Linhouse Glen

The first adventure of 2024 is done! That's not to say I haven't been busy - yesterday was a non-dog-friendly trip to the Irn Bru Carnival which was a blast, but left me both exhausted and too full of sugar.

So what to do when you have a day to yourself, you're tired but restlessly full of sugar and low key anxiety? Go for a two hour walk to see what you can find. 

Which is how I ended up at Linhouse Glen with Missy. We have previously explored this Scottish Nature Reserve, but it was a fleeting visit against the oncoming dark, so it was nice to have the morning to freely roam with the only threat bimeing the potential loss of a welly in the mud. 

Missy enjoyed herself too - between busy working schedules, the ongoing battle of the early nights and general life ad nauseum, she's been getting the park walk twice a day every day. It's a good walk, and most consider us very lucky to have it on our doorstep, but even I was getting bored of the same circle (hubby and I go in different directions, so one walk is clockwise and the other anti clockwise, to try and bring some variety to the day for Missy). 

Despite the cold, it was a pleasant walk. No sensible creature is awake from hibernation yet, so Missy trotted from tree to tree and sniffed to her hearts content. I also had a moment of childhood joy as a train passed us at the crossing point - it carried freight, and there's something thrilling about such a machine blasting past you in close proximity. 

If course we were very safe, and Missy was securely on her lead as we crossed. Although there was a moment of hilarity when, instead of going under the style to get to the path, Missy nimbly hopped onto the step, turned and sat down primly. 

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Guys. It's finally happened. The dog is now asking for her photo to be taken! I'm sure no one would belive me, but I managed to catch it on film as I was gathering footage for a tiktok. 

I am proud to say though that she has a good eye! :

Linhouse Glen

This weekend was officially our first adventure of the year - a new place has been found! Well, not really a new place, more an appendix to an existing place. 

We've enjoyed the Linhouse Circular for many years and, every time we pass the sign above, we look at the swamp it seems to be sinking into and decide, perhaps another day. Today was that day - spurred partly by the fact that I had listed the Linhouse Glen earlier this week on Dog Furiendly. Once the listing is live, I'll write a review: wellies definitely recommended.

After wading past the sign, you reach a little railway crossing. Its not quite as magical as the wardrobe from Narnia, but the effect is just the same, for once you (taking your time and safely, with dog on lead) Cross said railway line, you have left the boggy woodlands and are upon the glen:

The thin line of trees give way to meadow overlooking a steep embankment to a river, and the walking is easy going and very pleasant. With todays high of 7C,and the bright morning sun, I could have been fooled into thinking spring had arrived.

Indeed, once we got home, I've realised my daffodils are begining to sprout, as is my rhubarb. I sternly told the rhubarb to go back to sleep and then from there the days has dissolved into one of those pottering odd-job days. The big DIY is done, but there's some snags I'm fixing up, so it's been painting skirting today for me while hubby finally managed to get the carpet cut offs out to the tip. 

Yesterday we had the eldest neice round with my mother, and we all had lunch together before my neice got her overdue birthday gifts. She's really taken to jewellery making so I was pleased that the plier set and findings went down well (my sister supplimented the gift with gemstone beads which I suspect may last until the middle of next week at best, going by the speed neice is making bracelets!) 

And that's been the weekend. Busy, but quiet, certainly slower paced that recent weeks, which we've definitely needed! Fingers and paws crossed the weather holds and we can keep adventuring - we have some grand plans in the works for this year which I'm quite excited about.

Till next time! 

An Early Spring Trek

So, the weather had made a full about turn from our snowy valentines last week. It ramped up to 10C and rained non stop most of this week, getting rid of any hint of snow. The warm turn, and probably all the rain, have set off the snowdrops who are all showing thier little white lined caps with the promise of thier full flowers in a few days to come. My rhubarb has also started growing, so my mind has turned to the garden and my plans for the planters this year. Carrots, I suspect, will be a much demanded choice.

Yesterday was one of those days where I got the house turned around to it's spring colours - the winter themed quilt has been swapped with Peter Rabbit and the thick fleece throws have been exchanged for a lighter place to snuggle up in. 

Missy is also putting on her springwear and, in the last few days, has begun to cast terribly. Despite the bed hair, she's doing well and we seem safely past the ailments of the cold winter. 

Today the rain stopped. The first laundry to be dried outside made its appearance and it was definitely the kind of morning that required an adventure. But where? We've done almost every woodland in West Lothian and are still not allowed to sneak into neighbouring areas. Then I recalled that the dog walker had posted online previously that West Lothian had a single beach. The hubby dismissed this as the scrubby rocky bit at Blackness Castle and I was adamant that whilst, OK, that was in West Lothian, but there was apparently an actual beach. I trawled for that post online and found the name of the place.

