Thanks to a black labrador we now have our own ‘ice cream’ for cooling us down on hot sunny days.

Billy + Margot Iced Treats for Dogs

Whilst out shopping today at our local Dobbies garden centre mum spotted a small grey freezer, filled with iced treats for dogs.

Sadly many two leggers will pass by the one metre tall un-engaging box, not willing to venture past the solid coloured lid to find the delights enclosed. But we are glad our mum did.

Sold under the brand Billy + Margot, the two chief taste testers for the company, the sorbet textured treat is made from ingredients chosen for their health benefits and great taste.

At this point we should mention that this is not ice cream for dogs, but an iced treat.  It has a sorbet consistency and is free from dairy.

Apple, banana and carrot treat

Looking on the Billy+Margot  website they say that recipes contain pure fruit and vegetable purée, aloe vera juice and flaxseed oil.

Coconut oil from sustainable sources is also used.

Two ice treat flavours are available. The first is an unusual concoction of apple, banana and carrot (ABC). Whilst the second is strawberry & apple.

Thanks to a black labrador we can have ice cream

Mum chose the one containing carrot for us, as we do like our vegetables.

As it is quite a cool day today we were only allowed a little and it did taste and look quite good.

Dog ice treat

The very pale coloured mixture was easily scooped out of the pot and soon was working it’s way towards our tummies.

Mum made sure we did not get too much in one go, just in case we became too cold too quickly and made ourselves sick.

The taste and smell were not too strong and on a hot day would be fantastic to cool us down.  So now all we need is a hot day so we can try the other flavour. Hint, hint mum.

Billy +Margot

Billy + Margot Apple, banana and carrot ice cream

Earlier I mentioned the chief taste testers called Billy and Margot well I thought they should get more of a mention.

It turns out that Billy, a black labrador ,was the key to the whole idea of an ‘ice cream’ specifically made for dogs.

He loved ice cream, who doesn’t, but human ice cream is not really good for us.

So the challenge was set to find one that was.

Marie Sawle, Billy’s owner and a nutritionist, launched the ice treat range at Crufts in 2012.

It is now available in more than 110 outlets throughout the country. The 160g tub costs around £2.99, so is a bit of a luxury even for pampered pooches.

Billy, sadly died before the new iced treat could be brought to market it seems, but his constant companion Margot, another Black Lab has taken the role of chief taster.

If you have a special flavour you think would work for you then you can suggest it on the Billy+Margot Facebook page. As we write this article apple, pear and banana seems to be in the lead ahead of pea and mint.

It would appear that sirloin steak or BBQ ribs have not been suggested.  They would get our vote.

The Billy+Margot products, are manufactured by ice cream and sorbet manufacturer Taywell.

Good luck to the new business and keep up the good work Margot.

Big licks

Charlie and Buster

On our walks around the county and beyond we come across things that make us stop and think.

Carlisle - Learning Village cycle route

Today was one of those moments when we spotted this sign proclaiming that Carlisle,  A City given that it has a cathedral, has or is, a learning village.

Now this was news to us and possibly a good number of the residents of this outpost up’t north.

It turns out that the two leggers can now cycle between academic locations in the area thanks to a number of blue signs helping them on their way.

The boffins have also created a cycling logo, but dad was unsure how the student could see the road ahead under the brim of the mortar board 

If you want to see the sign for yourself it is near the The Sands Centre and the Eden Bridge. underpass.

Circular route from the Sheepmount

Wooden foundations for the old Eden Bridge?

Our walk today started from the rear of Carlisle Castle, near to the Sheepmount Stadium.

We walked through the park towards Eden Bridge where we noticed a load of posts sticking up out of the River Eden.

The river level was quite low and we wondered if these could have been the old foundations for the bridge in earlier times. Maybe they were driven into the earth to stop the river bank eroding – Do you know?

Past the rear of The Sands Centre we then skirted alongside the golf course and along to the bridge into Rickerby Park.

