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Black dog versus white dog in the battle of the peat hags

Black dog versus white dog in the battle of the peat hags


Postby dogplodder » Fri Jun 25, 2021 4:09 pm

Fionas included on this walk: Càrn nan Tri-tighearnan

Date walked: 27/03/2021

Distance: 10 km

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First to introduce the two canine protagonists with their handlers in this battle of the peat hags.

Keira - 2.5 year old female black labrador
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Nugget - 1 year old male white Jack Russell / fox terrier mix
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For the handlers it would be no exaggeration to say the most exposure we experienced on this excursion (note the alliteration) was the final stretch of the road, narrow and twisty with pot holes and a fair old drop if you came off it to one side. It was a road that could have even the driver feeling queasy and I for one was relieved to arrive at the grassy / muddy patch that served for parking where the road ended at Daless. :sick:

We were the only cars so could choose a spot away from the worst of the mud before we booted up and were ready to go. Never as quickly "ready to go" as canines, who have the advantage, whatever the terrain, of always being ready to go. Their first challenge was to stand nicely for a photo at the start, which Nugget and handler won hands down, both looking attentively and even smiling at the camera. Second place to Keira for looking the wrong way and Ian for looking like he's trying not to be in the photo. :lol:

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Cloud was drifting around more than expected from the forecast but we still got a decent view of the upper Findhorn from the track. As the old crow flies this wasn't all that far from where we walked last year when we could only drive 5 miles to start a walk and walked south to Beinn Bhuidhe Mhor from near the Clava viaduct. But after the circuitous drive we'd just done it felt much further away and even quite remote, a place I'd never been before.

Cloud at start - would it clear?
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Yes it did, to a beautiful blue sky day! :D

Dropping down to the Allt Breac before climbing again
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Alex had her boy Nugget on an extending lead for most of the walk since being a terrier he would have a wired in tendency to relentlessly chase anything that moved. To be fair to him he didn't put a paw wrong, but you never know with terriers. I kept my girl on the lead until I was sure there were no sheep about and put her back on where grouse were likely to be nesting. When off lead Keira likes to walk beside the lead person, keeping a regular eye on me (source of all good things) trailing along behind. So far so good and dogs level-pegging. :angel:

Alex and dogs ahead on the good track
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Looking back to the cleft that is the Findhorn valley
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Nearing end of the track with Allt Breac gorge on left
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View east
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The track ends at a wide turning area from where a faint path marked by wooden posts heads off roughly in the same direction.

Marker posts from end of track
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East to Ben Rinnes
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I knew from everything I'd read about Carn nan Tri-tighearnan (known as Tig to his friends) that he's a Graham surrounded by a sprawling moat of peat hags from whichever way you approach him. I discovered in reading about him this area is environmentally important because of its blanket bog status. Who knew bog is so vital to the health of the planet? So rather than moan about it we should celebrate it for all the good and beneficial things it does for us. :clap:

The only problem is in trying to walk across peat hags in a straight line to get to where you're going. Straight line can usually not be done, unless you're a hare or dog who manage pretty well and aren't bothered about the "clarted up legs look". On that front a smooth-haired black dog should do better than a wire-haired white dog, but the truth is Nugget remained remarkably clart free. 8)

For the humans now the fun begins
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In places the bottom of the hags were pleasantly dry and could be walked along without risk of losing boots.... but other places had to be given a wide berth. :o

Peat Hag Central from where you will possibly never return
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We emerged from the peat hag maze on to level, solid ground, except it wasn't that solid but spongy and slippy in a way that reminded me of a Graham near Carrbridge that was slippy near the summit. The strange thing about Tig is that approaching from this direction takes you face to face with a wire fence just feet away from the summit trig and you're on the wrong side of said wire fence.

This was where Nugget scored because his handler is longer of limb than Keira's handler and she was able to lift him across. My route to Tig's trig was over a lower part of the fence which also involved stepping over a gate. I can if it's necessary and with someone else's help bundle Keira over fences but that would have meant repeating the exercise a few minutes later (for the return) so she was left unceremoniously on the wrong side of the fence.

A fence and gate to cross to reach summit trig
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Carn nan Tri-tighearnan summit with black dog on wrong side of fence
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Nugget wanted to celebrate his conquering of Tig by standing on its trig - and so he did. On the summit front white dog was clearly ahead while black dog got consolation points for not barking or howling the place down at being left on wrong side.

Top dog Nugget! :clap:
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Keira looking reproachfully at Alex for giving white dog the advantage
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For such a flat featureless summit Tig does boast some distant views
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Ben Rinnes in the east
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Hazy Cairngorms to the south
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There was a stiff breeze (interpret as strong wind for non hill hardened types) so we looked around for shelter to have lunch. It was a vain hope on this level plateau of environmentally significant blanket bog which clearly had no thought for hapless walkers needing a sit down. But then as we re-entered peat hag maze we walked right into the perfect spot with wooden pallets that provided not only dry seating but a place to put our flasks and dog bowls. :thumbup:

Well I say dog bowls in Nugget's case, whose handler had brought his nice silver one in her rucksack. But Keira had to make do with her usual Clover tub for her drink of water. The funny thing was Nugget rather fancied a drink out of the Clover tub, which he got, and when Keira moved slightly towards him he growled at her. Oh, oh, points off for resource guarding when what he was guarding wasn't actually his and a point to Keira for not doing a growl back. It must be a terrier thing. :lol:

Peat hag with posh seats and all eyes on that sandwich
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But he does get an extra point for being so cute.

