Wednesday 28 February 2018

Bark In The Park

Number 20 on my 50 Before 50 list is Take part in a charity walk. I thought it would be good to get Archie involved in this one so we signed up for Bark In The Park. The last time we did Dog Walking For Charity was back in 2011 when Archie was less than a year old and that time it was held at Golden Acre Park in Leeds, this time it was at Temple Newsam. The walk raises funds for St. Gemma's Hospice in Leeds.


The forecast for the weekend was freezing temperatures but it was bright enough when we woke up on Sunday morning, they were right though, it was mighty cold. Registration was between 9am and 10am and there were plenty of people signing in when we arrived.


We had a choice between 1, 3 or 6 miles. Archie has been limping a bit lately on his back left leg so we decided we wouldn't walk him too far and went for the 3 mile option. As it turned out, those walking both 3 and 6 miles followed the same route, with the ones walking 6 miles completing it twice.


The first part of the walk took us out of the grounds of Temple Newsam and through Elm and Oak Wood, Wilderness Wood and Avenue Wood. There were some very muddy patches but overall it wasn't too bad.


I used to ride these paths and tracks on my bike as a child and the last time we walked them was when Daniel and Eleanor were young, it's a part of Temple Newsam that we don't often visit.


Many parts of the walk were uphill but it made for a lovely view when you looked over your shoulder from where you'd come and saw Temple Newsam House in the distance.


Once out of the woods, you come to farmland. This area is just over the road from where I lived as a child and it's a miracle that it's still there as much of the surrounding land has now been developed and now houses stand where sheep once grazed in fields.


Archie had a great time, he loves mixing with other dogs and there were lots of new friends to make on this walk.


As we neared the end of the circular walk we passed houses in the old village of Colton. Mentioned in the Domesday Book as Coletun, it was originally a medieval farming village. In recent years, developers have built many new houses in this area.


We came round the back of Temple Newsam's walled garden and greenhouses, there's lots of bare earth to be seen at the moment but I'm sure that will soon change.


Old buildings which were part of the old Temple Newsam estate, they may be ramshackle but I think they look rather pretty covered in ivy.


I stopped to take a photo on the bridge as we were crossing the lake and Archie disappeared. He's a really good dog when he's not on his lead and never strays so this wasn't like him at all. It turns out that one of his doggy friends who he walks with at home was in the area and he'd gone off to see him. He wasn't within sight so I can only assume that he picked up his scent. Dexter's a Labrador Alsatian cross and looks like a huge black bear but he's as soft as anything and Archie loves him.


The sun was shining as we returned to the check in point and Archie was given a certificate for taking part, though he was more interested in the goody bag he was presented with which contained lots of doggy treats.

We always used to take Archie out on a Sunday morning, often to Temple Newsam or Lotherton, but as he's getting older he's quite happy to take things easy on a weekend morning these days. It was good to get back to this old routine though so I can see some more Sunday morning walks in our future, perhaps when the Beast from the East has passed, it's thick of snow here today and more forecast.

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38 comments:

  1. Cold or not, what a great way to spend a Sunday morning.

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    1. We really enjoyed it. We soon warmed up when we were puffing our way up the hills.

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  2. What a lovely way to spend a morning, great photo's.

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    1. I always feel better for getting out and about, especially on a morning, it sets me up for the rest of the day.

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  3. Looks like it was a good turn out for the dog walk and for a good cause too, I hope they raised a nice amount of money.
    Congratulations on crossing another thing from your list
    You must have crossed a fair few things off there now?

    It was minus 5 when I got in the car this morning, we are having flurries of snow but nothing sticking, just really cold.

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    1. I believe they were hoping to raise £16,000 from the dog walk, it costs such a lot of money to keep the hospice running. I don't think I'm even half way through my 50 before 50 list yet and there's only six months left, I really need to pull my finger out and cross off lots more things. We've got quite a bit of snow here, all the local schools were closed today and there's still more snow to come, it's freezing.

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  4. There are many parts of temple newsam that er haven’t visited for ages. Last year the crocuses there were magnificent.

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    1. Temple Newsam is such a big place, we tend to stick to the same areas when we visit so it was a nice walk taking us around areas we don't often visit.

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  5. You took us on a great stroll, I enjoyed the views. The Beast from the East seems to be causing chaos so hopefully you have no plans to get out and about and are keeping safe and warm. Thankfully there is no snow here and none predicted.

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    1. I've stayed indoors today, I'm not a fan of the snow. Mick's worked from home so he's the one who's taken Archie for his walks and even he's said it's freezing, which is very unusual, he doesn't often feel the cold. There's still more snow forecast.

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  6. It looks like a lovely route and a nice fine day for your walk. It's good to read the participants were rewarded for their efforts. X

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    1. I'm so pleased that we got a bright, sunny day for the walk. It would have put a real downer on it if it had been raining. In addition to the goody bag which Archie received, he also won a bag of treats and a doggy Easter egg on the tombola.

