Scotland

in April this year, we stayed at a lovely loch side cottage in Annat, Upper Loch Torridon, in the Scottish highlands.

The cottage is a two bedroom property, with views and surroundings others may only dream of.

Blue has stayed here four times now, different seasons, but this time it is Spring. Winter months are difficult to get around and even harder to go walking, unless you have four legged drive like Blue, his feet are great in the snow because of the size of his pads.

As you can see from the expression below, he is a happy bunny being on another adventure.

Two weeks in Scotland is never going to be enough, that is why we go out walking every day, and being as Blue successfully summits Skiddaw, last year, we were able to be more adventurous than previous years.

For those that followed the series Monty Hall's Great escapes, Blue enjoyed following in the footsteps of Reuben. We got to take Blue into the crofters cottage, now bare inside, but Blue most enjoyed the free running on the soft beech, Sand, the location is a few miles north of Applecross.

Monty Hall's Crofters cottage.

Blue playing with his favourite ball, where Reuben once played

Holidays can be great fun but there needs to be some rules, and as Blue has not enjoyed a lot of free running previously, we need to be a bit careful, due to the livestock, and wild life.

Staying mainly on an extended lead does not limit his fun, and he does still remember some of the commands some of the time, a human version is called selective hearing.

Sit! Good boy



Best of all for Blue he wakes to the view below, and is able to go and walk the shore of Upper Loch Torridon, normally as the door opens the sheep casually move back along the shore line.

Beinn Alligin, as viewed from the cottage

Every day Blue was able to get out and about, the beauty of the location is that journeys in the car are normally very limited, as so much is within walking distance.

Blue gets to enjoy holidays like this because he is so well behaved, and is an excellent traveller in the car. From door to door our journey takes about 14 hours to complete the 650 miles from Reading, Berkshire to the cottage in Annat. Some dogs could not endure such an epic trip, Blue takes it all in his stride.

For us all at the end of a days walking we get to enjoy the lovely picturesque sunsets across the loch.

Sunset across Upper Loch Torridon

Normally by this time of the day, it is time to reflect on the day, and marvel at the stunning scenery that Scotland has to offer. Evenings are sometimes disrupted by the sound of hooves walking along the road at night when the deer descend from the hills, Blue would like to say hello, but they are timid creatures, his greeting will need to change, barking hello is not the quickest way to forge relationships across species.



Morning

After a nights sleep, mainly through exhaustion, the day begins with stunning views and a walk along the shoreline, and sometimes in the evening as well



Liatach looks on as Blue goes for a paddle.

It's a dog's life, but Blue bears the strain and takes it all in his stride.