Abercorn, right beside North Deer Wood and, lo and behold, coastline. So we packed the kites and some snacks and made our way there. We were immediately within a lovely woodland walk and played pooh sticks on the bridge. A little further and we could see the promised beach before us. It was onf the pebbly sort, but that was fine so long as we could fly the kites a little. So we let Missy leas the way out of the trees and to a spectacular view of Blackness Castle, just a little further down the coast. 

We agreed to a draw. 

It was too still to fly the kites so, after getting our wellies wet, we continued along the woodland path and spotted a sign stating the way we had come was half a mile back, and Blackness was 2 more ahead. 

Why not. 

It was a busy little path with other dog walkers, cyclists and joggers and very soon, after much exchanging of pleasantries, it actually started to feel like a normal day, pre covid. Spirits lifted, we were soon at the castle (which we both decided we had to go and physically poke to say we'd actually been to the castle). We had our picnic, found a strong enough breeze to get the kite flying and all was well again in the world. 

Whilst the kite got many compliments from passers by, Missy was soon bored and we decided to head back and complete the 5mile circular. 

Once home, we got on with the garden jobs that have been neglected and Missy only stirred from the sofa to insist it was dinner time now. 

A very pleasant end to the week. 

I did manage to find some time to get on the sewing machine and I'm very pleased with this upcycle. What was once hubby's very nice quality chinos (which now make him look like he's wearing a paper bag as he's lost so much weight) have now been given a second chance as some dungarees for my nephew. Hopefully he'll wear them more than my hubby did!

Dreich or Drookit? That is the Question...

Dreich. Drookit. And the best fitting word of all; Smirr. That wretched, hazy, mist of a rain that's like being trapped in a cloud and slowly but surely seeps into the bones. That is exactly the kind of weekend we've had in the Lothians. A plowetery kinda weekend.

Still, we did get plenty of walking in, but nothing particularly grand. Missy dislikes this grim weather as her undercoat gets damp and then she's a bit cold and soggy for the rest of the day, so shes been reluctant to go out. Cuddles on the sofa was most certainly the way she wanted to spend the weekend, not trudging through mud wondering just when we had signed up as extras to a Silent Hill movie...

Missys preffered habitat, cuddles under the blanket

Still, its been a good opportunity to get on with some sewing - not one, but two big projects out the way this weekend:

A new quilt for Missy made with the leftovers of the king size quilt I made for myself (rather pleased about that!) and a backpack for myself. Its my first attempt at a back pack and I'm very pleased with it - one or two things I would do differently next time (a stiffer fabric for the lining being one) but still super happy. Expect to see more in the future!

We did manage to have fun this weekend too - the hubby and I had planned road testing my new picnic hamper and decided that, since there was no point in shivering around a castle pretending to have a nice day, we'd just have the picnic indoors. Bring spring and summer to us, as it were! 

On went the lazy summer tunes playlist and we popped open a bottle of cloudy lemonade before enjoying our sandwiches and sticky buns. Missy did us proud by not trying to eat up all this food that technically was on the floor and patiently waited for us to pass her bits. She did have her own goodies in there, but they didn't last long!

Perhaps next weekend will fare better.

Looking for Ghosts in Dechmont

Well, the weather is finally improving and of course Missy has injured herself! The vet is fairly certain that her kneecap has become mobile and as it locks out of place, causes her to limp - not painful but a bit uncomfortable. So, its anti-inflammatory's and lead walks for the next two weeks and she has already become rather unimpressed at the situation.

Bearing in mind the vets advice, the hubby and I decided to do some exploring of the more local area which should provide Missy with some new sights and smells and not be quite as boring. Her need to annihilate the local squirrel population will have to be put on hold.

Missy in front of the main building

Dechmont Law is locally the highest natural area and as such has lots of dog walking and fields and that was Saturdays morning outing. When looking into the area, we discovered that we had an abandoned insane asylum literally around the corner, so of course we armed ourselves up with all our Lovecraft quotes and went out to see if Missy could find us a ghost!

Bangour Village Hospital has had an interesting life - originally built as an asylum, it was commandeered in both wars as a military hospital and then returned back to its original purpose before being abandoned in the '90s and the last of the buildings went out of use in '04. It is a vast area of land that has now been commandeered by the local dog walkers and occasionally visited by vandals (hence all the security fences).

We did our best to stick to the no trespassing rules, but did poke our heads through some of the rotten and damaged doors and walls. I had expected an air of quiet restlessness, some sensation of a presence to coincide with the history of the place, but with the song birds enjoying the first real flutter of spring and the bunnies scurrying under the rhododendrons, there was only an element of sadness that such beautiful buildings had been left to rot.

The area has been proposed for redevelopment, so I'm not sure how much longer the hospital will be in the area.

We finished the walk and Missy was rather pleased with herself - after getting tied up beyond all hope amongst brambles, she dashed off the moment she was unclipped to the rhododendrons and attempted to reduce the rabbit population.

Although, with a smile like this, I cant be cross with her!

Blackness Castle

Its another one for the Scottish Heritage pass! Desperately trying to make sure we get our moneys worth out of these...

