Coed y Brenin - MinorTaur

I’m doing a lot more running with the mountain bike now, I get really excited when my humans are ready to set off and bark loudly until they get going.  My humans tell me that they cycle slowly to ensure they are not going to fast for a terrier.  Well I think that’s just an excuse they make because they are not a as fit as a young terrier.   On Monday there was a dreadful weather forecast but over at Coed y Brenin there was blue sky and no rain or wind, hooray.  

We followed a trail called MinorTaur, I’ve done some of it before so this time we added the new single track loops into the run, it was really good fun and not at all difficult for me to keep up with the bike.  It is an interesting area where there used to be gold mines and apparently even a ‘Gold Rush’ in 1870.

Our MinorTaur route.

Wags and woofs from the trail hound,

Dexter.

Bryniau Clwyd / Clwydian Range

 What started off as a dull and overcast day in the lowlands turned into a brilliant sunny day on the hills. The run was one that I’ve done before so I knew it would be a mixture of forest trails, muddy tracks and paths on the hills. It’s a great warm-up through the forest with a climb immediately at the start, the track though the forest gives the first glimpse of Moel Famau after 2 km but it’s another 9 km and a few hundred metres of climbing before I get to put my paws on the summit.

Moel Famau from the east.

Once out of the forest there is a stream to cross, wet paws for the first time on the route, then along an ancient track to another stream crossing and the first really muddy bit.

I could see some cloud but mostly it was really sunny with no wind. The route then curves round Ffrith mountain then along the track to some reservoirs then starts a gentle climb to the ridge of Moel Dywyll. 

Very still and calm, the route goes to the lowest part of the ridge on the left of the picture.

Once on the ridge, after an easy scamper up the hill (easy for me but my human seemed to be a bit out of breath) there was an extensive view over the Clwyd valley.  

Here I am, enjoying some winter sunshine.

The run along the ridge was tough as you can see from the photo but the weather and views made it worthwhile. 

The final ridge climb

Once at the top of Moel Famau it was a really easy run back through the forest to Bwylch Penbarra and down to the lower car park. The run was part of my training for the Sea-to-Summit Offa’s Dyke half-marathon in April.

Wags and woofs,

Dexter .

A cracking scamper in the forest

Today was a lovely clear and cold day so I headed off to Delamere with my two humans. I was puzzled when we were getting ready to go because the humans had one bike and one pair of running shoes, so what was going to happen?  It all became clear when we arrived, one human was on a bike and the other was running and, of course, I was running too.  

Well it was awesome, the humans kept quite close together but whichever one went faster I was able to run with.  Sometimes they got too far apart so I ran back to the slow one and told them to hurry up (they probably thought I was just barking).  The sun was shining ...

... and there were plenty of gloopy bits for me to splodge in although quite a lot of the puddles were frozen.  

I ran about 14 km and loved it, I heard them saying we would all go out and do the same again soon.

Forest lake - Blakemere Moss

Woofs and wags,

Trail hound Dexter.

Favourite moments 2019.

I did so many different things in 2019 that I decided just to post some photographs of some of the highlights, there is so much excitement in a young terriers life that it is hard to remember everything so my human had to help me with this.

Mountain biking with my humans in Delamere Forest, Coed-y-Brenin and Llywbr Mawddach

And then to the pub!

Winning second in the Working Dog breed  and third Pedigree at the Llan Festiniog dog show, whay look at me!

So much of a star that I had a road named after me...

I've added some pictures from my favourite runs and walks 

Delamere - Old Pale

Woodhouses - Sandstone Trail

Woodhouses - Sandstone Trail

 

All the below are on my running routes in Penllyn, around Llyn Tegid 

Sometimes I do have a chance to pause and have a look at the view, this is near Llyn Tegid.

Canix running in December was a success with huge a mounts of gloopy mud, I've done a few Park Runs with my human and I've got some more racing planned for 2020.

There are times when I have to ensure I am smartly dressed:

So here I am ready to welcome in the New Year.

Happy New Year / Blwyddyn Newydd Dda 

With a waggy tail into 2020,

Dexter 

 

Yorkshire ,Cumbria and Lancashire in the sun

In April I went to Yorkshire for a few days and had some great runs and walks with my human and the little humans.  

The weather was cold (for humans), perfect for me !  An early morning run on a disused railway track was the ideal way to start the day.  I did lots of walking close to rivers and waterfalls on my little holiday, I was never tempted to jump in as I don't really like swimming unless I have to.

These pictures were taken on the Northern Viaduct Trail,near Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria.

This is the River Ure at the Aysgarth Falls.

This walk was followed by a call to the tearooms where I was made very welcome, I watched my humans scoff lovely cakes.

The same day I did even more walking, from Ingleton along the River Twiss and the River Doe, the pictures below really sum up how fantastic it was.

The watery theme continued the next day with a trip to Arnside where the River Kent broadens out into Morecombe Bay.

Lots and lots of wags and woofs,

Dexter.