This year at Easter I made the journey but this time I took Hilda with me (she was invited) too. Normally the 280ish mile journey takes me around 5 hours and I stop once, however with a 7 month old puppy I decided we needed to stop more than once. So we stopped four times on the way down and extended the total journey time up to 8.5 hours. By the time we arrived I was exhausted but as she had slept for most of the car ride Hilda was full of energy and ready to explore the gardens (6 acres), run around on the tennis court and fetch her ball to anyone willing to throw it.
I had been slightly worried that she would find a day of car travel stressful as the longest journey she had taken in the car to that point had been 2 hours. I need not have worried, the next day I had to move the car and she hopped in it and then looked most disappointed when the journey was over and done with in 2 minutes.
She had a fantastic time helping with the gardening, meeting visitors and soaking up all the attention. We also had a day out with an old friend of mine and her children at Torquay. We all went paddling and then while my friend and I sat and talked and let our feet dry in the sun her children threw Hilda's ball up and down the beach for her to chase after.
As she had travelled so well on the way down we just stopped twice on the journey back home and once again she slept for most of it. She did manage to find the only muddy puddle at the service station and step in it, quite an achievement given that the puddle was less than 6" in diameter!
She loved her trip away we are making plans for several long weekends camping plus a week in North Wales with my parents. I have spent all winter telling her about all the things we were going to do when she had grown and when the weather was slightly less inclement and now we are enjoying ourselves.
helping with the gardening
waiting for the visitors to arrive
On the beach at Torquay
one muddy paw
