Our first trip with Jenny
Jenny is now 6 months old and, considering her destiny is being the ultimate travel dog, well past the age when she should have gone on a trip with us.
We’ve been preparing her for travel since the day we brought her home. Trying to only have positive experiences associated with any and all forms of transportation. Exposing her to countless people, scenarios, and noises.
And even though we failed on multiple occasions – flashback to the one time she fell into the wheel well off the back seat – she surprised us by taking the 6 hour journey in perfect stride. No complaints. No accidents in the car. I actually think she spent the majority of the time sleeping and gazing at the passengers in the cars behind us.
Where we went
The destination is a special one for us. Over the last five years, it’s become a solid option for a cozy retreat. And for some reason, every time the summer draws in and the weather shifts, we are called back to the Peaks.
So really, it’s only fitting for this to be Jenny’s first journey.
Same park different town
I love AirBnB for many reasons, but one of them is the chance to discover towns that may not have been on my radar otherwise. Nestled in and amongst big names like Chatsworth, Buxton and Bakewell is a cozy town called Tideswell. It’s not one I’d heard of before, but it’s certainly somewhere I’d revisit.
With the “Cathedral of the Peaks”, a handful of pubs, a bustling café, and a couple of yarn stores, it’s a base with plenty of options for keeping busy when not touring the better-known sites or gaining altitude to enjoy the views.
The walk
Which brings us to the next order of business… A trip to the Peaks wouldn’t be complete without a walk. And a walk wouldn’t be complete without the customary pastry purchase. Both traditions I’ve taken on as a UK resident.
The reviews for the local bakery were splendid. There was one in particular that caught my eye. Written by an international visitor who had a blue cheese sausage roll for breakfast, his review stated that it was a popular choice amongst local people and he knew this because he saw many of them being purchased. I can’t help but think that he may have been taken in by other pre-walk purchases. Let’s just say blue cheese isn’t the most obvious breakfast choice.
Baked goods and coffee flask in tow, we headed out to Eyam – known as the Plague Village and chosen by us for its short-ish circular walk with an easy rating. With Jenny being young (and the two of us being reasonably out of condition) it seemed like the sensible option.
The walk itself begins in Eyam, goes through Stoney Middleton and circles back up a very steep hill. We started opposite the local museum in the convenient pay and display parking lot. On the edge of the village we saw the boundary stone which played a starring role in its Plague story and befriended a few sheep.
High above Eyam, we took in the views of the valley stretching out before us. I don’t think Jenny knew quite what to think of the sheep, the smells, and the aptly named “squeeze-stiles” we had to pass through. It was a walk like no other she had been on. We sufferred through a few excited outbursts as she tried to process her new surroundings. I can’t say we enjoyed every step of the way, but she was still smiling, so we pressed on.
The path took us to the edge of Stoney Middleton and back up to Eyam via a steep incline which alternated between fields and woodland. Our lazy ascent was aided by Jenny’s intense urge to pull while walking on lead. A bad habit we still havent managed to break.
When all in the party were nearing exhaustion, we plopped down next to some dry-stone walls which offered us just enough protection from the wind to enjoy our packed pastries.
Progress not perfection
Traveling with a puppy wasn’t without its challenges. We packed more than we ever had before and we always had to be thinking about her needs as well as ours. For our first trip I think we’ll consider it a success. At the very least we weren’t put off doing it again.
It has definitely highlighted certain opportunities for improvement. Lead walking… jumping up at waiting staff with platters… recall… just acknowledging our existence in public would be nice. Inevitably these first few extended outings with Jen will be the most difficult.
Every step of the way, I’m reminding myself that we are looking for progress, not perfection.
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