Life's a Bitch by Stitch

'Come on,' I barked.  'Let's go before the gulls wake up.'   We were on a walk along the promenade from Prestatyn to Llanddulas, 12 miles away. The sea was still a bit choppy after the storms on Monday and the wind was breezy but there was a blue sky.  I met another beagle (off the lead!!!) but it was old.  There were lots of other people with dogs or children or on bikes.  He was on his bike and met us half way at the Bike Cafe by the Foryd Bridge in Rhyl.  Had a long drink and got some biscuits. He stayed with us for a while as we passed lots of work on flood defences along the seafront passing the funfair on the way to Pensarn Beach.   There we stopped for a rest and listened to the bingo caller in the amusement arcade.  The joys of a seaside holiday!   He cycled back to the car and we followed.  She had to be pulled most of the way.

  We set off along the coast with fields of maize to our left and the sea wall to the right.  It was a nice day and there was water in the puddles from the previous day's rain to drink.   My paws had to get used to walking on tarmac after we emerged from a wood onto a main road.  We passed another beagle as we entered Ffynnongroew and walked along the long street.  Then we were on the coast path again and there were more interesting smells among the flowers along the verges. When we reached the beach at Talacre I got really excited.  The last time I was here they let me off the lead and I could chase gulls.  This time I had to stay close though she did let me paddle in the pools.  The beach went on for ages and I was getting tired of sand and pebbles so I was pleased to have a change of scenery. We walked on seashells and then it was back to grassy paths and more sand.  I was getting tired and then saw him coming towards us and got excit...

  We're back in Flint.  We were dropped near the castle on a Sunday morning and set off west passing a few other dogs and owners.  This guy was sat looking up the estuary completely ignoring me. Further on I saw a rabbit cross the path but I was on my lead so couldn't get it.  I bravely ignored the gunfire as we passed the Clay Pigeon shoot.  On we walked, the water on my right and land to the left (apart from where we missed the path and had to retrace our steps.) There were lots of exciting smells and a few of these beacons. After we'd walked about six miles he joined us.  We headed along a high bank with cattle on one side and the sea on the other.  In the distance we could see a ship and that was the end of the walk.  It was only nine miles and there was a cafe at the end with free biscuits and their leftovers.  A perfect walk!

  We're off on a new adventure, she tells me.   We're dropped off in the middle of Chester and head towards the River Dee to walk to Flint.  Only 13 miles!   This is the start of the Wales Coast Path that she intends to follow though, as it's 870 miles long, I'm not sure either of us will be able to make it.  He's in charge of transport: dropping us off at the start then meeting us on his bike to make sure we're safe. It's a long tarmac path but there are interesting smells on either side and we pass a few other dogs, some walkers and cyclists.  The start of the Wales Coast Path is obvious - even to a dog! We must have walked for over five miles before we leave the path to cross the big blue bridge at Queensferry and, for a short distance, we follow grass paths to the Hawarden bridge. We still couldn't see the sea but the estuary was wider. Then we're back on tarmac all the way to Connah's Quay where he meets us for lunch and I get two sausages a...

  Creativity and Nature Join  me at Ty’r Felin on 28 th June for a day exploring creativity and nature. Your facilitator Helen Papworth I am a retired educator and writer/illustrator who is currently studying for a Permaculture Diploma. After a career spent teaching and managing, I moved to Ethiopia as a VSO volunteer in 2004 then retrained as an illustrator for children’s publishing. I gained my PhD on the subject of Ethiopian Children’s Illustrated Literature and continue to illustrate books for Ethiopian publishers. I also now train artists in Ethiopia to illustrate children’s books . I live at Ty’r Felin where I practice permaculture ethics, principles and techniques in my home and on the land where I have developed a Forest Garden. Your venue Ty’r Felin, Cwm Road, Trelawnyd, Flintshire, LL18 6EF  GR SJ 08815  79158 Ty’r Felin is a mill cottage with a converted mill which is now a studio, and stables, one of which serves as a print r...

  Here's me and Her on our July trip to Manchester.  I had to make it clear to her that she wasn't welcome on my lookout post.  Of course, any seat is mine.  He's okay with that.  She isn't! After negotiating the Middlewich Arm and going through the locks at Middlewich (including the notorious Big Lock - see my earlier blog) we headed north along the Trent and Mersey Canal towards the Bridgwater Canal.   We stopped for lunch at Bramble Cutting and passed the lakes where the heron ignored us.   Then, we went through a winding dark tunnel to emerge in an idyllic spot where kingfishers flashed past then posed in the trees (sadly no zoom lens so no proof). The next day, aften anothe dark crooked tunnel,  we went past a dry dock that looked like a railway awning and then into a big tunnel nearly a mile long. We were now on the Bridgewater Canal and our next stop was Lymm.   This canal proved to be very attractive with lots of wild f...