Rickerby Park memorial railings in need of repair

Desperate for a drink we pulled mum and dad down to the water and in we went, I didn’t even take my coat off.

The cool breeze and the cold water soon made our tummies very cold and with our thirst quenched we emerged to continue along the river bank.

Rickerby Park War memorial

With a dozen or so cows blocking our way we detoured via the war memorial to take a look at the works done earlier in the year as part of a restoration project.

According to the Carlisle City website the railings were to be repaired as part of a £14,000 scheme in February. However, it does not appear that much work has been done.

Mawson Garden at the edge of Eden Bridges

The press release indicates that works will include repairing broken sections, replacing missing finials, rubbing down and repainting as well as the fabrication of a new entrance gate and lock.

Oh well, maybe they have had some problems or the works are more complicated than first thought.

Eden Bridge Gardens

Our path exited on the Scottish side of the River Eden past the recently renovated Thomas Mawson garden.

Plastic box clamped to a lamp post - Could it be a traffic counter?

The repair work was carried out a few years ago and already the plants are taking shape and relaxing into their surroundings.

We stopped for a few minutes to look into the pond and saw hundreds of tadpoles and a few coins people had thrown in for luck.

Dad tried to photograph the young frogs, or toads, but they would not stay still for long enough. A bit like Charlie really.

Up onto the big road and across the bridge but not before we noticed two plastic boxes clamped to lampposts.

Dad wondered if they were for counting high sided vehicles, much reduced in number since the bypass was opened. Or maybe they were junction boxes for electrical switches.

In effect, he had no idea what they were for – but it was good to hear him randomly suggest ideas.

And so we arrived back at the car, long walk over and the thought of pancakes with sticky syrup and tangy lemon for tea.  mmmmm

Until next time

Buster and Charlie

Drumbrugh in north Cumbria was where we headed for our walk a few days ago and we were not disappointed.

What started off as a quick hour in the big world but it soon turned out to be almost a whole day as we followed our sniffers on a big circular route.

Buster eats some fresh grass found on a country lane

Positioned on the edge of the Solway Firth, right opposite Dumfries across the bay, Drumburgh is on the Hadrians Wall path. This meant our walk should be well sign posted and fairly easy to follow.

Our starting point was just outside the village, on a small piece of grass overlooking the bay. We have previously visited the area way back in 2010, so were keen to explore further.

Old railway

Our walk started off on familiar territory as we entered the village and turned left down the hill onto the old railway bed.

The wide gravel path is well drained however does offer the occasional puddle to ensure our walk starts off with a bit of splodging. Mum not amused.

Take care woolly monsters with young.

At then end of the mile long, almost straight path,  we avoid the nature reserve by turning right and along a farm like track.

One advantage of having hedges on both sides was that we were protected from the quite strong winds that were coming off the sea and so we stayed quite a bit warmer.

Our walk took us along some quite wide paths, with the occasional walker for company. For some reason they all seemed to be coming towards us and were eager to carry on. Maybe this was their first day on the Hadrians wall path and full of enthusiasm and energy.

Hedge laying

We wondered how they may feel in 4 or five days time when they get to the other end and Newcastle.

Hedge laying in progress

Scampering through large fields and through gates we stayed on our leads to avoid scaring any young lambs or wildlife.

We eventually stopped for a few minutes when we arrived in Glasson and spoke to a landowner who was installing and painting a fence.

Mum started the conversation with him by commenting on the smell of Creosote filling the air and that it took her back to childhood.

And that was it… the good old days…. Charlie and I just found some grass to chew and a cool place to take a rest. We may be here some time we thought.

Hens, cats, fences, pensions and the weather all discussed before we moved on, eventually.

At last some full on splodging

Nearby a farmer had been busy relaying about half a mile of natural hedge.

All the old twigs and hedge detritus had been cleared and the strong trunks split and placed horizontal to form the base of a new hedge.

To the beach

The path brought us out near  the entrance to Cottage and Glendale holiday Park and so close to the sea we could smell it.

