First Hill For Cooper

"I was ambling along through trees and country paths, fair enjoying my wee dauner, Master trailing in my wake as I pulled the tow rope with all the strength I could manage. Now and then I paused for a sniff (So many scents! Where to start???) and chased a few wee beasties, and now and then I managed to almost pull him off his feet as he seemed in a bit of a trance - big smile on his coupon for a change and a definite spring in his step."

"So, I'm thinking: been about an hour now and no end of this walk in sight. He's usually turned tail and headed for home by now, wonder if I'll get some of those brilliant wee bits of sausage he normally gives me when I'm good (sometimes I just pretend I'm being good in order to get a treat!). Then he does the strangest thing: he rummages about in his pockets (I like it when he does that, usually he'll come out with something tasty) and produces this silly looking yellow thing I've never seen before, breaks it in half and proffers it to me like he usually does when I'm getting a treat. Looks quite pleased with himself too. Well, I'm pretty famished by now and as I said, we've been on the go for over an hour and no treats so far, so when he says "What's this, Cooper," my eyes light up. So, I get tore in to this offering, and what do you know, tastes brilliant! Jelly Babies he calls them. Needless to say, I was on my best behavior for ages after that. Well, at least until the Jelly Babies ran out. Think I'll need to get out on the big hills with Master more often, maybe he's got more stashed away somewhere."

"Anyway, after a good few Jelly Babies, I begin to realize that he's not going back the way we came and that this wee stroll is turning into something much more serious. These Jelly Babies are just bribery! We soon reach a rocky, slabby section where the ground gets much steeper and all the humans are slowing down. This is great because we start overtaking loads of them and it makes me feel quite fit. I have noticed however that Master is also slowing down somewhat and I'm the one doing all the work at the front of the tow rope he has me tied to. He likes to think he knows what he's doing, so he does, but it seems to be me who's the leader on this walk - I'll show him who's the fittest."

So, as we near the top of Goat Fell I'm quite glad that Cooper seems to be in good shape. He's actually pulling me up the hill behind him. He's just 18 months and this is his first bigger hill. Vets recommend not walking them too far when they're younger, as it can damage their bones when they're still developing.

I'm on Goat Fell today, same as this time last year, supporting a colleague who's busking at the summit to raise money for Ayrshire Hospice. I bump into Eddy, already hunkered down at the top, guitar in hands, dressed in a warm jacket with the hood up and wearing a top hat. He starts busking as Cooper and I get tucked into some tasty tuna and corned beef rolls. Cooper manages to eat about the same amount as me, which is unusual for him. He obviously used up a lot of energy pulling me up the hill. Then we get somebody to take a snap of Cooper and I.

But the summit is really busy today, and I like things a bit more peaceful, so I put some money in Eddy's tin and head off down Stacach to escape the madding crowd. Little more than five minutes later we're alone and savoring the solitude. The weather is improving by the minute and we go for a wee scramble over one of the stacks before taking an easier route across to North Goat Fell. Then we descend into Corrie Lan for a leisurely stroll down to Corrie, where we'll catch a bus to connect with the 4.40pm ferry.

We stopped for a breather just inside the tree line (lots of encouraging new Silver Birch and Mountain Ash regeneration) and I noticed some movement in my peripheral vision. I looked down to see a small black snake of about 45-50cm in length shoot off to my right. I quickly got my phone onto video setting and had the privilege of witnessing either a young Adder or a Grass Snake (ongoing debate) beating a hasty retreat to some better cover in a grass banking beside the path.

Not the greatest picture of a snake ever taken, but hey, I was in a hurry!

Not much later we found ourselves in the lovely wee village of Corrie, where we stopped at The Rock Pool for a takeaway coffee and carrot cake, before catching the bus just ten minutes later. What a great day out we had, me and the dug, and given his immense capacity for such a wee thing, I'll be  sure to take hime on many a mountain wander in future. Wonder what Cooper thinks.

"Well, given the fact that he fed me well, and particularly the discovery of my love for Jelly Babies, I might just take to this mountain lark. Anyway, don't suppose I've much of a choice when he decides to rope me up and sets off into the wild blue yonder. There are worse things in life, I suppose, chasing cats excepted, and those tuna rolls wee pretty tasty too. I'll go along with it for the meantime anyway- maybe he'll get a bit fitter and keep up next time."