Meeting Sam for the first time
When we met Sam for the first time, we were still grieving over the loss of our dear Baxter.
Life without Baxter has been awful. So when we saw this beautiful little boy on the DSPCA website last week, we just had to go and meet him. He needed a little coaxing to come out of his kennel and he was very nervous around us. But with patience, the assistance of one of the dog trainers and a handful of treats, he eventually came out to see us.
The trainer told us he had been brought to the DSPCA by a concerned family member who was worried he wasn't being looked after properly. Though he barked, his talk wagged and we were told that with patience and love, he would settle into a loyal and loving dog.
So we took him for a walk around DSPCA campus. Or rather, he took us for a walk, and in spite of his nervousness, he seemed happy enough to share twenty minutes with us. He has won our hearts!
O'Briensbridge Parteen Weir loop walk, Co. Clare
A moderate walk
Distance: 5km
Estimated time: 1.5 hrs
Terrain: Flat, firm terrain with riverside paths and canal banks.
O'Brien's Bridge or O'Briensbridge is a village in east County Clare, Ireland, on the west bank of the River Shannon. It is named for the bridge across the Shannon at that point, built by Turlough O'Brien in 1506.
The short 5km loop is marked with green arrows and travels upstream along the Shannon to the Parteen Weir Hydro Dam before returning to O'Briensbridge via the Headrace Canal.
The loop is part of the network of National Looped Walks and is marked in both directions using the standard National Looped Walk directional arrows.
The loop starts and finishes at the trailhead which is located on the bank of the river Shannon at the Riverside Park in the village of O'Briensbridge, approximately 14km from Limerick City and just off the R463.
The trailhead car park is located close to a variety of local shops, pubs, restaurants and guest accommodation.
A Heritage Guide to the walk is available to download from http://obriensbridge.com.
Sligo Abbey, Co. Sligo
Sligo Abbey
Abbey Street, Sligo town, Co. Sligo
Phone: +353 71 9146046
Email: sligoabbey@opw.ie
Petfriendly: Yes (dogs must be kept on a lead at all times)
Although commonly known as Sligo Abbey, the correct title for one of Sligo town's oldest surviving structures is The Convent of the Holy Cross. Sligo Abbey was built around 1252-1253 by the Norman Baron Maurice Fitzgerald , who is also credited with being the founder of Sligo. The Friars were in residence at The Convent of the Holy Cross for five turbulent centuries, until they left in 1760. A new abbey was then built in 1763 in Burton Street.
Baxter was allowed to come into the abbey with us, on condition that he was kept on a lead at all times.
Sligo Abbey is managed by the Office of Public Works, who has responsibility for the day-to-day running of over 750 National Monuments and National Historic Properties.
Admission to Sligo Abbey is from 30th March until 8th October from 10am until 6pm and costs only €3 per adult, and €1 for children, which is excellent value for money and well worth the visit.
Streedagh Strand, Co. Sligo
Map: OS Discovery series sheet no. 16
Start/Finish: Trawgar, 3km NW of Grange village and N15.
Time: 7km, about 1.5 to 2 hours
Suitability: easy, care needed on bare limestone, best enjoyed at low tide
When you arrive at Streedagh, you’ll find three kilometres of golden sand, perfect for surfing, strolls or a family picnic. Nearby at Atlantic Sheepdogs, you’ll meet some of the smartest dogs in the world!
Against the beautiful backdrop of Sligo’s Atlantic coastline, this has to be one the most amazing beach walks we've been on with Baxter. It boasts a wealth of interest, including a wedge tomb, fossils, tropical sea limestone, the Armada, a “Butter Boat”, surfing and spectacular views of Ben Bulben, Slieve League and Inishmurray.
The tide was out the day we were there, allowing us to walk the full length of the sandy beach.
The Georgian Splendour of Glendine Country House B&B, County Wexford
This week, the day job took us to the beautiful Lismore Castle & Gardens in County Waterford and wonderfully remote Hook Head Lighthouse in County Wexford. Rather than trying to do the trip in a single day, we decided to stay overnight in the village of Arthurstown on the Hook Peninsular and, of course, Baxter came too!