Leads tight and sniffers in the air we followed our noses past the coconut smelling gorse in full flower and onto the beach.

A lookout tower and a buried archway

Mum did not even have time to take my coat off before we were up to our tummies in the cool water.

War and industrial past

Arriving on the beach was a great relief as it was easier to walk on than the hard gravel paths.  It was also cooler on our paws making the return journey back towards our starting point ideal.

A former wartime quadrant tower still remains perched high on the beach between Glasson and Drumbrugh.

It appears that this structure ties in with one further down the coast near to the Edward I Memorial.

Tree stump all weather beaten and very interesting

The arched brick and concrete structure has been a little harder to find out about. Could it have been a drainage point for nearby fields? How old is it and is it connected to the lookout tower?

If you can help then let us know via the comments area below.

Almost back to the start

Walk almost complete we just had time to take a close look at a large tree stump resting just above the high tide mark.

The bark had turned silver and was covered with great fissures and lines  casting shadows in the late afternoon sunshine.

Dad took quite a while photographing it and trying to get a fantastic image with his small camera.

Almost done, we finished off our fresh water bottle and headed back towards the car and the compulsory bath before resting and contemplating our day out.

Until next time

Buster and Charlie.

Our adventures this week took us north and slightly west towards the Scottish town of Dumfries in search of a monument to a musician who was part of the orchestra onboard RMS Titanic.

Concrete art fitted to the river wall in Dumfries

Although we knew of the monuments existence we did not know where it was or how to get to it.

Detective sniffers activated, we left the car parked a short distance from the Old Bridge House Museum and followed the River Nith down stream.

Entrance to the small museum, contained in the oldest house in Dumfries, is free and mum was quickly sent in to get some local knowledge.

The lady was very helpful and even came outside to say hello to us.  She indicated that if we headed towards Dock Park then we should find the Titanic memorial quite easily.

Concrete art – The Crossing

A heron waits for lunch from the River Nith

So the challenge was set, find Dock Park, get a good walk and come home with pictures of the Titanic memorial.

Just beyond the museum, and on the opposite side of the river,  dad spotted a most unusual piece of art that reminded him of a scene from the Star Wars film – Empire Strikes Back.  The scene is where one of the main characters, Hans Solo, gets frozen into a block of carbonite.

Initially, and without shadow the white column of blocks just looked like a repair had been carried out on the river bank. However, if you moved just slightly and managed to get a little bit of shadow the face and hands of a lady came into view.  This just looked like the kind of image created by George Lucas in the Star Wars film.

Buster takes a quick drink of River Water

Further research and it appears that the artwork, made from granite and not concrete, is by Matt Baker and Dan Dubowitz.  It was constructed in 1998 and is called The Crossing.

Troqueer parish church

After a quick drink from the river we continued along the riverbank past the imposing but long neglected Rosefield Mills building until we came to the Troqueer parish church cemetery.

A seat just the right size for Charlie

We must have spent a good half an hour looking around whilst dad took photographs and mum made mental notes. It was a vast area with many gigantic memorial stones.  You should be able to read more in the next few weeks over on Gravestonepix.com.

Just beyond the church we crossed over the river via the Kirkpatrick Macmillan Bridge. It was named after Kirkpatrick MacMillan, inventor of the bicycle, who was born to the north of Dumfries in 1813.

Sick and poor seat

After a quick 20 minutes exploring Castledykes Park we started our walk upstream towards the hustle and bustle of the town centre.

The Titanic Memorial in Dock Park, Dumfries

Following the wide, tree lined tarmac path we found ourselves, almost by accident in Dock Park. Here Charlie found a cast iron seat just the right size for him to sit on.

Only standing about 30cm from the ground the small two seat bench had the words ‘For the sick Poor’ in relief across the front face.  Almost a day after our visit we still can not find any details about why this small seat, ideal for a child, is here.

Dated 1828 it features the text ‘J Affleck Founder’ on the right hand side.