Fortified by lunch we headed further into the maze, looking for the best way through.

Which way Nugget?
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This way to grouse butts
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Ian and Alex decided to include Carn an Uillt Bhric but by now I'd exceded my quota for peat hag hopping and declined to extend the experience. This may have been a mistake as Alex said the going was easier taking a line for the second top, but I suspect she was just being kind suggesting I'd had the harder task.

What did make the task harder was having dog on lead in one hand, with poles in other hand, trying to get up vertical peat sides of deep hags, with eager beaver labrador trying to follow the other two who were now out of sight (she hates her pack not staying together). One floundering move had my feet going from under me and landing face down in peat, at which point black dog was filled with remorse and gave my face a wash. You can't be annoyed with dogs for long... so marks lost for pulling and gained for saying sorry. :-P

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Brave lone tree
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Grouse butt ahead
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Once the others were well away I might have let black dog off except I could see a bunch of pesky sheep hanging around the end of the track where we were heading. To be clear about this Keira has never chased sheep. Nor has she shown any urge to chase sheep. And she has excellent recall. But I still daren't let her off when there's any chance sheep will run and trigger the chase instinct all dogs have. It was coming up to lambing time and ewes have lost lambs for even the sight of a dog. So she stayed awkwardly attached to human blundering unsteadily over rough lumpy heathery ground. A point for patience deserved here I suspect. Dogs are so uncomplaining. :-|

Trio back on track after their diversion
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Group reunited we ambled back down the track towards Daless and the River Findhorn. For all the bad press it gets, Peat Hag Tig had come up trumps. And then to put the cherry on the cake a red kite appeared.

Red kite
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If red kites are interested in carrion there may be a connection with its presence and what happened next. As a reward for being good, both dogs were off lead and walking nicely beside us on the track. Then in that decisive way dogs act with no prior discussion, Nugget started a celebratory roll on a long time deceased mountain hare at the side of the track. Or more accurately the skin and bones of a one time mountain hare. Thinking putrid smelling dog wasn't best travelling companion for Alex on the roller coaster journey home I stepped in with a firm "No". This was a mistake as it caused Nugget to pause mid roll which gave Keira the psychological edge to grab the carcase and make off with it.

My heart sank. Possession of high value booty like animal bones is the one time this dog with otherwise excellent recall will not come to me. She knows I will confiscate it and it's higher value to her than anything I have in my pocket to offer in exchange. So she stays close but just far enough out of reach for me not to grab her and remove the offending item.

I did try of course but nothing worked so we walked on down the track following one happy black lab trotting ahead to periodically stop and have a good chew of rotten bones. She must have a cast iron stomach as it hasn't so far caused the unpleasant repercussions we've had from previous dogs during the drive home! :?

I say to people discussing the merits of choosing a male or female dog that females are very loyal but can also be very stubborn. Our wise old Jack liked to operate his own agenda, yet he always brought me the booty he found on the hill, knowing full well I would confiscate it. But no way will Keira give up her prize. Points off then.

Meanwhile back to Nugget, grieving the loss of his roll-on-smelly-therapy-mat, made a bid to reclaim what he in all fairness had been the first to make a claim on. He made a grab for the disputed item and a brief snarly skirmish ensued. It was the first time I'd seen Keira in a proper dog fight. So much for males and females not fighting. If it involves something they really want they do! This brief spat gave the humans the upper hand and both dogs were put firmly on lead, the bones of contention left behind. Equal points off for fighting and an extra point off Keira for refusing to give up her prize. :o

Upper Findhorn again
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About to cross the final hurdle and once again black dog looking the wrong way
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We decided for variety to go back by Dulsie Bridge, somewhere we'd never been as it's not the kind of place you pass through on the way to anywhere else. It's not often you drive twice over the old hump-backed bridge you've set off to look at.

Dulsie Bridge
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So which dog won the battle of the peat hags? I'm clearly not in a position to be an impartial judge.... but if honest I know that point blank refusal to give up the bones tips things in favour of the young white terrier.

Very well played Nugget! :thumbup:

Good effort Keira - and you know what issues you need to be working on. :shifty:
Last edited by dogplodder on Tue Jun 29, 2021 9:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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dogplodder
 
Posts: 4238
Munros:242   Corbetts:74
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Re: Black dog versus white dog in the battle of the peat hag

Postby dogplodder » Mon Jun 28, 2021 2:36 pm

By mistake I posted this on Friday before much of it was done, so put it in my personal walks diary until I had time to finish it. I don't know how I did that and blame lockdown brain fog as have been self isolating for the past 9 days with freedom day on Wednesday. So hoping this great weather holds for a while longer! 8)
User avatar
dogplodder
 
Posts: 4238
Munros:242   Corbetts:74
Fionas:25   
Sub 2000:32   Hewitts:4
Wainwrights:9   Islands:24
Joined: Jul 16, 2011

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