Looks like the Dordogne may be nogo

[otherclive]

A new addition to the household is causing us to reconsider going to France this September. She’s a nine month old Sprocker who arrived last night. Slept in the hall without any noise at all. But my wife will get a greeting when she arrives back at 0300 on Saturday morning. She does know about the pooch so she’s fully on board.
I think I have forgotten how energetic the breed are since it’s 15-16 years since our last ones were young.
Im amazed she was still enough to photo her between chasing dust in sunbeams.

 

[Beachball]

She is sooo cute

 

[otherclive]

Well Dordogne was cancelled at minimal cost, and it may have been a good decision given recent temperatures in early September. We are now all packed up for two weeks in Northumberland in a cottage on a private estate where we have access to the arboretum and adjacent beach. Only a short walk from The Running Fox at Longhoughton the home of good northern food; breakfasts to die for. ; or sometime afterwards perhaps.

En route we plan to stop a night at a country house hotel close to the Poolsbrook Country Park near Chesterfield where we spent our last ever night in our caravan, and it was our 54th anniversary this week. Sentimental or what?

Since downsizing the car I’ve had to fit a roofbox as the crate for the pooch takes up quite some space. But it’s all gone in okay including Goretex over trousers and jackets. We’ve even packed two camping stoves as we plan to visit Chew Green the site of a Roman Fort where we park the car in England and cook bacon, black pudding and egg butties in Scotland. Then take a return drive through the Otterburn ranges.

Chew Green • Northumberland National Park

Chew Green is the site of a large Roman encampment, located about 9 miles west of Alwinton in the Northumberland National Park.

www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk

We had to cancel our trip to Germany and France in 2018; when my father took ill a few days before our departure. My wife has had several Med and Asian jaunts with the kids/grandkids but wider family circumstances have affected our opportunities to go away together. We had a tortuous time in 2021 in Yorkshire just as lockdown eased. Two sick dogs, cold wet weather. One reason for selling the van. So we are really looking forward to revisiting an area we love. Even bought new walking boots for the pair of us.

If the pooch behaves then France could be on for next year. Amazing how 14 kg of Sprocker brings such a change to our daily lives; and our friends are still friends too.

 

[Steve1962]

Fabulous!!!
We had a Springer called Jake and he was full of character and very smart with it.

View my photos at: https://steve1962.smugmug.com/Pets

Some observations:
They loved toasted buttered hot cross buns
They can run forever
They love catching pheasants and pigeons

Crackin dog, well done.
Looking forward to seeing reports of escapades in due course.

Steve

 

[Beachball]

Well Dordogne was cancelled at minimal cost, and it may have been a good decision given recent temperatures in early September. We are now all packed up for two weeks in Northumberland in a cottage on a private estate where we have access to the arboretum and adjacent beach. Only a short walk from The Running Fox at Longhoughton the home of good northern food; breakfasts to die for. ; or sometime afterwards perhaps.

En route we plan to stop a night at a country house hotel close to the Poolsbrook Country Park near Chesterfield where we spent our last ever night in our caravan, and it was our 54th anniversary this week. Sentimental or what?

Since downsizing the car I’ve had to fit a roofbox as the crate for the pooch takes up quite some space. But it’s all gone in okay including Goretex over trousers and jackets. We’ve even packed two camping stoves as we plan to visit Chew Green the site of a Roman Fort where we park the car in England and cook bacon, black pudding and egg butties in Scotland. Then take a return drive through the Otterburn ranges.

Chew Green • Northumberland National Park

Chew Green is the site of a large Roman encampment, located about 9 miles west of Alwinton in the Northumberland National Park.

www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk

We had to cancel our trip to Germany and France in 2018; when my father took ill a few days before our departure. My wife has had several Med and Asian jaunts with the kids/grandkids but wider family circumstances have affected our opportunities to go away together. We had a tortuous time in 2021 in Yorkshire just as lockdown eased. Two sick dogs, cold wet weather. One reason for selling the van. So we are really looking forward to revisiting an area we love. Even bought new walking boots for the pair of us.

