Friday 11 April 2008

An evening stroll

On Thursday evenings, I take the kids to their weekly youth club, and then head off with Custard the dog for his evening walk. Thursday walks have become a regular visit to the local golf course, which has a public footpath running slap through the middle of it. Great for the public, undoubtedly irritating for the golfers!



As you can see, the sun was just going down as we got there.

When you reach the other side of the golf course, you have to use an ancient kissing-gate.



Custard likes having his picture taken...

Through the gate, you go along a narrow dirt track. The field to the right usually has horses in it, but it was empty last night.



Lots of exciting sniffs for Custard!

Then you come to something very odd.



This is a tunnel that runs under the by-pass, big (by local standards) 4 lane road. The tunnel is wide enough for cars to pass through!



Graffiti is up to the usual standard for England...



Out the other side...
and back to dirt tracks!


England is a strange place!

17 comments:

Logzie said...

Awe...Custard is so cute in those pictures. He reminds me of Grover...without the white aged face of course!

Just listening to you 'talk' about the walks and the paths makes me want to get out and walk more! We now have a fantastic neighborhood for walking in and since we are in the country...we can also walk along the dirt country roads. Now, if the weather would only cooperate! ...still cold and rainy here...UGH!!

Ali said...

*sigh* It is sooo beautiful there, I can't wait for the rest of the dirty snow here to melt so it's beautiful here too!

terri said...

Kissing gate?

This makes me want to get out and walk too. I ALMOST did yesterday morning but I was too cold! Then yesterday it started raining, then snowing again. Looking out my window now, the rain is back with more snow predicted for later today. Guess I'll have to wait a bit longer.

Logzie said...

Terri-your weather sounds a lot like ours...depressing!

m said...

Beautiful! I think Otis would like to live there - so much wide open space to explore.

What exactly is a kissing-gate?

Rock Chef said...

Logzie - Hope things cheer up for you soon - we have had an afternoon of April Showers, ie sunshine broken up by sudden rainfall!

Ali - Yes, I hope you get nice weather soon - you will need it for going out with Butterbean in the buggy!

Terri - I think Kissing Gates must be uniquely English - the gate hangs on one post and swings back and forward against 2 other posts which are joined by a short metal fence. You push the gate away from you, step in, swing the gate back to block off the way you just came in and walk out the other side - a sort of agricultural airlock! They are slowly vanishing which is a shame, I love them.

Mindy - I am sure Otis would love it, but you might get told off if he dug up the bunkers, or chased the ducks off the ponds! See my answer to Terri for a description of a Kissing Gate.

tz said...

oh hey, thanks for explaining kissing gate...the path thing under the bridge...is funny! and Custard is adorable...and i'm curious, is he named custard because of his clothing or is he not very brave like 'custard the dragon' in the children's story?

Kimberly McKay said...

Such a sweet and beautiful dog! Love all the pictures. One of my best high school buddies is an actor living in the UK....love pictures of anything over there.

Sitting In Silence said...

That is the best name for a dog...I love it....

Great post...was nice taking the walk along that path as well...

Thanks...

Jen said...

England looks beautiful.

Custard is adorable!

kenady said...

Great post! Thanks!

and thanks for your concerned comments on my blog. I am well and am back:)

Chachi said...

Wow you sure have a beautiful country. You must leave more in the country than in the city or are you close to both?
One day I hope to live in the country.
I can't wait til we have more sunshiney days. The grass is beginning to turn green Hurray!

Rock Chef said...

tz - he was called Custard because we wanted something that reflected his colour - brainstorming with the kids came up with Custard. He is generally very friendly with everyone, but is very protective of my wife when they are out together.

wornoutwoman - Yes, Custard is a great dog. I post photos from time to time (if you look at my old posts there is a short tour of Canterbury) so I hope you will return.

Sitting in silence - We thought it was a good name!

Jen - We don't live in a bad part of England, but there are places that are much more beautiful, and much more ugly!

Kenady - great to see you back!

Chachi - we live on the edge of a town of around 35,000 people. It is a short stroll to the fields for dog walking or a slightly longer walk to the beach. I think we are lucky really.

amazingbrenda said...

So did you kiss at the kissing gate? Sounds like a nice stroll.

Gad the weather finally changed here.no more rain & snow. Now the sun is shining & off to my stroll. :)

Rock Chef said...

Amazingbrenda - No, no kissing at the gate. I love Custard, but not in that way! Sudden change of weather here - thunder, lighning and heavy rain right now! It has an hour and a half to stop...

Claire said...

I loved going on the virtual walk - while sitting at my cubicle desk - thanks for sharing it and I have to say I love the name "Custard" too!

Rock Chef said...

Clare - my pleasure.