I have had a few different trips out this week with Betty which has rejuvenated me and hopefully Betty too. Last Thursday took us off to Birkenhead Park with a small select crew of Max, Bonnie and Ziggy and Saturday we spent time on the Fife Coastal path. It's good to get a change of scene and both trip were quite impromptu which again is good fun.
The trip to Birkenhead represents a step towards Pets and Pals offering walks in and around Liverpool. Myself and Max went to Formby beach just after Christmas, a walk I have done quite a few times. Whatever the weather I know that we have a warm friendly pub called The Freshfield at the end of the walk that makes a special welcome to its canine visitors. The piano was badly out of tune but I suspect that a dog would quite like those discordant sounds. We planned in the pub a few other places to recci' in the Liverpool area to offer to our Pets and Pals participants in 2016. It was very cold this Thursday when we set out on the train across to the Wirral, the park was a short walk from the station and we were soon looking at the maps of the park. There had been a lot spent on this Victorian Park in recent years after some decades of neglect. Alas some kind person had been good enough to take sand paper to the Perspex signage around the park requiring a some additional work on our part navigating the site. It has two separate areas with a road in between. We explored the larger portion first. It had a number of cricket pitches and pavilions, several irregular shaped lakes with three or four bridges crossing at different points, also some striking rock formations and a very ornate boat house come viewing platform. It had been built in the mid nineteen century, a time for many similar developments in the big cities of Britain but this was of such character that it is said to have inspired the construction of Central Park in New York. The restoration is impressive and the park did look Victorian, lots of steel railing containing and guiding us along the tour of the park. As well as a number of large Stately buildings around the park we found a modern structure on the perimeter road of the park which served us warm drinks. We did have to drink them in the outdoor seating area though, only guide dogs allowed inside. We soon set off to explore the second section of the park that was again a mixture of lakes and pastures. There were some hillocks that we climbed to view the perimeter of the park from a more advantageous point observing some rugby pitches belonging to a local club as well as other large buildings of Victorian character. The weather was drawing in but we were encouraged enough to return with a view to exploring further the surroundings of the park, still on the lookout for a dog friendly hostelry.
My second walk with a difference was along the Fife coastal path in Scotland. My daughter studies there and I have previously blogged in March of last year about the lovely dog friendly B&B that we stay in when we visit St Andrews. Well despite the weather forecast being very grey and wet I brought my waterproofs with me on the weekend away. Today, Saturday, the forecast had changed and myself and Betty set off after a hearty breakfast out of town, along the beach to the rocky coastline that would occupy us for the next 4 hours or so. Although muddy underfoot from all the rain any stop to look up out to sea gave clear vista to the craggy coastline opposite and the hills beyond that. I have included a few pics of the trip along the way. As you can see I took Betty on some of the rocky out crops where she loves the challenge of finding a safe route across this terrain. I was pleased to see her up to the challenge as in the coming weeks I intend to head to Wales and do some scrambling with some friends. She has done it a few times before and was so enthused by the whole process then, waiting patiently at time to be lifted up to places beyond her ability to jump. It's a good skill to have to work within your limitations and accept help graciously, an inspiration to us all I think. We are both lying on our bed back at the B&B quite relaxed. Happy days.
The trip to Birkenhead represents a step towards Pets and Pals offering walks in and around Liverpool. Myself and Max went to Formby beach just after Christmas, a walk I have done quite a few times. Whatever the weather I know that we have a warm friendly pub called The Freshfield at the end of the walk that makes a special welcome to its canine visitors. The piano was badly out of tune but I suspect that a dog would quite like those discordant sounds. We planned in the pub a few other places to recci' in the Liverpool area to offer to our Pets and Pals participants in 2016. It was very cold this Thursday when we set out on the train across to the Wirral, the park was a short walk from the station and we were soon looking at the maps of the park. There had been a lot spent on this Victorian Park in recent years after some decades of neglect. Alas some kind person had been good enough to take sand paper to the Perspex signage around the park requiring a some additional work on our part navigating the site. It has two separate areas with a road in between. We explored the larger portion first. It had a number of cricket pitches and pavilions, several irregular shaped lakes with three or four bridges crossing at different points, also some striking rock formations and a very ornate boat house come viewing platform. It had been built in the mid nineteen century, a time for many similar developments in the big cities of Britain but this was of such character that it is said to have inspired the construction of Central Park in New York. The restoration is impressive and the park did look Victorian, lots of steel railing containing and guiding us along the tour of the park. As well as a number of large Stately buildings around the park we found a modern structure on the perimeter road of the park which served us warm drinks. We did have to drink them in the outdoor seating area though, only guide dogs allowed inside. We soon set off to explore the second section of the park that was again a mixture of lakes and pastures. There were some hillocks that we climbed to view the perimeter of the park from a more advantageous point observing some rugby pitches belonging to a local club as well as other large buildings of Victorian character. The weather was drawing in but we were encouraged enough to return with a view to exploring further the surroundings of the park, still on the lookout for a dog friendly hostelry.
My second walk with a difference was along the Fife coastal path in Scotland. My daughter studies there and I have previously blogged in March of last year about the lovely dog friendly B&B that we stay in when we visit St Andrews. Well despite the weather forecast being very grey and wet I brought my waterproofs with me on the weekend away. Today, Saturday, the forecast had changed and myself and Betty set off after a hearty breakfast out of town, along the beach to the rocky coastline that would occupy us for the next 4 hours or so. Although muddy underfoot from all the rain any stop to look up out to sea gave clear vista to the craggy coastline opposite and the hills beyond that. I have included a few pics of the trip along the way. As you can see I took Betty on some of the rocky out crops where she loves the challenge of finding a safe route across this terrain. I was pleased to see her up to the challenge as in the coming weeks I intend to head to Wales and do some scrambling with some friends. She has done it a few times before and was so enthused by the whole process then, waiting patiently at time to be lifted up to places beyond her ability to jump. It's a good skill to have to work within your limitations and accept help graciously, an inspiration to us all I think. We are both lying on our bed back at the B&B quite relaxed. Happy days.