 Titanic Memorial – Dock Park

Situated at the edge of the childrens’ play area is the Titanic memorial.

Placed in memory of John Law Hume and Thomas Mullin who were both on the White Star liner it is around 5m tall.

A whistle or art?

Three simple wreaths, placed at the bottom of the granite column, mark the centenary of the sinking of the vessel after hitting an iceberg on her maiden voyage, 14 April 1912.

Yipee, our quest complete we celebrated with an ice cream cornet bought from a nearby van. We know how to live on the edge!

Walking back towards the car we did notice a number of objects fixed to the top of the railings on our left hand side.

Looking upstream towards Devorgilla Bridge

We think one may have been a whistle, others could have been things to spin in the wind and others looked like metal shells.  It was all a bit puzzling and without explanation.

With dark clouds bubbling up overhead and the increasing threat of rain we headed straight back to the car for sandwiches and some warming soup.

Maybe you can help us out with explaining the things on the railings or possibly you know about the history of the small metal chair?

Let us know via the comments area below.

Until next time

Buster and Charlie

Our big walk had to be delayed yesterday due to the morning starting off quite cool and with damp drizzle in the air.

Blossom opens in the bright sunshine

The sun eventually came out after we helped Dad eat a hot sausage sandwich for lunch.

Fuelled up and ready to get some exercise we headed to Kingstown to the north of the city.

Blossom

The recent sunshine and unseasonal warm temperatures has allowed a lot of blossom to open on the trees.

Rabbit munching some fresh grass

White seemed to be the colour in vogue today as we walked through the Blackthorn bushes, apple and plum trees. Against the slightly dark blue sky the small flowers contrasted really well and dad was able to get some really good photographs.

The bees were out in force gathering some much needed early nectar to make lots of yummy honey.

Mum also noticed a couple of clumps of daffodils that already seem to be starting go past their best. A short season this year for many of them.

Nearby a number of rabbits were in the open enjoying some mid afternoon grass.

They did not seem at all bothered as we sneaked up on them to get a picture.

Holes in the bat nets already

Charlie gave the game away when he pulled on his lead and the ratchet in the handle engaged with a loud crack.

Beasts

Our walk started from the middle of the Kingstown Industrial Estate and was to go as far as the Aero plant nurseries just beyond the old 14MU military base.

Mum needed some bits and bobs for the garden so with one outing we could get a good walk and mum could go shopping.

Our path took us under the now opened Carlisle relief road.

You may remember almost a year ago that that we spotted a couple of mesh screens positioned either side of an underpass.

A wildlife haven on the side of the new Carlisle bypass

Back then they had only just been installed but now they have big holes in them. A discussion then started as to what was making the holes.

Mum wondered if the spray from grit lorries had punctured the net. Whilst dad suggested, give the size of one of the holes, that Dumbo had been taking flying lessons and misjudged things as he came into land.

Bugs

The overflow ponds built at the sides of the new road are now starting to look part of the landscape.

Reeds and trees are beginning to take hold around the outer margins and the air is filled with the sounds of birds.

Charlie wanted to inspect the water close up but mum decided that this would not be a good thing to do as he could scare away the beetles, bugs, frogs and newts who were trying to set up home for the summer.

As the path faded, near to the entrance to the former military base, we had to stay on short leads as we walked along the edge of the road towards the garden nursery about 0.5 miles away.

Thankfully the road is quite quiet so we were in little danger of being squished, but it is such a shame that many of our roads do not have pavements or even suitable grass verges.

Shopping done, we returned back the way we had come, guzzling water from the drinks bottle every few hundred metres.

Until next time

Buster and Charlie

Walking out onto the flat grass covered of land at the head of the Solway Estuary our noses were filled with seaside smells.

Many sheep graze on the grass growing on the sand and mud

For our big walk this week we headed to Burgh (pron Bruff) Marsh about five or so miles from Carlisle.

The wide open space is populated by hundreds of sheep who keep the grass short and the occasional tourist visiting the nearby monument to King Edward I.

