Beanie Does The Lakes Part 1 – Aira Force

This week we’re having a kind of mini-holiday in the Lake District. Apparently this week is off-season, which should mean a quieter, more relaxing time.

The drive down from Glasgow only took a couple of hours or so, and our first port of call was Brackenrigg Inn in the Ullswater region, for a little pre-walk refreshment. Back in Scotland, or at least our part of Scotland, it’s very rare for dogs to be allowed in pubs. In northern England however it’s more common, and Brackenrigg Inn is listed on various websites as being open to all “well-behaved” dogs. Obviously we had our concerns that the “well behaved” part might be an issue for Beanie, but there was only one way to find out, so we trotted into the bar and ordered coffees. Happily Beanie behaved herself, so we decided to go walking for a few hours then return later for an evening meal.

The staff at the Inn suggested nearby Aira Force as a good walking location, so off we went. We started out on the standard tourist path, then headed uphill to get a panoramic view of Ullswater. With livestock all around, there was absolutely no chance of Beanie going off-lead, but we attached her 26ft extender and let her run on ahead. It soon became apparent that four-leg drive is quite an advantage when going uphill. Beanie kept having to stop and wait for us two legged types to catch up.

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Oh the responsibilities of a pack leader – waiting for slower pack members

After while though, even super-fit Beanie was ready for a little breather

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However, the climb was repaid by some spectacular views

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On the way back down, Beanie recharged her batteries by snacking on some wild Cumbrian sheep poo. She also located the rotting carcass of a dead sheep but by now we’d got the hang of the extender lead and reeled her in before she could sample any of the remaining delicacies. By way of revenge for being denied her prize, she found a nice patch of hidden poo and, well if you’re a dog owner you know what comes next:

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Before returning to the car we offered Beanie the chance to have a little paddle to cool her feet but she was somewhat reluctant, despite having had a swimming lesson over the weekend.

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After the walk we returned to the Brackenrigg Inn. What better way to end the day than to relax in a bar having great food, with our little pup at our feet, happily chomping on her Piggy Rope!