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  7. A good post and lovely pictures. Charity walks are a great idea and always seem to be enjoyed by those who do them.
    It's been snowing here today, with more to come.

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    1. The event was very well attended and all the dogs we saw were so well behaved, I think both dogs and humans had a good time. We've had quite a bit of snow here too and we're forecast more.

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  8. A beautiful walk and one for a good cause. Glad you and Archie enjoyed your time.

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    1. St. Gemma's does such a lot of good work so it's good to support them when we can. A dog walk is such a good idea for a sponsored event.

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  9. What a lovely idea to have a charity walk with a four legged friend. Archie did you proud and anther thing ticked off your list. Well Done. Great route taken with lots to see. I know what you mean about the cold. Brrrrrrrr

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    1. Temple Newsam is a great place to hold the sponsored walk, there's such lovely parkland which humans and dogs both enjoy. I've stayed indoors today, it's far too cold outside for me.

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  10. That looks like a very nice walk, Jo, and for a good cause. I'm glad Archie held up well for the walk.

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    1. Archie still had lots of energy left at the end of the walk, though he was very stiff for the rest of the day once we got him home. He's definitely beginning to show his age.

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  11. That post brought a lump to my throat, as Temple Newsam is where we decided to meet when we were in UK in 2014 & you brought Archie & Eleanor with you. It certainly looks different to the middle of summer & I think I've got a photo similar of the lake, taken from the bridge. Thank you, take care & stay warm & snuggled up from the cold.

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    1. Temple Newsam was certainly different that day, I remember it being really warm, much different to what it was like on Sunday. At least it was bright and dry, I wouldn't have fancied doing the walk in the rain.

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  12. That looks a very nice place for a walk, with or without a dog. I love the idea of 'Bark in the Park', you wonder who makes up these names, it's brilliant! I can't remember if I've told you before - my parents had a King Charles called Oliver. Archie is a good character walking happily. Oliver would run off home if he'd had enough, quite worrying at the time. Later you'd find him waiting on the door stop. He had stomach issues and was underweight, so was mistaken regularly as a puppy. We have lots of snow here in Lincolnshire too, teen 1 and 2 are off school and college today and Tomorrow. Cathy x

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    1. I've been visiting Temple Newsam all my life, it's such a lovely place for a walk and steeped in history. Archie's quite a big Cavalier and he's very stocky too, but he's really quite a timid thing and always stays close to us, obviously unless he smells Dexter in the vicinity. The snow's even worse here today, I'm glad that Mick's able to work from home.

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  13. A lovely walk and what a treat for Archie - meeting up with a friend and a goodie bag at the end! Even around here it's been hard to avoid muddy patches when out for a walk which is unusual at this time of year as normally we are still frozen solid.

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    1. Archie had a lovely time but he slept for the rest of the day, I think he'd worn himself out. There's no muddy patches here at the moment, we're covered in the white stuff.

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  14. That's such a great idea, sounds like Archie had a wonderful time. We've got about 4 inches of snow today, good job your walk was on before the snow came.

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    1. Archie really enjoyed the walk, especially as there were so many other dogs to play with along the way. I'm so glad that it was last weekend and not this weekend, we can't get the car out of the drive today, the snow has really come down, it's a good job that Mick can work from home.

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  15. Lovely that the route took you back to places in the area you haven't been for a while.
    Glad you were able to get out and make the most of a bright morning despite the cold!
    Love the fact that Archie knew his friend was there as well.
    Lisa x

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    1. The walk brought back lots of happy memories of childhood when we'd be off along these tracks on our bikes, though it's sad to see that so much of the land where we once played is now taken up with new houses. I must admit that I hadn't fancied doing the walk when I knew it was so cold, I'm getting softer as I get older, but I soon warmed up once I got going. It amazed me that Archie knew that Dexter was there, they seemed very happy to see each other.

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  16. A lovely walk and all for a good cause. I trust Archie came back in good time after his little diversion to meet up with a friend.

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    1. It's a lovely way in which to raise much needed funds for such a worthy cause. Archie's little diversion was just that, he was back to being a good boy again as soon as we discovered he was with Dexter.

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  17. Well done Archie (and you!). We haven't had many long walks this winter - it has just been too cold!!

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    1. Having a dog makes you take some good walks whether you feel like it or not. I usually don't but I'm glad I've made the effort as soon as I get out there.

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  18. I hope they raised lots on the dog walk, what a nice place to hold it.

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    1. I think the walk will have been a success, there were plenty of people taking part. Temple Newsam is somewhere we visit often, it's just so lovely there and very convenient to get to.

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  19. Loved the photo of Archie 'stepping out'... I bet he spent the rest of the day with his paws up and his nose in the goody bag! Jx

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    1. He certainly did. He was knocked out for the rest of the day, though he definitely knew there were treats in the house.

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