Hunstanworth Hobble in which Lucky leaves me for another woman

Hunstanworth Hobble is the rather silly title I gave to this ten mile Durham County Council guided walk. This was probably the third time we’d done this walk.

Me and Lucky did the reccy last Wednesday in cold, grey autumnal conditions on a day when the seeking wind couldn’t be arsed going around a body but preferred to go straight through.

It was so cold, in fact, that I used the group shelter for the lunch. Lucky demonstrated his usual behaviour when encountering something new – he tried to run away. But once inside the tropical confines of the Big Orange Kennel and fortified with a couple of Bonio biscuits, he soon settled in, enough to doze off for a while.

I saw no-one else on the reccy. Nobody at all. Not even a car on the road to Rookhope.

25 people turned up the the actual walk today, including  stewards Compulsory Dave/David, his partner Ruth and Sheila.

Lucky is not allowed to accompany me on County walks when I’m leading or stewarding and so, acting on an email from Jo, he went with her.

Apparently, he behaved himself reasonably well apart from a little barking and growling competition with two terrier-type dogs (they started it!) – handbags at dawn, in fact. He seemed Ok with it, but was quite stressed on the way home. He has offers for future dog-leading interventions on County walks, which is good, and, maybe he’ll get used to it. And its much better than staying at home watching Mrs Pieman knitting, so he’s lucky. No, I mean he’s Lucky…

We followed the walk with his weekly visit to Crook Dog Club during which an hour of fairly intensive training takes place. His one brief spell of growly stuff  with a fellow student was dealt with by a tiny splash of water on the nose. Her really hates this and hides under a chair but is soon brought back to smiley/waggy dog when a new task starts.

As for the walk- we had sunny weather, which was almost warm at one point, but by three o’clock it started getting quite cold. We’re on the edge of winter, it seems.

The walk is ten miles

Lucky says thanks to Aunty Jo…