A race to the mud at Great Flat Lode

Walk Length: 20 minutes

Muddy Rating: Not very

For a quick walk in proper Cornish mining country we usually head to the Great Flat Lode near Pool/Camborne.  As part of the mineral tramway which runs from Cornwall's North to South Coast, the mine buildings and pathways between them are all maintained.  There are maps and information boards around the Lode with lots of information about the mining in this area. 

This is quite a busy walk with lots of other dogs around.  It's all off the lead which I love and there's a great big field in the middle where I can run and run.  However, there is not much mud on this walk, that is except one MASSIVE puddle.  Usually mum manages to stop me running in to the puddle on the start of our walk.  However, I have this fantastic strategy that works every time with out fail.  Towards the end of my walk I speed up so I appear to be just out of ear shot.  Of course I can hear mum shouting at me to 'come back' or 'wait', but I pretend I can't, and before she knows it, I'm round the corner and in the glorious murk of the puddle!!!!



Selective hearing is a muddy dogs greatest asset!!



 

 

 



Dodging thunder storms at Degibna woods

Walk Length: 40 Minutes

Muddy Rating: Moderate

 

Degibna woods run alongside Loe Pool near Helston.  It's one of a number of walks around the Loe, which is the largest freshwater lake in Cornwall.  The Loe was once the estuary for the River Cober, but for over 700 years a shingle bank, known as Loe Bar, has blocked the estuary creating the beautiful lake.  The Loe is teeming with wildlife and the National Trust are responsible for ensuring that continues. 



It was in the Loe that I had my very first swim.  I didn't particularly enjoy my first swim because going out of my depth sent me into a state of panic.  These days I'm a much more confident swimmer and love to swim for sticks.  I have to be careful swimming here though because swans lurk behind bullrushes ready to attack me if I get too close!

This walk turned out to be a race against time as thunder clouds loomed over the sea.  The first half of the walk is under woodland canapy that lines the Loe.  As you get closer to the sea, the woods give way to large fields.  Watching the storm rolling in, swimming had to be cut short and we made a quick dash for home. 





Swimming with the family

I love meeting up with my dog family for walks and mischief.  It's always quite a sight when we're all together.  Today I heard it referred to as like walking a flock of sheep which I thought was a great discription. 

 

It's hard work getting us all together for a photo and even harder to get everyone to sit and stay sitting for a photo, especially when there are so many distractions. 

 

Mum managed to get this photo of us all....

From left to right - Great uncle, aunty, ME, aunty, great gran, gran (plus their human family)

Today they joined me for what turned out to be rather a dramatic walk along the river Cober from Lowertown. 

It was very muddy so we all went in the river to wash off at every chance we got.    But with all the rain, the river was flowing very fast.  My aunties both needed rescuing several times, I almost got swept away but paddled hard and got back to dry land, and great gran had to be pulled to safety. 

Despite the drama we all had a great walk, just hope great gran isn't too stiff in the morning. 



Coats and the BIGGEST puddle ever!!!!

I just had to write and tell you about the most amazing puddle that I found!! I know I've already written about Porkellis Moor but I went back a few days ago and found that the whole place had flooded to my delight!!!

First, I thought the walk would be a drag because mum put me in a silly coat that was supposed to keep me clean.  It was the kind that comes down to my paws.  Mum had seen my great gran wearing something similar last winter and had got the idea that perhaps I should have one.  However, to my delight, within 20 seconds I had managed to pull the whole coat off and run as fast as I could to the biggest deepest puddle I'd ever seen!!


The coat......                                                              

 

               The puddle.......


This puddle was so deep I could swim in it!  I must have spent fifteen minutes diving into the puddle, scooping up floating sticks.  It was quite simply the bestest puddle EVER!!

A muddy dogs dream walk

Muddy Rating: Moderate to Very

Walk Time: 15 minutes each way

Do you ever wonder about what dogs dream about when they start twitching and squeeking in their sleep.  Well my dreams are always about one place - Lowertown.  I love it there, it has everything a dog like me could want, plenty of mud and rivers for splashing and swimming in. 

Situated just outside of Helston, the walk takes you from Lowertown towards Helston, following along the River Cober. If you keep following the river it will take you off road (more or less) all the way to Loe Bar and the sea.  We just walk to Helston and back though.

To get to the river walk you must first cross some stepping stones.  I know this sounds potentially frightening, and trust me it took a few attempts to persuade me it was safe to cross, but once you get the hang of it the stepping stones are acually alot of fun. 

The thing I like best about this walk is the amount of water.  Because the River Cober had milling leats cut in beside it, there are in places several streams running side by side.  There's some minor evidence of the old water wheels if you know where to look but nothing of much interest.  This is a pretty walk under the trees beside or in the water, especially in spring when the blue bells are out, but I love it at any time of year!!

The worst thing about this walk is having to come home.  I never want to get back in the car and go home at Lowertown, and the inevitable towel dry is the final straw!!

A quick walk around Crenver Grove

Walk Length: 25 minutes

Muddy Rating: Moderate to Very in places during wet weather

 

 

Mum has bought me a new coat to try and stop me getting so muddy, and today was my first outing in it.  It didn't stop me trying to get up to my usual muddy tricks though.

 

 

 

Crenver Grove, located on the Praze-an-Beeble to Helston Road, was once part of the near by Clowence Estate and used for keeping birds and an area for horse riding. It's now managed by a sustainable trust and available for public and educational use. 

 

 

 

I love running through woodland and this one is particularly fun as there's lots of logs to jump over for a bit of cross country dog agility.  There are two types of woodland in Crenver Grove.  At one end of the wood it's a more modern wood where the path winds through a carpet of ferns under young trees (under 150 years old).  At the other end of the wood it opens up into a beautiful ancient wood of beach and oak trees. 

 

 

There's a few things which make Crenver Grove and interesting place to wander around.  There's a trench running through the length of the Grove that was dug in WWII by US troops as a practice trench before being deployed for the D-Day landings.  There's also plenty of evidence that this is an educational wood, with dens and several charcoal burners to be found. 

 

 

Bird lovers would also enjoy it here with woodpeckers, cuckoos, birds of prey and jays all found within this wood. 

 









 

Red Puddles and Purple Heather at Porkellis Moor

Walk length: 30 minutes with scope to extend to 1 hour using additional footpaths

 

Muddy Rating: Very

 

  Porkellis Moor is a regular walk for us as it's just round the corner from home.  Now owned and maintained by the National Trust, Porkellis was once a busy tin mining area. 

Porkellis Moor was the location for one of the most unusual accidents in Cornish mining history.  7 minors lost their lives in August 1858 when a disused shaft gave way and filled operational shafts with 'slime' created by refuse from the steam works.  The slime can still be found at Porkellis to this day, causing the moor to flood and water to form in red pools and puddles. 

 

 

 

The flooded landscape is what makes Porkellis so much fun for a mud lover such as me.  There's lots of deep puddles, ponds and streams for me to splash through and dig for stones.

There is a juxtaposition between the wild and the industrial, with purple heather brimming over concrete structures.