Today we were to venture way out to the sea in the search for a paddle.

Burgh Marsh

Walking out on to the wide open plain we soon became aware that the land had lots of ridges, deep crevasses and grass tuffets which could cause us some damage if we ran around too much.

The salt marsh grass stretches for miles around

It was great fun to try and pick our way across the almost featureless landscape, looking for makeshift bridges spanning drainage ditches.

Some of these were simply concrete reinforced drainage pipes dropped into the gaps and backfilled with rubble and debris to keep them in place.

Campsite

It is hard to believe that where we were walking camped an army in 1307 belonging to King Edward.

What animal or bird left this behind?

We tried to imagine how windswept the camp must have been and how dangerous it must be to walk in the area after dark.

Although we did not spot any old coins or buckles left behind we did come across hundreds of unusual droppings.

Around 4cm long with a white end the poop was not the usual splat you get from a seagull.

Any birds we did spot or flew up from the ground as we approached, appeared to be very small so we did not think it came from any of them.

The sand and grass bank is collapsing into the sea

Mum wondered if the droppings had possibly come from geese resting on the salt marsh in recent days, but she was not sure as we found no large feathers or other signs.

Crumbling cliff

Arriving at the waters edge and eager for a paddle our hopes were dashed as we discovered that the soft sand bank edge was crumbling into the sea.

The unstable edge made it too dangerous to walk along and also  very dirty to walk through.

A haff net frame is weighted down with some big stones

Much of the damage appeared to have been done over the last few weeks given that the grass was still firmly attached to some debris.

Dad wondered if the recent dry weather had caused the bank to become brittle or if something else was going on which could be a lot more serious.

Haff net

Positioned at the outlet for the River Eden this area is possibly a good area for fishing and for salmon in particular.

Nearby we came across a Haff net frame weighted down with large stones to stop it moving in the tide or wind.

Haff netting used to be common in this area and involves standing in the water with the net filtering the water as it flows past and around the fisherman.

In the late afternoon sunshine we had the area to ourselves and the sheep.

This allowed us to take our time and stop to listen to the birds, to take in the lovely weather and to have regular drinks.

Our big bottle of water, that mum was carrying, was soon empty as we drank our way through a litre of water in just under 90 minutes.

Thankfully we made it back to the car soon after and could replenish from the bottles of water in the car.

Please take care if you are going for a walk in this heat. Many of us still have our winter coats and so will heat up quickly.

As the weather is set to continue warm, our mum is arranging for us to have a good clipping later this week. No doubt more on this soon.

Until next time

Big licks and a woof

Buster and Charlie

Earlier today we went in search of a piece of Cumbrian history at a small hamlet called Kirkhouse in North Cumbria.

Situated a few miles from Brampton, off the A69, the churchyard features a memorial to Joseph Bell, Chief Engineer of RMS Titanic.

First lambs seen in 2012, with their little coats on for protection

Parking the car, as it turned out about 10m from the memorial, we set about stretching our legs with a walk around the local area.

Dad had spotted a hill on the way in to the area and so it was to here and a vantage point overlooking the valley we headed.

This did involve crossing the quite busy A689 and staying to the edge of the road facing the oncoming traffic.

We did stop however to say hello to a few hens who were enjoying the dry conditions.

The quiet single track road was ideal for us to stay clean and to file off our nails which have grown a bit over the winter and some soft living.

Enjoying some fresh air and green grass

New Lambs

To our left a tiny stream of water trickled between pools of muddy oily muck. As a result any thoughts of a fresh drink or a paddle was out of the question.

The hill was quite steep and whilst Charlie and dad powered upwards mum and I, shall we say, took a more leisurely approach.

The walk was full of sniffs. Charlie spotted a pheasant and a couple of rabbits and I tucked into some fresh grass which was growing in the hedgerows.

Towards the top of the hill we spotted some of the first 2012 lambs grazing in a field.

