29th June to 8th July 2010 - Our Road Trip Holiday!

Radar & me have just got back from my very first proper holiday...whoopee...did we have fun...oh yes!!

Tuesday, 29th June

We left home just after lunchtime bones (!!)...you should have seen all the stuff that was packed into the car...luckily there was plenty of room for Radar n me in the back but I think Mum & Dad were a bit squashed up!

First we went to Cirencester to see Grandma Iris...I gave her loads of big cuddles & licks which she seemed to like!! Mum took us for a walk in the old Abbey grounds - we had great fun racing round the lake tho Radar n me got a bit scared when some swans hissed at us!!

Abbey grounds in Cirencester

After we'd had our dinner, we headed off to a town called Bewdley. We arrived there at about 7 o'clock in the evening...just in time to go & see some friends of Mum & Dad's called Geoff & Jenny - they live in this really cool house right by the river. After we'd had some more plays (including Radar escaping onto the cricket pitch behind the house...luckily no one was playing cricket!), drinks n stuff Dad said it was time to sort things out before bed. I thought we were going to sleep in the house but oh no...we were in for a brand new experience!! Dad drove us to a place called a "camp site"...I was really confused coz I couldn't see any houses or beds anywhere! Mum & Dad then put this thing called a "tent" up...it was a bit like my crate at home except that it had soft sides!!! It had one little room that we slept in together...very cosy...I snuggled up to Dad for most of the night!!!

Our crate for the night!!

Wednesday, 30th June

In the morning, after we'd had breakfast, it was back in the car again to go to more new places. This time we went to visit a friend called Nigel & his very pretty Collie/Jack Russell cross girly called Poppy. They live in an old farmhouse about 10 minutes drive from a town called Kendal, on the southern edge of the Lake District. The farm is actually in the middle of nowhere which meant Radar & me got to have some great walks on the Fells. Here's a few pictures so you get the idea of where we were:

Haygarth Farm

Radar looking very hot during one of our walks!! His tongue's almost as long as my tail!!

Here we are with Mum walking down the "road" towards the farm

Pretty isn't it?!

Not another house in sight!!

My handsome bruv standing in one of the meadows!!

We woz really lucky coz we got to stay the night at the farm but because Nigel is having to do loads of work on all the buildings there was nowhere for us to sleep in the main house so...guess what...we slept in a funny little shed called a "bothy"...here's a picture of it:

We had a really great time with Nigel & Poppy...here's a video of us dogs playing together. I think Mum thought I was getting a bit too amorous with Poppy (whoops...sorry...so rude!) but she was so nice & smelt yummy!!!

Thursday, 1st July

After breakfast we headed north once again...this time towards Scotland &, in particular, Edinburgh. We stayed with a friend of Mum & Dad's called Kathy...she's got this cute little boy called Lewis who we both loved playing with. Kathy lives really near a brilliant park called Holyrood Park...it's ENORMOUS so we were able to have some really great walks there. Here are a couple of photos of the park:

Friday, 2nd July

Today was really lovely & warm so Dad, Mum, Kathy, Lewis, Radar & me all went to a really big beach called Gullane, on the Firth of Forth.

Gullane Bay

I bet you can't guess what Radar & me did on the beach...yup, you're right...we did loads of swimming & digging...just for a change!! Here's a Smilebox with just some of our photos:

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Saturday, 3rd July

Mum & Dad went to something called a wedding today but we weren't allowed to go (SO unfair!!) so, instead, we spent the day with Kathy & Lewis...they took us for some great walks in Holyrood Park & spoilt us loads by giving us some yummy treats & chicken wings.

Sunday, 4th July

In the morning Mum & Dad took us for a walk to Arthur's Seat which is in the middle of Holyrood Park - Mum was a bit concerned that the walk would be too much for me coz I'm only little...she didn't have to worry..I managed no problem!! Here's a picture of Arthur's Seat followed by a bit of information about it that you might find interesting reading!!

"Arthur's Seat is the main peak of the group of hills which form most of Holyrood Park, a wild piece of highland landscape in the centre of the city of Edinburgh, about a mile to the east of Edinburgh Castle. The hill rises above the city to a height of 251 m (823 ft), provides excellent panoramic views of the city, is quite easy to climb, and is a popular walk. Though it can be climbed from almost any direction, the easiest and simplest ascent is from the East, where a grassy slope rises above Dunsapie Loch.

Like the castle rock on which Edinburgh Castle is built, it was formed by an extinct volcano system of Carboniferous age (approximately 350 million years old), which was eroded by a glacier moving from west to east during the Quaternary (approximately the last two million years), exposing rocky crags to the west and leaving a tail of material swept to the east.[2] This is how the Salisbury Crags formed and became basalt cliffs between Arthur's Seat and the city centre. From some angles, Arthur's Seat resembles a lion couchant. Two of the several extinct vents make up the 'Lion's Head' and the 'Lion's Haunch'."

