the dog rambler e-diary 16 december 2011
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Walk Slipping along the Ormiston
Railway
Length 6 miles
Dogs on walk Brooklyn, Cyrano, Dylan, Finlay, Gustave, Otis, Tim
A dark start to the morning with black clouds covering the sky. Their gloomy darkness
spreading a gloam snatching the colour from cars and buildings. It was cold and dark and
then the rain came. It was a day to stay low and even as we drove around Arthur ’s Seat
was shrouded in a thick layer of cloud.
There was ice about too as the car slipped on the road pulling up outside Gustave’s home.
Then came the hail as fully loaded we were making for the start of the walk. Ominous. The
road had a sheen of white as the small round balls of hail took hold. Tracks from the cars
setting it into a tartan pattern. It did not last long though and we set off on the walk in
dry conditions.
As we left the car Tim’s excited barking was accompanied by the lowing of cows. Deep and
mournful. It hung in the air like a heady miasma and sat inside you somewhere near your
heart. In a line they were climbing the side of a field toward the farm buildings. Milking
time?
The dogs ran off along the track sorting out who was going to be where in the long line we
The Dog Rambler
E-diary
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16 December 2011
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were to form. Nothing unusual in Dylan and Finlay vying for the front. Cyrano not
interested in that instead had his eyes on not much other than sticks today. The recent
high winds giving him a feast of choices. Brooklyn as ever was full of spirit and leapt about
looking for the most fun. When Cyrano would not share a stick with him he picked hisown. He waved it in front of Tim and Gustave hopeful of a reaction. It was almost
guaranteed. Otis making it five days in row was more than happy to saunter along.
Although sauntering was difficult as much of the track had a thin veneer of ice on it.
Gustave was the first to be caught out and clearly does not make a good skater. The dogs
still have not grasped the effect of the thin ice across the puddles and jumped as it cracked
beneath them tipping their feet into the freezing water below.
The gloom increased and on came the rain. Cold and sharp but nothing like the hail.
Fortunately it did not last and there were even a few blue streaks paint brushed across the
sky. Our line stretched out with Dylan and Finlay pulling it tight neither prepared to give
away the lead. Meaning their stretched further and further ahead. Brooklyn was in charge
of leading the fun and games, Tim for once letting him take the reins and eve retiring a
little. Gustave was happy to play but his choice of Cyrnao was a bad move. Cyrano snarledprotecting his stick. But in a lapse moment of looking elsewhere it was quickly shuffled into
Gustave’s mouth.
Droplets of water on the trees were as clear as crystal and sparkled brightly like Christmas
ornaments. Clothing the bare branches in a regal regalia of silver baubles. Between the
trees a squirrel broke cover. Dylan saw it. He stepped up a pace and then dropped back. It
was too far ahead and had already crossed the track and was lost from sight. No point wasting energy on it. Dylan prefers a more delicate approach to hunting, slowly creeping
up on a suspected prey, half pointing with his nose and on tip toe.
Not one for a slow approach Brooklyn let the side down when we were all walking to heel
toward a schnauzer. He was the one who could not hold back and ran forward. Of course
Tim took this as an opportunity to go with him knowing he would not get into trouble. He
knew it would be Brooklyn who was told off. However, on the way back they all stayedimmaculately to heel as we approached a man and his small child with a collie dog.
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Heading back much of the ice cover was melting as the day warmed ever so slightly. Dylan
now trooped along behind and Finlay was not concerned about being up front either. Otis
having hardly left my side found himself with more dogs around him now as they all
shrank back toward us.
The lowing of the cows had stopped replaced by the plaintive cries of buzzards circling
gracefully in the once again darkening, snowy looking sky. The car sat on the icy surface of
the car park and the dogs gathered around looking forward to warming their feet inside.
Nick
Photo slideshow from the walk
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