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Retired Dog (Fly) was getting a bit fed up of not going out on adventures, not helped by the fact that the closest walk to us where she can be off-lead is not accessible at the moment, so today I decided we'd have a Fly Day. First choice was heading up to the Caterthuns. It is local to us and it is like going up to the hills without actually having to do any hard walking and has the reassurance that you're never more than a mile from the car, so if Fly does start struggling were not faced with a long trek back (it is also all downhill to the car, so even easier!). Oh, and the dogs can be free to run around as they please (out of tick season anyway!).
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- Fly the retired dog
There was only one other car parked up there when we arrived so it was nice and quiet up there, we did come across the guy and his dogs as we were heading up and saw another person with at least four dogs in the distance but that was it. We headed up the White Caterthun first, it says in the route description about crossing stiles but these have been replaced by nice gates ages ago. It is an easy path to follow up to the stone ramparts and there is a path through the middle of the fort. There is also the option of walking around on the stony ramparts, but this was too hard going for Fly so we stuck to the muddy middle path.
The dogs got to play around in the fort running about and rolling in the mud (just as well I'm not house-proud!). I'd seen a couple of buzzards hanging around the summit on the way up, but of course when I got up there they were nowhere to be seen!
We started heading back down, Fly was running well ahead so I thought that could be our walk done but once back at the start she pulled across the road to go up the Brown Caterthun, so up we went. I got a little way up and realised I was still carrying poop bags when there was a bin at the parking area, so turned around and left the dogs on the other side of the gate to go pop them in the bin (sadly, a lot of other dog walkers don't bother to pick up after their dogs up there, which is a downside to this walk!).
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- Come back!
The route up to the Brown Caterthun is very, very muddy so there was lots of hopping (for me anyway, the dogs just ran right through) between more solid patches to avoid the worst bits. As I said earlier, it really is just as well I'm not house-proud!
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- Moss does not care about ending up in the mud whatsoever...
As with the White Caterthun, the dogs were free to run around and splash through water/mud as much as they liked. The mud isn't the easiest going for Fly but she was off-lead and I knew if she needed to turn back she knew where the car was and would just turn and head back if she'd had enough. There are some nice enough views from up there eastwards to the coast and in the north and west a few hills tipped with snow.
Sometimes it can be a good spot for wildlife up here, a few years ago I even saw a hen harrier patrolling the moorland, but today it was quiet with the exception of a few roe deer that fled the scene well before we were anywhere near them. Still, it was a nice walk and once at the top it was time to head back down through the mud again!
Fly has a ramp that she sometimes uses to get in and out of the car, though I try to avoid letting her end up needing to use it as it means she has overdone it and can end up in quite a bit of pain. At the car she waited for me to put out the ramp...and then just jumped in without using the ramp! So a good run around for her that hasn't left her feeling too worse for wear, surprising as we were out for around 80 minutes or so of them getting to run around as they pleased!
