Saturday 4 February 2012

Walkies

I couldn't find any dog orientated postcards for this week's Sepia Saturday theme so I'm migrated to this blog, although if it had been beards, as humorously mentioned,  I'd have been quids in because my Victorian family ancestors sported a fine array.
Unlike my father who was always clean shaven. Here he is on a Sunday in May 1970 taking a break by sitting on a cairn above Easdale Tarn with Shandy the dog.  Sunday walks were often taken with his and my mother's friends Chris and Hilda whose pet was Shandy. Even if they did not know what day it was the dog always did for on Sunday mornings at their home he would pull down his lead and sit by the door, patiently waiting but underneath eager to go on the fells.  How did he know which day it was?

I think this photo shows well how this tarn is right in the middle of the Lake District, the hills spread out all around. The walk up to Easdale Tarn  is a popular one from the village of Grasmere, once the home of William Wordsworth, who no doubt also walked this path. It became so popular in Victorian times that there was a refreshment hut on the tarn for thirsty walkers.

This little group of walkers however had done that walk and were on their way to Codale Tarn which rests in a hollow so typical of Lakeland tarns.
      Photo courtesy of Ann Bowker at Mad About Mountains

and is the perfect place to laze by on a hot summers day.  Not by the looks of it on the June day of this photo, the misty peaks are the Langdale Pikes

13 comments:

Wendy said...

Shandy must've been a clever dog! I enjoyed seeing where your parents and their friends walked too.

Christine H. said...

Shandy looks like he may have been an Irish terrier, one of my favorites. What a great scene there with the lake in the background.

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy said...

Hi, I love your photos and story ... dogs just know!

Hope your weekend is great,

Kathy M.

21 Wits said...

How cool, what an amazing place too...and what a great place for a doggie to run about and play!

Bob Scotney said...

With a name like Shandy, I'll bet they visited a pub or two. Good to see the Lake District in an old shot.

Colleen G. Brown Pasquale said...

Shandy had it all: cute & smart! Thanks for sharing.
Colleen
http://leavesnbranches.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

It looks like a nice place to make long walks!

Teresa Wilson Rogers said...

Great photo of your dad with his dog - the scenery is breathtaking!

Little Nell said...

Another lovely little terrier. The Lakes are beautiful; I lived there as a child. The photograph captures it beautifully.

Alan Burnett said...

Lovely dog - and what a photograph. It couldn't be anywhere else other than the Lake District.

Postcardy said...

I think my cats know when it is Sunday because that's when I usually do laundry. Maybe there was something that tipped the dog off that it was Sunday.

Mike Brubaker said...

I've done several walks near Easdale Tarn with borrowed dogs. There is no better way to see the Lake District. Great post.

Jo said...

I wonder how he knew it was Sunday too. Wonderful scenery - I bet they all enjoyed their walks.