Monday, 5th July

Today we left Edinburgh & started our journey home but our holiday was definitely not over as we had a few more stops to make! Before we left though, Radar & me had a bit of quality time playing with Lewis...he's such a cute hooman!!

Radar enjoying a story!

Here's me listening to Lewis talking about his tiger!

Ah...so cute! Radar looks like he wants to give Lewis a morning lick...or it might be the marmite on the front of his pj's that attracts him!!

After we left Edinburgh we headed south to a place called Penrith in the Lake District. This time we were staying with Uncle Mike & Aunty Jayne (friends that Mum & Dad had met skiing) & their Springer called Milo. As soon as we arrived Mike took us out for a walk at a place called Beacon Hill...it was a great walk through woods & undergrowth...loads of new sniffs to smell!

Tuesday, 6th July

Today was very special coz, guess what, Radar & me did our first "Wainwright Walk"...you impressed yet?!

Uncle Mike (Aunty Jane had to go to work...boo, hoo) took Mum, Dad, Milo, Radar & me to walk "Latrigg" which is 1203' (about 367 metres) high & is near a very pretty town called Keswick. We basically walked to Keswick & back - on the way to Keswick we walked up to the top of Latrigg & on the way back (having had some lunch in Keswick) we walked along the disused railway next to the River Greta...which, of course, we got to swim in! Once again, Mum was a bit worried that the walk would be too much for me...she didn't need to worry...I managed really well & didn't have to do too much climbing! Here's a few things that Alfred Wainwright said about Latrigg that Mum particularly likes & thinks are appropriate:

"Latrigg: a small hill, an excellent viewpoint, a great favourite of local folk and visitors. Latrigg is pastoral and parkland in character, not rough fell, and the summit is the easiest of promenades, so that this is not a climb calling for old clothes and heavy boots: 'Sunday best' is quite appropriate dress."

"The River Greta flows along the southern base, occupying a wooded gorge of outstanding scenic beauty, appreciated best from the disused railway from Keswick to Threlkeld."

"The top of Latrigg is a grand place, especially for fellwalkers on the retired list: here they can recline for hours, recalling joyful days when they had energy enough to climb to the tops of all the mountains in view."

Here's a Smilebox with some of the pictures Dad took:

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Wednesday, 7th July

We stayed last night with Uncle Mike & Aunty Jane again but in the morning we had to say goodbye & head south again...I was very sad coz I really liked the Lake District...I'll have to try to persuade Dad to take us there again one day...I want to walk some more Wainwrights!!!!

We planned to stay at the camp site in Bewdley again tonight but we still had time to pop in to say "hi" to Nigel & have a quick play with Poppy on the way. Here's some photos of Poppy & me:

Isn't Poppy is pretty girl?!

Oh come on Pops...please, please play with me!!

Ok Poppy, you hide & I'll try to find you!!

After leaving Nigel & Poppy's place we drove (well Dad drove actually!!) to Bewdley & to the camp site where Mum & Dad set up the tent again for the night. Before bed, we went to see Geoff & Jenny again. Radar & me had a really good night's sleep in the tent...Radar decided he was going to put his duvet right next to Mum...I then cuddled up on top of Radar...I like this tent sleeping stuff!!!!

8th July 2010

In the morning, Dad took Radar & me for a walk next to the river...Mum stayed at the camp site so she could catch up with some sleep...apparently Radar & me kept her awake last night with our snoring!!!!

Then, after lunch, we set off again & I got the BIGGEST BESTEST surprise ever...you'll never guess where we went! We went to see my doggie Dad (Digby) & my hooman Granny Lynn & Grandad Roy...I was so excited to see them!! Granny Lynn wanted me to practice "standing" ready for the shows Mum's entered me for...I wasn't too keen as I'd been in the car for ages but I did manage to stand still long enough for Mum to take one reasonable photo of me!!! Here's a Smilebox of the pictures...plus there's a few of Dad & me getting to know each other!!

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At this stage I just want to apologise for my big bruv's behaviour while we were seeing Granny & Grandad...do you want to know what happened...I bet you do!! Granny Lynn breeds chickens & ducks...they walk round the garden all the time quite happily coz Granny's 4 vizzies are used to them - can you see where this is going...bet you can?!

Well...Radar was walking round the garden & met Granny's PRIZE cockerel...he followed him around for a bit & then decided he wanted to play...oh dear...not a good idea! Radar grabbed the cockerel by the tail feathers and.............the cockerel ran away leaving Radar with a mouth full of feathers. Luckily the cockerel was ok but Mum was mortified...I thought she was going to cry as she was REALLY embarrassed!!!! I think/hope Granny Lynn has forgiven her & Radar!

Well back to our holiday stuff...after we left Granny & Grandad we went to Cirencester to see Grandma Iris again...more licks for her!! Then it was home to Bournemouth - Radar & me were pretty sad that it was the end of our brilliant holiday but it was REALLY good to be home again.

Thanks Dad & Mum for a great time!