They had little plastic coats on which made them look a little odd until you worked out what they were. Mum thought that these would help keep them dry and possibly a little warmer for their first few days on a Cumbrian fellside.

Weather and time battered tree

Turn around and head to church

Upon reaching the top and taking a few moments to observe the view we turned around for the walk back down the hill.

With our eyes able to look over the hedges due to the path falling away in front of us, we spotted a couple of Lama or possibly alpacas that appeared to be keeping an eye on us from quite a distance away.

Also we had a good mumble at mum and dad whilst they tried for a good 15 minutes to photograph a bird in the hedge.

For some reason they could see the bird with their eyes, but just could not find the darn thing through the lens of the camera.

Two words now part of history - Titanic and iceberg

Charlie and I looked at each other and just grumbled.

Titanic and Iceberg

Legs stretched we headed back to the car for a good drink of water and a sit down, whilst mum and dad went into the churchyard.

They had heard about a memorial to Joseph Bell who was the chief enginner on board the Titanic.

Almost 100 years ago, on the 15 April 1912, the ship hit an iceberg on it’s maiden voyage.

Looking a little worse for wear and in the older part of St.Thomas a Becket Church yard in Farlam, the stone will go un-noticed by many visitor and local alike .

The memorial stone to Joseph Bell - Chief Engineer on the Titanic

His body was never recovered following the incident, which saw Joseph and his crew staying at their posts to ensure power was available for pumps, lighting and the wireless equipment.

Family memorial

Joseph shares the sandstone memorial with other members of his family.

It is the only known memorial to someone who is seen by many to be an unsung hero of the disaster that claimed more than 1,500 lives.

Photographs taken and walk completed we headed home and the promise of a roast chicken dinner.

Until next time

Buster and Charlie

The weatherman said it would be a good weekend and it indeed turned out to be so.

An explosion of yellow from this catkin

We managed to get out of the house on both days and we are pleased to report that Spring has officially arrived.

The hedgerows and grass covered banks are full of colour.  From the white of the snowdrops a few weeks ago to a golden yellow, via the occasional purple crocus flower.

With the warmer temperatures, currently 9 deg C, bright yellow catkins and daffodils offer the hope of a good summer ahead.

Walk by the river

An old coppiced tree

Although the ground is a little squishy under our paws we managed to keep to the dry paths, with only the occasional detour to follow a sniff, or two.

Our walk on Sunday took us along the side of the River Eden from Engine Lonning towards the Sheepmount Athletics area.

We have done this walk many times. It is a good walk for Buster and his dodgy hip as it features a varied collection of surfaces and is reasonably flat.

Since the puffing steam trains left, the area around Engine Lonning has been taken over by wildlife and assorted plants.

A great number of the large willows have been coppiced.  This means that they have been chopped back regularly to the ground to allow a lot of stems to grow quickly.  Quite a few British native trees can be coppiced and the practice dates back many hundreds of years.

At the first sign of grass - Buster takes a rest

The area is managed by the local council and they keep it tidy and well tended.

Too cold for a paddle

With Charlie constantly straining on his lead, pulling towards the water to our left, we eventually came out onto the grass at the rear of the Sheepmount.

A few men were being naughty playing with a quad bike up and down the paths. However, they did slow down as we went past so we were not too scared.

Daffodils with their big yellow trumpets herald Spring

Using a motorised vehicle is not really acceptable, as this is a public path and children and animals use it regularly.

Taking a rest 

For a bloke of almost 100 I still am quite active, but the bones do ache after a good walk.

Whilst dad and Charlie power ahead, mum and I walk behind taking our time and take rests when we can.

Charlie takes a moment for a rest

Today I decided to take a moment to sit and rest surrounded by daffodils.

Looking across the playing fields behind Carlisle Castle I could watch the children playing and hear the birds sing.

Charlie wondered what I was doing but he too soon dropped and took a moment to enjoy the arrival of Spring.

Until next time, big licks

Buster and Charlie

We have had a very busy week  due to one thing and another, so it was great to get out of the house yesterday for some sniffs.

