Project 52: Week 31 - Calvary Pond

This week I didn't get to take quite so many photos as we've been trying out a new lead for Tara. She really hates her Halti and since it has helped to get her walking normally on the lead we took the recommendation of someone who suggested we get her a police-style dog training lead. There's been an explosion of these leads on the island because of someone coming to do dog training who recommends them for teaching dogs to walk to heel.

It is good for Mr Click, but not quite adjustable enough to get to the right length for me (I'm a foot shorter than he is so I don't need a full 48" lead, but the 20-something length is too short). I've taken to wearing it at its longest, fastened around my waist, and holding onto the little handle at the end to bring Tara to heel. I think we're getting there slowly, but it doesn't half hurt my hands!

The plus side to this lead is that with it clipped around my middle I have my hands free, though the downside is that when Tara spots something and takes off suddenly I'm nearly sliced in half as it tightens unexpectedly! This, in theory, means it's slightly better for taking photos while we're out and about. I decided to test this theory during our walk this morning to Calvary Pond.

When we first moved in this was one of my favourite walks to do. You walk along the main road and then slip over this little bridge and go down a little (slightly muddy) slope where you can then turn either left and go through the Wee Garden or right to head up to the Calvary Pond. It always makes me think of something out of Harry Potter.

We hadn't done this walk for ages after getting Tara because we weren't sure if dogs were allowed that way, but once we got the map of allowed walks it was the first one that we had to try. Tara loves it, there's so many things for her to sniff out; all sorts of interesting plants as well as pheasant and deer smells as well.

There's a track which leads up to the pond itself, which is quite large for a pond. It's all surrounded by trees and plants and I think it'd be a lovely place to go and visit with a good book. It's so peaceful and quiet. Whenever I read The Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter I can help but want to escape up there.

 

I didn't get quite as many photos as I would have liked because a lot came out all blurry. Mainly because I had an excitable Labrador around my middle trying to go in half a dozen different directions, leading to a fair bit of movement when I was trying to hit the button to capture an image. That added to the fact that it was dark at the time under the trees, which tends to make things blur very easily, just didn't help at all.

They didn't turn out too badly for all that anyway. And next week I'm planning another walk, perhaps along the front to take some photos there. Hopefully by then I'll either have got the hang of this new lead, or will be able to convince Mr Click to take her instead so I can get a few more, less wobbly, photos!