Daily Stroll

When I brushed the dogs last night I noticed they had picked up a few fleas whilst on our trip so this morning I headed straight for Pets at home and got some tablets. If I am going to be camping and hiking regularly it may be worth joining their flea care scheme. I saw an advert on the outside of the shop as I got in the car so I will go back and investigate when I have time, but I was in a bit of a rush this morning so didn't go back in.

I noticed that Autumn is starting to creep in as I looked out of the window this morning. The trees next door have a few yellow leaves and the others are starting to pale a little.
This afternoon I went for a walk up the lanes to see if the hawthorn berries are ready for picking but most of them are either a bit small or not ripe enough yet. There were some in a field of a public footpath I followed, but not near enough to do anything with so I left them.

 

I did however get a bag full of Elderberry and a few blackberries and even after all these years of foraging, Im still always chuffed that I got goodies from nature and am always thankful for it no matter how small the haul.
The dog leads which I bought are a godsend. I got them from Pets at Home and they are for joggers. The leads have a bungee section to cushion the jolt when the dog pulls and they attach to a waistband which leaves me hands free



The walk that we did was 5.4 miles. I have never been and don't intend to be a 20 mile a day hiker. Even on a full day when I'm out with the dogs I bet we don't do 10 miles at the very most. Well, they probably do with all their running around when I stop to forage or just enjoy the view, but me? nah.
I read peoples hiking stories and follow them on youtube when they are doing some of the countries long distance walks such as coast to coast, scottish highlands etc and they take 2 to 4 weeks to do the walk and always seem to be pushing themselves each day.
I would like to walk from the tip of Scotland to the tip of Cornwall and just take as long as it takes. Mind you that wouldn't so much be a hike as a way of life but I would still like to do that. Maybe its panic creeping in seeing as I have just crept past my mid fifties and not done it yet.



NEEDLE’S EYE
A 45ft high sandstone pyramid with an ornamental urn over a Gothic ogee arch straddling a former access road from Wentworth Woodhouse northwards towards Pontefract and York racecourses. It was built in the mid-18th Century, allegedly to win a bet after the 1st Marquis claimed he could drive a coach and horses through the eye of a needle!

 

This was halfway round the walk and although it wasn't too hot today, it was still nice to sit inside it and cool down a bit. For such a small tunnel it has an amazing echo.
From here the walk is all along the flat and downhill apart from the long climb to the woods.

Gnarly old trees always fascinate me. Im not sure why, but they do.

The Elderberries are happily soaking to get rid of creepy crawlies and the bowl of Blackberries was half full but several hopped from the bowl into my mouth. Not to worry, the remainder will still sweeten the winter syrup