If the pooch behaves then France could be on for next year. Amazing how 14 kg of Sprocker brings such a change to our daily lives; and our friends are still friends too.

View attachment 5483

Hi clive hope you have a great two weeks in Northumberland enjoy

 

[otherclive]

Fabulous!!!
We had a Springer called Jake and he was full of character and very smart with it.

View my photos at: https://steve1962.smugmug.com/Pets

Some observations:
They loved toasted buttered hot cross buns
They can run forever
They love catching pheasants and pigeons

Crackin dog, well done.
Looking forward to seeing reports of escapades in due course.

Steve

Thanks Steve, Jakes a fine looking dog. We’ had our last two Springers for nearly 16 years and somewhat fortuously the last one went in early January just before my BILs life turned upside down. But we have got him nicely relocated to near us so unplanned trips to the Midlands are now history.

Don’t remind me of escapades and that hunting instinct. At least they are almost a self exercising breed. 😂

 

[Steve1962]

Thanks Steve, Jakes a fine looking dog. We’ had our last two Springers for nearly 16 years and somewhat fortuously the last one went in early January just before my BILs life turned upside down. But we have got him nicely relocated to near us so unplanned trips to the Midlands are now history.

Don’t remind me of escapades and that hunting instinct. At least they are almost a self exercising breed. 😂

We got Jake on his 5th birthday and had him until he was 16.
Devastated when we lost him and circumstances since have dictated that we can’t have one but that is due to change next year and now we have Doris(2017 Bailey Unicorn Valencia) we will be taking our next four legged friend along with us.
Steve

 

[otherclive]

Fabulous!!!
We had a Springer called Jake and he was full of character and very smart with it.

View my photos at: https://steve1962.smugmug.com/Pets

Some observations:
They loved toasted buttered hot cross buns
They can run forever
They love catching pheasants and pigeons

Crackin dog, well done.
Looking forward to seeing reports of escapades in due course.

Steve

Well on the way to Northumberland we stopped at Poolsbrook country park near to chesterfield. We didn’t let the pooch off but walked around the trails. Towards the end of the walk we sat on a bench to have a snack. Pooch was underneath the table with her lead tied to the bench leg. After a while a flock of white doves flew around the immediate area. The out of the corner of my eye I saw this flash of white chasing some doves on the grass. Oh I thought someone’s unruly spaniel. Then we realised it was our pooch and somehow she had got out of her harness! I carry a whistle and after a few blasts she came back looking pleased as punch.

In Seahouses we were sat on a bench overlooking the harbour eating whelks and cockles. There were other benches nearby and unlike other times we have been there we were not hassled by seagulls after titbits. Then two women came along with their fish and chip takeaway. They saw a starling and threw it titbits. Not surprisingly the flock appeared. There was a sign in front of these two dipsticks that said not to feed birds. Before I could say anything the flash of white appeared still on its lead from under the table. Scratch one starling. ☹️Women seemed quite upset and moved away.

 

[Buckman]

In Seahouses we were sat on a bench overlooking the harbour eating whelks and cockles. There were other benches nearby and unlike other times we have been there we were not hassled by seagulls after titbits. Then two women came along with their fish and chip takeaway. They saw a starling and threw it titbits. Not surprisingly the flock appeared. There was a sign in front of these two dipsticks that said not to feed birds. Before I could say anything the flash of white appeared still on its lead from under the table. Scratch one starling. ☹️Women seemed quite upset and moved away.

We saw similar down at Swanage. There is a restaurant quite near the beach with tables and chairs outside and huge signs stating not to feed the birds. The council also have signs all along on the barrier that is between the sea and the pavement.

A couple of dipsticks sitting at the table nearby threw some food for a pigeon and the next minuted total chaos as what seemed like a thousand gulls descending on patrons including us.

The chap next to us had only just had his lunch delivered when it was taken by gulls. The blighters can peck really hard and draw blood! We were okay as we had only just finished our meal and nothing left on the plate, but it was frightening almost like Alfred Hitchcocks "Birds". Do these plonkers, dipsticks etc ever learn?