free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
This year we're twice indebted to Walkhighlands for finding self catering accommodation that suited what we were needing and accepted dogs. At fairly short notice we were looking for a place to take our daughter, son in law and grandkids and were restricted to Easter school holidays which meant nearly everything was booked. Remarkably the week we needed was still available at Lapwing Rise, near Fort William. Next to a working croft with an enclosed garden for the kids and dogs to play and a great view over the canal to the Nevis range, it was perfect inside and out.
View from Lapwing Rise
For anyone interested this is the link
http://www.lapwing-rise.co.uk/We arrived a day before the family so looked for a walk suitable for the dogs. At opposite ends of the age spectrum the length of walk they could cope with was about the same. At nearly 15 Jack was stone deaf with arthritic joints but still loved his walks. At 9 months Keira would have walked as far as you liked but advice is not to over exercise pups to avoid damage to immature joints so we were restricted to an hour max with plenty of stops.
Again I'm indebted to WH for finding this Sub 2000 and the report from Rodmiester in particular. Half an hour's walking up a gradually rising ridge sounded perfect. I even managed to persuade my better half with his dodgy knee to come too.
View from house of Druim na h-Earba which is rounded hill in centre
What makes this hill so accessible is the minor road that conveniently crosses it's north eastern flank, with a parking bay beside a picnic area and seat to take in the view.
Druim na h-Earba from parking bay
Once through the gate it's advisable to keep dogs on lead as there are sheep in the first field to be crossed. This is when the pup discovered she has a taste for sheep poo and I spent the first part of the route weaving her through tempting offerings of same. Why do female dogs do this? We've had 3 black female labs who did and 3 yellow males who didn't. Is it the instinct of the female to clear up from their pups perhaps?
Start of climb
Ben Nevis backdrop
The grassy path leads gently uphill towards a second gate and once through that the dogs could come off lead as there are no sheep. The path continues more steeply ar first then gently up the undulating ridge with views of inner Loch Linnhe and Ben Nevis behind and outer Loch Linnhe ahead. We only came across two muddy patches, easily avoided, but that was following an unusually dry early spring.
Before we knew it we were at the summit from where the views are way out of proportion to the effort involved in getting there.
Druim na h-Earba summit
When we got Keira at 8 weeks she was a typically destructive pup, chewing the furniture and rearranging the garden, but at 9 months she was turning into a responsive, well behaved girl (apart from her liking for sheep poo!). We were proud of her that day and I thought then if I got round to writing a report on this walk it would be to celebrate her first hill.
Well done Keira
Or would it be to celebrate Jack's last? That thought didn't cross my mind as he showed no sign of slowing down that day, but who could know with an old boy of that age?
Well done Jack
We had wondered if it was fair to the old boy to bring a young puppy home - one that adored him and wanted to play when he just wanted to be left in peace. There was many a time he had to put her in her place, but he was also very patient with her and I'm sure she learned so much from him. After reaching the top it was interesting to see the way she wanted to play with him, reminding me of Jack and Tess in their early hillwalking days having similar frolics at the summit - like they knew it was time to celebrate.
Come on, It's time to play!
But the pup knew who was boss and followed him everywhere. It's fascinating to watch the interaction between dogs.
View south to WHW skirting Mullach nan Coirean
Ben Nevis climbed by Jack in 2008
On the descent
Fort William and we could just about make out our holiday house at Banavie
When I reached the gate at the foot of the steep bit, Pete was out of sight. The dogs were with me and after a couple of minutes waiting the old dog climbed back up the hill to look for him. I didn't want him to go as he was probably exhausted but he was determined and kept going until he met Pete coming slowly down the path, due to his painful knee. That was our Jack, determined to the end, and if he'd decided he was doing something, he did it.
Just one month later, on 16th May, we had to say goodbye to Jack. It's always a tough call to make but in the end he went down quite quickly and we knew the time had come. He went with dignity, wagging his tail to everyone at the vet's, just as he always did. It was a day I've dreaded for years.
He came in a crate from Ireland to be picked up by my friend Kathryn and taken to LRNW. He was 9 months old. We saw his photo on the website and told ourselves we couldn't drive from Inverness to Chorley and back in one day. So on 5th May 2005, the day of the General Election, we went down for him, a 15 hour round trip.
He was a lovable hooligan and it took a lot of work to curb his strong prey drive enough to take him on the hills. But we got there and he turned into a great hill dog with 75 Munros and many lower hills under his belt. There are so many memories - too many for here - but I've picked out ten photos that bring back hill days as fresh as if they were yesterday.
One of his earliest Munros - Meall na Teanga
The day he did a U turn to the whistle when racing towards campers cooking sausages!
Beinn a' Chlachair
When he and Tess did a sponsored climb of Ben Nevis.
Ben Nevis
Jack looked like he enjoyed views - but more likely he was looking for birds or deer he wouldn't be allowed to chase.
Beinn Dearg
A natural poser on any suitable rock - this one with view of Loch Carron on way up Sgorr Ruadh.
Sgorr Ruadh
He and Tess had such fun this day racing around in the snow.
Mullach Clach a' Bhlair
A gorgeous day on the Easains when he led the way. Even when the path wasn't clear he knew the way to go - following the scent of other walkers.
Stob Coire Easain
When Moira was having issues with her ankle and Jack stayed close at the tricky bits, as if he knew. He had an intuitive sense of when things were difficult and stayed close, like coming down the steep part by the wall on Beinn Dearg. I could never work out if it was for our benefit or his.
Beinn a' Chochuill
The first time I walked solo with the dogs and got this view into Fisherfield. They were such good companions.
Beinn Airigh Charr
Jack's last Munro day was in 2013 when we did the Affric trio with Liz and Roger and he was so tired at the end I realised it had been too long a walk for a dog of his age. After that we stuck to shorter days which he managed fine. Two of his last Corbetts were Meall Dubh and Beinn Loinne.
Meall Dubh
It wasn't only on the hills he shone. He also had a calmness around children that enabled even the most nervous to approach him and want to hold his lead.
I don't think we'll see his like again. He was one in a million.
