Fashion Dog

Some of you will know that Bella does not like wearing her expensive, Finish coat. It was bought to keep her warm on the hills when she was a small Puppy last March. I bought it a little bit too big so she would grow into it and now she has but she does not like wearing it, and she sulks. Sometimes she just sits down and refuses to move!

So I usually carry it in my rucksack just in case. But in the very cold, freezing fog on Pike O'Blisco, I put it on her. She was not pleased but came round to our way of thinking when she stopped shivering. For a Border Terrier she does have a very good natural fur coat of course and it is full of oil which keeps the wet at bay so her fur does not become saturated like other dogs. Even so, when she comes inside the house with wet fur she makes a B line for the rugs in the house and falls on her back kicking and rubbing it against the rug to dry her fur. So our rugs can sometimes be soggy but not our doggy!

Bella's first winter's walking in the Lakes

I just wanted to explain that in future the number of posts on display will be fewer so you will need to use the area called BLOG ARCHIVE and click on the small black arrows on the right to navigate to previous posts. There is an arrow for each month and once clicked it should display a list of posts for that month. Hopefully, the Blog should now be neat and tidy and easy to understand.

Well it has been exciting weather here recently and the tops have had a winter raiment. We had some snow and then we had lots of frost but at least we had no rain, that is not until this week so we can't complain. Also loads of you have been in touch with us which goes to show that this Blog is useful. Some of you came on the walks over Christmas, others of you left comments, some sent us emails and now and then the phone rang. Glad you all found time for us and nice to see some of you starting to plan ahead for this years offerings. We have had more bookings for our planned camping weekend and Pete will be blogging and emailing back as soon as he finalises his route for that weekend as it is his cookie as they say although of course Bella and I are the support group!
Speaking of support, was Bella aware that she was on thin ice?

I actually doubt it because a few moments before this shot she seemed surprised that when she pulled on the lead, her feet went from under her....

Yes, it was her first experience of frozen water as most of you know she is only just over a year old so this was her first icy winter when she was not a puppy in the comfort of her bed with her siblings!


Well Bella certainly had plenty of experience this Christmas as this next shot shows what the top of Pike O' Blisco was like the day we went up last Saturday.


Not a day for the faint hearted I can confirm and the summit was not a place to hang about. Once back down the valley out of the biting cold and terrific wind we headed for the Old DG which surprise, surprise was bulging with would be walkers or walkers who had cut short the day etc.

Anyway, with tales of Langdale Mountain Rescue Team on a callout ringing in our ears we settled down for a nice chat and a cuppa. Just four of eight brave souls who had made it to the top, kira, Bella and us two, in our group; a young couple emerging from the bar (the lady of the party clutching a 'Mulled Wine') who had last been seen on the summit, and 2 other chaps, last seen eating their butties near the summit whom we did not see back at base. It was a jolly gathering I can tell you and we were pretty reluctant to wend our way homeward as the bar was packed and we struck up a conversation with two chaps from SARDA (Search and Rescue Dog Association). I think Bella was relieved when we left as most of the patter was about how to control Border Terriers!!! On reflection, I think the bit about the catapault to sting the derriere of the unsuspecting pooch probably didn't go down too well with her.