The Cummersdale Viaduct near Dalston, Cumbria gets a lick of paint

Due to it being still quite cold it was decided that I should have my coat on today for our walk by the river at Cummersdale.

Although the coat does keep my back warm I am not really a fan of it as it sort of limits my movement due to it being a little stiff.

Instead of our normal path towards town, we headed this time towards Dalston.

Cummersdale viaduct repairs

Within a few hundred metres we came across works being done on the Cummersdale Viaduct.

It appears that Network Rail are spending about £1m on the bridge, replacing the track and giving it a new coat of green paint.

The work is due to finish in June and has been scheduled to avoid the salmon spawning season – between September and June.

Spread out across the fields are these gas pipeline marker posts

This viaduct carries the Maryport and Carlisle railway line over the River Caldew.

The path is part of the 70 mile Cumbria Way long distance footpath.

Marker posts

The recent few dry cold days made the sniffs really strong and Charlie had good fun following trails in and out of the long grass.

He must run miles further than I do as he criss-crosses the path in hunting mode.

As we were not in any hurry, dad took the time to investigate some orange and white marker posts.

He had often seen these at the edge of roads or partially hidden in hedges.

Standing about 2.5m tall the wide white pole featured a day glow orange band around the top.

As it was a clear day others could be seen in the distance, either side of the one we stood next to.

The snowdrops cover the river banks

The small information post indicated that the posts marked a high pressure gas pipeline hidden beneath, operated by Northern Gas Networks.

Snowdrops

A few weeks ago we mentioned that we had spotted a few snowdrops in a nearby churchyard.

Well spring is truly here, as we spotted many hundreds of flowers covering the river bank yesterday.

A whole industry has grown up with the search for snowdrops and snowdrop walks.

Dad almost fell into the river as he tried to get some photographs of the ones above.

Walk over, we headed back towards the car and home for a well earned rest.

Over the next few days we have quite a few things to do including some baking. More on this soon….

Until next time

Buster and Charlie

Spring was certainly in our paws as we headed to the park yesterday for a really big walk alongside the River Eden in Carlisle.

We had heard of some new musical instruments that had appeared in Bitts Park and were eager to try them out,  but first we had to  get there.

The daffodil bulbs are growing quickly

Recent rain, and there has been a lot of it, has made many cross country paths soggy and not really good to walk on. So we had to keep to the dryish paths avoiding any puddles alongside the river.

This was not an easy challenge at times, especially around the back of the Sheepmount athletics and football pitches.

Arriving in Bitts Park we noticed that the green shoots of the daffodils were a good leg length high.

Charlie had good fun running over the leaves as they tickled his tummy. Mum wondered if they were not a few weeks early and may get nipped by any overnight frosts.

Quick, whilst mum is not looking

The weather is such a contrast to that we reported on in January 2011 when we visited Linstock near Carlisle and the ice was just melting after many weeks of cold weather.

A red bracelet

The musical instruments we were in search of have been installed near to the children’s play area behind Carlisle Castle.

To get to them we had to quickly pass the monster infested swamp and cross the troll bridge. Well that was the story mum told us as we approached the Chinese garden and the nature pond.

Charlie sees if he can make music with his nose

Floating on the pond was a large round red ring. Mum said it was a wrist bracelet left behind by one of the trolls that lived under the nearby bridge.

Sadly it was just out of reach for us to check her story, so we quickly moved away from the area just in case one of the wart infested, wrinkly blue trolls appeared.

Musical instruments

Running over the bridge and into the gardens we soon found our first musical instruments.

Built with metal frames and bolted to some very big rocks we had a lot of fun woofing at the sounds they made.

Charlie soon worked out that if mum tapped a tube or wooden block with the provided hammer, he heard a noise. He even tried to tap one of the metal tubes with his paw to see if he could make a sound.

Sadly we were running out of time and the clouds were once more gathering around us as we made our way, this time on the pavement back home.

Until next time

Buster and Charlie