Walk on 27 December 2012

Planning a walk on Thursday 27 December. Any suggestions for venues?

Please add your name if you would like to join the walk. Probably kicking off around 10am.

Steve and myself are coming. Looking forward. Need to borrow a dog tho.

The date is 27 December, the time is 10am start. Please note your interest so that I can phone and book the free car park. Ideas about what to do for eats would be welcome! Packed picnic, off to the pub, tea room if open??? Ideas please!!

http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/pdf/55864%20Abberly%20DL%208pp%20leaflet%20v1.pdf

Looking forward to seeing people, and don't worry if you don't have a dog - we have plenty to go round. This will be an on lead walk for dogs to make sure it is safe for all.

Me and Melody will be there.

So 10 a it is, yes? In Abberley ?

hi is it still a 10 am meet?

Yes all, still on for 10am at Abberley tomorrow.

See you there.

Fab Walk Today, great to see everybody. I will leave it to someone that still has some breath left to describe the walk, but here are a few stats from my tracking app...

Abberley Dog Walk 27/12/2012 Vital Stats...

Distance 6.47 Miles
Time 3Hrs 9Min 39s
Avg Speed 2.0mph, Max Speed 11.0mph
Calories 1049kcal
Min Altitude 343ft, Max Altitude 1077ft
Total ascent 1604ft, Total Descent 1662ft
Weather Rain in part

had we gone the right way to start. Well, it was raining at the off, and we were so pleased to see everyone. There were 11 of us on two legs, and 9 on four. After going the wrong way for about a mile (and who says women and maps don't gel, Phil?), we finally got on the right track and off we went (minus Nina and her dad, with the excuse that Jasper probably couldn't make it - yeah! yeah!). All dogs settled well together and we had lots of merriment along the way. Until we met the bucking horses in one field. All went well until we got to the gate, and two of the horses decided to chase the rear two walkers and do a couple of badly aimed kicks. Never seen Helena jump over a stile so fast!

The incessant rain really made the going tough, with some paths turned into muddy slides. At one point, going up hill, Phil thought he was going to die of a heart attack (New Year resolution - get fit for 2013!), but with a good pull from Tucker, he managed to get up the hill, but not without a forward fall and a slide a little way back down the hill on one hand. The climb seemed to go on forever, but that was because we were busy dodging the muddy parts, which was tough going. It was worth the pain once we got to the top - the views were absolutely stunning.

Gela had the most inappropriate footwear that was making her slide on grass, and a couple of walking sticks made from nice sturdy branches were great until Freddy caught sight of them, and wanted to play with them. Steve was the gentleman at one point and gave Gela a piggy back across a massive puddle, and managed to get soaking wet feet into the bargain, as it was a little deeper than he thought!

We came across another horse in a field, and Sian and Luke took Melody the long way round (as Melody likes to tell everyone in no uncertain terms that she doesn't like horses), and I walked close by with Phoebe as the horse was grazing nicely. It seemed to take absolutely no notice of us all traipsing through his field, until we got down to the gate onto the road, and with Phil bringing up the rear with Tucker, the horse went absolutely ballistic, raced towards us and aimed a kick right at Tucker's face, fortunately missing by about six inches. Tucker was brilliant, and didn't bat an eyelid, although it spooked the rest of us out and made us all cross our fingers that there were no more horses to come.

We finally got back to the pub at about 1.30pm and although dogs were welcome we decided to dry them off and put them in the car to sleep. Six of us ended the day with a nice few drinks and some very welcome food. Those of us that are used to walking dogs in wet, muddy conditions had come prepared with a change of clothes. Poor Gela was soaked through and was grateful for my dry cords, even though they were probably three sizes too big for her!

If the rest of the dogs are like our two, they will be flat out snoring their heads off. We're heading the same way too! Just waiting for the hot water to heat up so I can take a nice hot bath, with a few magazines, and a nice hot chocolate (with maybe just a little drop of Baileys and whipped cream - well, I deserve it!).

The walk was extremely challenging, although this was mainly due to the weather conditions and the mud and water we had to wade through. Definitely one to repeat in the warmer, drier weather.

We've agreed to do a big walk with the dogs at least once a month, so if you want to join in, then please come along, you will be most welcome (with or without dogs - we always have some to spare!). We'll post the walks in this section. If you have any favourite walks, please feel free to add them to the section.

I am the one with the most inapproapriate footwear and even tho I felt like a celebrity in the jungle at the peek of a challenge must feel, I am determined to do it again. It was such good fun nevermind the struggle. I have not had so many good laughs in a long time. I am sure we will find a walker friendlier path next time or just go in better weather conditions.
Today I bought a good pair of wellies with loads of grip (Thanks for the advice Helena, - they still had a pair in the shop). My old ones hade a whole in the soles and I walked with some strong but totally slippy boots on Thursday.

I'd like to thank:
Helena for borrowing us dogs an arm to hold on when I had landed on my bum twice in 30 seconds
Ria for borrowing her work trousers
Steve for the piggie back
Phil for his never ending silly comments
Frances for waiting up for me when I was lost behind
Sian and Rich for taking the dog of me when I was unable to move on
Fred for taking care of my walking stick after we'd crossed the finishing line
Melody for trying to safe us from the evil horses (she knew they were bad from the start!)
Nina and her Dad for the good company in the pub after (lazy buggers )


Lookind forward to next time!

Gela