I’m in dog roaming heaven, weaving my way through a magical bridleway, lined by stone dike walls and big rustling trees. We pass an old Yorkshire farmhouse where the path is followed by a parallel stream – I just LOVE a bit of water.
We carry on through a gate into a large plain where I get a sniff of a rabbit, and a whiff of pheasant – its all too STIMULATING for my senses – no dried kibble in sight! I begin to run, tracking my prey, following a scent trailing though the long grass, then SUDDENLY a pheasant takes off in front of me…I LEAP to catch it but my butt is too heavy to fly!!! I go in for the chase but its over before it began, the pheasants taken OFF and it’s out of here!
As I emerge from the grass I see some sheep and they have lambs too – I’m excited!! But I know the drill, lambing season means I’m back on the lead. Attempting my best behavior as I don’t want to scare anyone. I’m a friendly sort. A little bit too friendly for sheep so my pawrents say – I intimidate them with my extremely waggy tail and my passion to bounce a bit like Tigger from Winne the Pooh, and Tigger ‘likes to bounce’. They can’t understand I just want to play.
Past some woods we meet some friendly horses in a field before turning down a track leading onto the main road into Sicklinghall. At the end of the walk there is a charming 17th century watering hole, The Scotts Arms. And yes, dogs can drink here too. I asked my pawrents for a pint but apparently I’m underage!! Off to the dog watering bowl I go.
After catching a few rays in the beer garden and topping up the vitamin D we take the same route back to Kirkby Overblow. With an array of Yorkshire stone-built houses, a village green and a parish church – these picture postcard villages are delight, to wonder through.
Much to my overwhelming delight, there are several small streams on the route and many of them allow for us dogs to get really really muddy!!! I’d recommend saving the mud bath for the way home!
Happy walking!
Dylan
The tails of Dylan 