Up 'The Dog's Bottom'

Strange title for a blog but that is where I have been today, or as it is known in Spanish, the 'Culo de Perro'. This is one of the main river valleys of the area and today we chose to walk the section that leads up from Trevelez, the highest town in Spain, into one of the deep gorges of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Now, as you know if you have read previous entries of this dogblog, I am a great walker, possibly one of the great dachshund walkers of my time, but I am not partial to exercise in the heat. Today, being sunny and summery, looked like it might make me struggle, but as soon as we were off I realised that whilst the skies were a startlingly clear blue, there was going to be a light but refreshing breeze. This put me in good stead, and it was best paw forward all the way round - a walk of some 5 hours or about 15 kms.

The water was tremendous. At all times of year - and I have done this walk at all times of year, believe me - there is enough water in the valley to wet your paws and keep you cool. Today, however, with the heavy snow fall of winter well on its way to melting, there was a raging torrent throughout the valley. Ella nearly got herself swept away by its force - well, what do you expect from a mut with such spindly legs. I was fine with my low centre of gravity, but I noticed that the tall ones kept their feet well out of the main flow whenever possible.

Tonight, as I watch the sun set across the garden here at Cortijo Opazo, I realise that for a dog going on 11 years I'm in pretty good shape, there aren't so many around here who could comfortably tackle the 'Dog's Bottom'.

As a type of footnote I must refer to the fact that I seem to have the beginnings of a fan club. Discussions have been had about me from bookshops in Sussex, England, and suggestions made for my leisure time reading, anything by Virginia Woof or Edith Sitwell - this I will pass on to Ella. My thanks for these suggestions, if only I had leisure time enough in which to pursue them. If anyone else wants to send me a suggestion or two but has trouble commenting directly on this blog, then my persoanl secretary will be happy to pass them on from: info@cortijoopazo.com

Yours, from the recliner,

Fergus