An early walk - Wednesday 7th January

I was determined to get up early and take Barney out for a good walk before I started making excuses about the weather, things I've got to do etc.  So 7.15am we set off down through the village.

We are lucky that we live in a rather pretty village with a duck pond and a village green so that's the way we went.  The ducks were up early too, doing whatever ducks do.



This isn't a photo I've taken but this is the view I had this morning.

We carried on down and out of the village, into the countryside, over the motorway and down into the next village of Hunsworth.  Here we took a turn off the road and down a snicket (a tight little pathway down the side of a house) where Barney spotted a cat.   All systems are go!  By the time we got to the end of the snicket the cat had disappeared.  Barney searched all round but couldn't spot it.

Here it comes out into a very large field and I thought it would be safe to let him off for a run.  He was like a bullet out of a gun and headed straight down the field and disappeared.  I tried not to panic, followed him down and started whistling and calling his name as I couldn't see him.  All of a sudden a whirlwind nearly knocked me over from behind!  He must have gone up the other side of the hedge, got back through and then caught me up. Phew! Back on the lead now.

Another field crossed and we were on a main road.  A long uphill one!  So we started up here and I noticed it was now getting light.  We passed the farm with the two Shetland ponies and Barney actually behaved himself.  On up until we got to the Fire Station HQ, crossed the road and on a little further.

A left turn saw us going up another snicket and then we did a few twists and turn s and came out onto another road.  At the top of this road we turned right and this is like Millionaires' Row. On one side there are very nice, fairly new detached houses with biggish gardens.  On the other there are several VERY large houses, almost small mansions.  They have such vast driveways that you need sponsorship to walk up them.

After these houses there is a school a few more more modest houses and eventually we come to the bottom moor, up that moor and we join the top moor and it is now fully daylight.  All that is left is to cross the road and we are home. Four and a third miles done before breakfast.