Our accommodation for the night was the family run Glendine Country House B & B overlooking the Barrow Estuary, where we were greeted with a warm welcome and invited into the guest lounge for afternoon tea.
Glendine Country House is a four star Georgian house set on its own grounds above the village of Arthurstown on the Hook Peninsula in South East Ireland. Built in 1830, the house is full of charm and still retains many of its original 19th century features.
Glendine is pet friendly and dogs may stay in bedrooms with their owners, as long as they are under supervision. Our room, situated at the front of the house, was spacious and had views over to the sea.
The house is perfectly located for exploring the south east coast of Ireland. Waterford is only 25 minutes drive via the car ferry and Wexford is only 35 minutes away. There are plenty of walks both locally and on Glendine's 50 acres of private grounds.
There's plenty to do on the Hook Peninsular, including beaches and historical sites sites such as Tintern Abbey, Ballyhack Castle, Duncannon Fort and the Hook Lighthouse. We'll be writing more about this in future posts.
The Barrow Way, Co. Carlow
Rising in the Slieve Bloom Mountains in the southern midlands, and joining the rivers Nore and Suir, before flowing into the Celtic Sea at Waterford Harbour, the River Barrow lays claim to being the second longest river in Ireland.
First made navigable in the eighteenth century, the Barrow stretches for 114km from the canal hamlet of Lowtown in County Kildare to the beautiful monastic site and village of St Mullins in south County Carlow.
With its peaceful route through a quiet landscape, a constantly expanding river for company, and grassy towpaths, tracks and quiet roads, the Barrow Way is perhaps one of the most peaceful walks in Ireland.
Type of Walk: National Waymarked Trail
Level of Difficulty: An easy walk
Length: 100km
Start Grid Point: N 790 250
Finish Grid Point: S 728 378
Ordnance Survey Map: OSI Discovery Series Sheets 49, 55, 61 and 68
You can read more about walking The Barrow Way at Irishtrails.ie.
A Haven by the Sea: Cashel House Hotel, Cashel, Co. Galway
Cashel House Hotel is situated in the heart of Connemara, in the peaceful surroundings of 50 acres of gardens and woodland walks. The hotel is located 8 miles from the fishing village of Roundstone, and the town of Clifden and nearby Kylemore Abbey and gardens are less than 25 minutes drive away.
Cashel House Hotel is one of the best dog-friendly hotels we've stayed in - a wonderful welcome, comfortable rooms, great food and a very beautiful setting in Casla Bay. Some great dog walking as well - we spent a very happy few hours skirting the appropriately named Dog's Bay, just beyond Roundstone.
Visit their website cashelhouse.ie.
Our Poshest Christmas Ever: The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow
"They say that dogs aren't just for Christmas .... but let me tell you, Christmas is for dogs. I had the best one yet when I went with Nessa and Peter to stay at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Enniskerry.
I'd heard that they normally only take little pooches - you know, the little chatty ones that fit inside your handbag - but because the weather was so bad with all that white stuff on the ground, they made an exception and let me check in; very good taste they have in hotel guests, I have to say.
I was very impressed with the whole shebang. They had porters to bring up my bags. A week's supply of dentastix not to mention several squeaky toys are pretty heavy, you know. The room was really comfortable. I had my own bed of lovely red leather and wood, as well as my own bowl for water and biscuits (and rashers, when Nessa could snaffle some for me). I didn't mind having to share the room with my Ma & Da - they're pretty clean and didn't snore much.
Nessa said the food was gorgeous, and we had great fun down in the lobby watching the other guests come and go. I even got to sniff some of the other dogs - there was a particularly attractive doberman pinscher, and I nearly did.
We went for great walks in Powerscourt Demense, and while my folks were busy taking photos of the Sugar Loaf, I was bouncing in the snow and then eating as much of it as I could swallow.
This is a five star review for a five star hotel. Check it out.
See you later, Baxter"