steps to Whitcliffe Common and onto the road. Turn right, down the slope and then up onto the No Through Road. This all seemed new and exciting, with plenty of puddles, rivulets coming off the wooded banks and muddy patches to splosh through. Lenny maintained his ability to avoid most of the really dirty areas, which continues to worry both myself and Griff. We were both determined to make up for his cleanliness. As we strolled along the lane a vista opened though a field gate and the Clee Hills showed themselves in the distance. A fine view.

On we journeyed until Griff took a sharp right along a farm track heading back toward the piggery. Once at the piggery our leads were shortened and the now usual instruction was given regarding our scavenging abilities. Through the gate, down the dip, up past the Lady Halton turning and across the river to the car. Five and a half miles of fun, scenting and adventures were over. We were forced to say our goodbyes to Griff who was being towelled down after having had a “dip” in the small stream flowing a way back up the road. Lenny and I then suffered the ignominy of being towelled down to get some of the dirt off of our paws. We slept in the car on the return home and it was as much as we could manage to eat our breakfast once we had been washed and cleaned down. This time we noticed that shampoo was used on us. For the remainder of the day and into the next day we slept soundly and dreamed of our adventures.

We are finding our paws much more now we have been here a while. It is a great walk from Bromfield to Ludlow and we have been promised that we will be shown the longer version of the walk in the new year, once the weather has dried up and the fields and lanes don’t resemble quagmires in places.

It is clear that Lenny has no stamina and I am getting older. That’s my excuse for sleeping long and soundly, and I am sticking to it. 😀

Is that Ludlow I spy?

It started as a normal walk in the morning last Thursday. We had no idea what was ahead for us. Out of bed and we were dressed ready for the day ahead. Lenny looked at me, I looked at him and we wandered around the house watching the pesky rabbits cavorting in our garden, just out of our reach through the doors. Once we were allowed into the garden the rabbits had disappeared, along with the possibility of us having some fun chasing them around. Out the gate and we were loaded into the car? What was this sorcery? Along the lane, turn right, then left and follow the road until we make a sharp right and left and we are parked. As soon as the boot is opened we sing the song of the breed whilst impatiently waiting to be released for the inevitable shenanigans to commence.

As we leapt from the car we were both warned to behave ourselves and off we trotted along the estate road toward Ludlow. We’ve walked this route before so we knew roughly what to expect along the way. We were not disappointed.

Rounding the first bend there were cows to the right and squirrels running across the road ahead of us. I watched in disbelief as Lenny stood and stared, silently, at the squirrel which wandered across his path, no more than 10 metres away. No pulling, no shouting and no wild eyed intent to dentally lobotomise it. Just watched it trot across his path! As we strolled on, the road rose and fell through the contours of the wood. Through the gate and toward the piggery which is always a good source of snacks for prying noses and beagle teeth. Sadly our parents were wise to our intentions and our leads were shortened significantly. I went splashing through puddles and then looked in horror once more as Lenny avoided walking through the puddles. I was in shock. On we went, past the potato fields and around the corners to see Ludlow Castle and St Laurence church loom into view. We crossed the bridge at Dinham, in the shadow of the castle, and then wandered down to the river so I could have a drink. Apparently all the puffing, pulling and singing since we had left the car made me thirsty. Then we went up the hill into the town which was a bonus. The market had just started, people were arriving for work and the town was getting ready for a new day.

We peeked down little alleys, wandered along medieval lanes, strolled past old shops and churches and then down along a broad street which was, aptly enough, called Broad Street.

Through the old gate we headed back down to the River Teme at Ludford Bridge. We (Lenny and I) were getting hungry as we realised we had missed our breakfast to come on this jaunt so we turned the parents around and strolled them back up through the old gate. At this point we were turned left and we explored some narrow winding lanes which we hoped would lead us back to the first bridge at Dinham and thereafter back to the car. Having navigated past some lovely houses and courtyard properties we found ourselves descending toward the bridge and back along the road. As we strolled along it was clear that we were getting more tired as our pulling and general lead shenanigans had decreased. Apparently this was good news for our parents shoulders. As we wandered back through the piggery the leads were shortened, puddles were again avoided by a certain brother and we found ourselves soon back at the car for the return journey.

We had to make a quick pit stop at the local produce farm food shop as the food is delicious.

Once home we ensured that our missing breakfast was adequately fulfilled and then we snoozed off the 10km walk that we had just performed. Ludlow is a nice place with plenty of history and places to explore. We will go again I am certain, maybe to explore some other parts of it. For the time being I will rest easy knowing I have explored some of it. I must admit though, I am rather worried about Lenny and his apparent lack of Beagle-ness.

Ludlow here we come

We were hurried along last Saturday and found ourselves being walked across the field in front of the house. This was unusual as we had already been for a walk and we were looking forward to a good snooze. All this country air seems to have the desired effect on us. In any case it was clear that there was a deadline to meet so we weren’t allowed to loiter and snack on the gifts that the sheep had left us. Across the road, and then right turn into the train station. Aha, an adventure! Now we’re talking.

Onto the train when it arrived and we were then speeding along, we knew not where. The countryside went past the window as Lenny and I tried to hoover up the various specks of food that people had kindly dropped on the train floor. We also tried to make friends with people on the train but found ourselves being told to behave. As the train arrived at the next stop we got off and found ourselves in Ludlow. Off we trotted to see what we could find, pulling our parents behind us. Ludlow was founded around 1066-1085 somewhere around the Norman Conquest. Its castle sits high upon the hill overlooking the river Teme and is a very impressive, if somewhat ruinous, structure.

Sometime after the castle was built the town was fortified around 1233 due to the squabbles between various English kings and Welsh Princes. There remain over 500 listed buildings in the town which are very impressive.

We went through the streets, past the market, around the castle, down to the riverside walk, back up into the town, around the market square and then back toward the station for our return trip. It was very busy as the Saturday market was in full swing and there were plenty of people enjoying the early Spring sunshine. On our way back, we had to make a detour to the Ludlow Brewery & Tap Room. This is a very dog friendly place in which we also saw another beagle enjoying a relaxing time.

After a while we had to make our train home and strolled to the station for the journey home.

Once more Lenny and I tried to make friends with the other passengers, whilst trying to eat all the tasty morsels dropped onto the floor. We travelled past Stokesay Castle which was built in the 1280’s by very rich wool merchants. It’s looked after now by English Heritage. Stokesay appears in the Domesday Book so it is a very old settlement.

We will visit Stokesay Castle one day soon, although we aren’t allowed inside the building.

Off the train and hurried back across the field, we were deposited into our beds for a snooze after a successful trip. We are going to Ludlow again, more than likely on a quieter day than Saturday market. It seems very dog friendly and we want to get the chance of checking out more places.