So, Blackness Castle - the boat that never floated....

Seriously, from the pier it looks like a ship - its the strangest little castle you can imagine! And of course its dog friendly, so Missy has been continuing with her history lessons. This one boasts a prison tower, a great hall, a large courtyard and even allows you to walk around most of the curtain wall. We bumped into lots of other pooches who were enjoying their lessons as well, so it seems a local favourite for a nice afternoon.

This was a good castle for the dog as, despite the winding staircases (she's just about mastered them now without towing one of us to out imminent deaths) it was really quite open, and the grounds included a nice stroll along the beach which had plenty of rabbits in the long grass for shaking off any history-induced-cobwebs.

Missy is admiring her kingdom

In addition to trawling the local area for castles and other unusual and fun places to take the dog, I've been getting on with a lot of sewing projects. Whilst I enjoy dressing Missy up in silly hats and coats, the hubby prefers a more practical look for the dog (Missy, her wagging tail reliably informs me that she really doesn't care, so long as there is treats at the end of it all!) And so I present to you all (courtesy of Simplicty Pattern 1578) a doggy bathrobe! Perfect for little doggies like mine who absolutely hate being dried down (really, the way she acts when you try to dry her paws would have you thinking you were wielding a rusty saw at the dog!)

I also do sewing for humans too - mostly little ones like my nieces and nephew, but sometimes I do manage to make something a bit more grown up sized. I might do a wee post sometime soon with a wee sewing round up, but until then, cheerio!

Cairnpapple

Long time no type, and my apologies for that.

I've been a bit lost as to the general direction I want to take this blog, and think a less formal approach is perhaps more needed, as well as something that encompasses a bit more of my general life. So, here's to another try!

For our birthdays the hubby and I got Historic Scotland passes and we were pleased to realise that a lot of the sites allow dogs. The general rule of thumb seems to be that if there is no roof, then the dogs welcome, which is great news for Missy!

We decided to christen the passes with what is technically the nearest site to us - Cairnpapple. Its basically one of the highest natural hills in the area and was used as a ritual site by various peoples in time. Originally hosting a henge (of the wooden sort, although the size of the holes that supported the timbers are huge, so it would still have been impressive in its day) it was then used as bronze age burial mound and then again in the early Christian age.

We all really enjoyed the site, the hubby won himself a sticker filling in the kids quiz (on Missys behalf, of course!) and I managed to get a few nice photos. I'm hoping for a really crisp clear day soon, the view is terrific and would love to get some more photos of it.

In other news, I've been playing about with the up-cycling trend (good for both the environment and the pocket!). Missy is unsure of wether she approves of this!

Beecraigs Country Park

Place Name: Beecraigs Country Park

Location: Near Linlithgow, Scotland

Cost: Free

Parking: Plenty, and free to use

Walking distance: Variable, see map: http://www.westlothian.gov.uk/media/1344/Beecraigs-Country-Park---Map-2015/pdf/BeecraigsParkMap-2015.pdf

Restrictions: Dogs are not allowed into the visitors centre or in the play park. Must be on leads when walking through the caravan site and the animal attraction.

Refreshments: Restaurant is currently closed (April 2015) but drinks and snacks can be purchased from the visitors centre.

Website:  http://www.westlothian.gov.uk/beecraigs

For Easter this year we decided to celebrate the sunny weather with a walk around Beecraigs Country Park. This is our go to walk at weekends when the weather is kind (Missy is thankfully the sort of dog who dislikes torrential rain and sleet just as much as we do) and seemed a good place to start with this blog – please feel free to suggest layout changes, or let me know what sort of information would be useful.

Beecraigs is certainly one of the most family orientated forested areas locally to us. With plenty of activities on throughout the year, generous amounts of hidden geocaches, a massive play park and plenty of open woodland, there is something for everyone. Onsite there is also an ‘animal attraction’ which houses deer, belted Galloway cattle and of course some highland cows. There are also barbeque pits which are apparently bookable through the website – a ban is in place for unauthorised bbqs. Fishing and rowing is available on the lake.

Joggers, cyclists and the occasional horse rider can usually be spotted, so if your four legged friend is prone to chasing, it’s best to keep them on the lead or stay off the main paths. Also on the chasing note, there are deer, rabbits and squirrels aplenty, so be prepared to shout and holler for dog (Missys favourite past time).

For dogs who enjoy a paddle, there is a small lake although it is worth keeping an eye out for people fishing – Missy has a general distrust of water deeper than ankle height, so is not something I’ve had to pay attention to!

With it being Easter, the Visitors Centre had put on an Easter challenge whereby there were twelve questions dotted around the main ‘loop’ of the park – a sheet to put down your results and to try and match the visual clues could be picked up from the visitors centre and the answers were also located on the information board inside. Between us we managed to get all twelve right, but some of them were very challenging questions!

Overall rating: 4/5 – a good day for everyone, although it can be very muddy and certain areas very exposed to the elements, so sensible footwear and clothing is recommended.