e-diary 31 january 2012

8/3/2019 E-diary 31 January 2012

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/e-diary-31-january-2012 1/3

top

Walk Tracing the Union Canal Length 7 miles

Dogs on walk Dylan, Finlay, Jerry, Solo, Struan, Talaidh

The hills were lost in low cloud, touching the ground in places turning to mist. Thinly veiled

white it was almost invisible. Only discernible by the lack of land beyond it. No hill, no

fields, no houses. It consumed all in its way. Looking upward the clouds looked heavy with

snow. Was it about to arrive at last? With all this cloud and mist it was a dull day and we

stayed away from the high ground.

A perfect day to wander along the gently twisting and turning Union Canal from Ratho. It was cold and the canal boats were hemmed into the bank beside the Bridge Inn by a crisp

layer of ice on the still water. The dogs set off at some pace. Struan and Finlay racing each

other for the lead. Jerry racing himself backwards and forwards along the towpath.

Solo hooked up with Talaidh and the two of them were never far apart trotting along near

to me. Dylan having stopped to sniff a post ran by us tracking down the leaders making it

a three way race. They all had to slow as around a bend in the canal five workmen with adigger and a small dumper truck were excavating the path. The yellow machinery beeping

and flashing as the digger scoured the ground. They stopped as we approached. Moving to

The Dog Rambler

E-diary

Tuesday

31 January 2012



one side to let us by shouting greetings above their muffled ears and from under their hard

hatted heads. The dogs jinked between the machinery and on we went. They were

readying to lay a new surface.

Following the canal into a cutting, towering trees rooted deep in the soft bank. Jerry soon

in amongst them weaving between the trunks nose close to the ground. Dylan, Finlay and

Struan once again racing for the lead. Finlay had it by some distance. Struan gave up and

left Dylan to try and catch him. Some of the trees had succumbed to the early January

storm. They littered the canal with trunks and branches. No boats able to sail it now.

Across the path a large tree had us climbing over its twin trunks.

In amongst the trees were families of snowdrops. Heads not quite open hung like pendulous

opals, dazzling against the dark earth. Their slim green stems bending under the weight of

their precious burden refused to give and dip them toward the dirt. Under the dark

canopy of the bear branched trees we weaved with the canal coming out into open

countryside.

The canal icing up once more. Plates of ice had come together again freezing into a whole.Joined like a jigsaw the plates made a crazed, raised pattern a Braille of ridges and water

filled dips. Finlay checked it out. Cold, deep and a high edge to clamber back out. He shook

himself down but it did not put him off going in again later. All this time Jerry had been

hanging over the edge or dipping onto the crushed reeds, carpeting the edge of the water

but never daring to go in. Solo leaned over to drink but he too was not going in.

Having travelled under several bridges we reached a more modern one carrying the M8over the canal. As the cars, vans and lorries rumbled fast above us we turned and began

the journey back to Ratho. Imitating the speed and noise of the motorway Dylan and

Struan chased each other through some broken, yellowed reeds.

Solo stopped to pick up a stick but it was too small and he soon discarded it. Finlay found

a bigger one which he managed to heave out of the water with Jerry looking on. Perhaps

too big he left it once it was hauled onto the bank.

The workmen had gone to lunch leaving their machines moored like boats. The children

e-diary 31 january 2012

Documents