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Walk By reservoir on a windy day Length 6 miles

Dogs on walk Brooklyn, Finlay, Gina, Gustave, Jerry, Solo, Tim

Biting winds kept us low today. The radio announcing speed restrictions on the Forth Road

Bridge gave us our warning. And sure enough as we parked above the city by-pass the car 

gently rocked. It was not the excited dogs, although they were excited, but the wind

gusting off the hills and into the side of the car. The heavily ruffled waters of Torduff 

reservoir, tormented by the wind, pushed up against the side of the dam.

Finlay looked down hopefully but could not find a way through the fence and down intothe water. The others ran on ahead along the path above the reservoir. Little Gustave,

having been squeezed into today’s ramble for his owners, running along beside Tim and

Gina. Brooklyn, not quite running along beside. More tripping over himself as he tried to

play with each of them at the same time.

Jerry and Solo knowing the score and knowing that there is another reservoir above this

one, pushed on at the front. Sure enough as the path twisted around and up the slope,crossing the stream with its waterfall feeding into Torduff Reservoir, we found ourselves

below the dam of Clubbidean Reservoir. Here the stream ran out from it, connecting the

The Dog Rambler 

E-diary

Tuesday

04 October 2011

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two with its slivery thread.

We walked below the dam to the other side of the reservoir, crossing the stream again and

were now able to access it. The dogs gleefully flew past the upturned boats on the bankand crashed into the water liked a newly launched ship. As the spray settled Finlay and

Tim could be seen swimming. Then there was Solo lazily drifting along. Brooklyn, Gina and

Jerry chased each other in the shallows before haring up the cobbled dam wall, leaping the

low stone barrier and off across the grassy slopes of the other side. With Gustave now in

pursuit, having barely put a toe in the water this time.

We weaved through the trees on the opposite side of the reservoir. Brooklyn flashingbetween them, a semaphore message to the others to chase after him. They did. A blurring

trail of dogs threading their way between the trees and eventually back into the water.

They almost burst out the other side and onto the track leading toward Easter Kinleith

Farm. The landscape now changing to green fields dotted with sheep and a cut field of 

wheat with a couple of lonely hay bales still waiting to be collected. Nearing the farm and

some small birds swooped and dived overhead. Dark silhouettes against the sky they lookedlike swallows. Surely not. I would have thought they would be away on their long flight 

back to Africa by now. As one swooped down, bearing in on a hapless insect, its tell-tale

marks revealed that they were swallows.

Beyond the farm and we dropped into the eerie narrow slice of Poet’s Glen. A deep cut in

the earth, scoured by a tumbling stream. Protected by thick trunked trees, seeming to

close in as we approached. They left us a small path and half concealed steps almost part of the banking to take us right down to the dark depths of the stream. Climbing back out 

an unexpected overgrown pond allowed for a swim.

But it was the return to the reservoir that provided a better swimming opportunity.

Unfortunately Brooklyn found a deep muddy inlet. He came out wearing not very fetching

black stockings and I just managed to call Finlay and Gina back the other way to avoid a

similar situation with them. With one dirty and smelly dog we carried on. I was hopeful hewould go back in at the dam and would be clean. But oh no as all but Gustave went in he

also stayed at the water’s edge. Nothing I could do could get him to go in. Fortunately he

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had lost some of the mud racing through the trees again and was far less dirty when we

arrived back at the car.

Nick

Photo slideshow from the walk 

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Nick Fletcher

The Dog Rambler

9 Links Street

Musselburgh www.thedogrambler.com

East Lothian nick@thedogrambler.com

EH21 6JL t. 0131 665 8843 or 0781 551 6765

Your dog walking service for active dogs