For competitors, Bank Holidays often mean long weekends at agility shows. For me this weekend has been for catch-ups, romance, shopping and today… walking!
After two busy days with Ash I now have two days alone with Guinness, and I decided today we would do the saltline-canal walk.

Starting along the saltline we followed it right to Hassall Green. The saltline is so vibrant at the moment after the rain and warm weather we’ve had. The flora is booming, enough to encourage me to have a dabble at macro photography, not the best but good fun to try.

Along the final stretch of the saltline before you reach Hassall Green is a very important bench… Fritz’s bench!

Fritz, a miniature schnauzer, was my first dog. He joined our family after years of my pestering and “can we have a dog?!” questions each tea time. When I was 8 Fritz joined our family! Nearly 12 years later, as his legs started to fail him, we would drive to the saltline to give him a short little potter along off-lead. When Fritz passed away we scattered his ashes at this bench, which had recently been placed on the saltline. It seemed like a fitting final resting place. Now whenever we pass we say hello to Fritz and Guinness always wanders over, as if saying hello in his own way as well.

When you reach Hassall Green and head up to the canal you pass the famous pink church. I’ve always enjoyed driving, walking or cycling past here since my childhood. A little piece of brightness.

When I was younger my family would walk along the canal all the way to Hassall Green at weekends so it’s always nice to have the time to walk along this stretch again. When heading for Rode Heath there are beautiful views to Mow Cop castle.

Into the village I spent 21 years growing up in, we walked past the Broughton Arms and along the rise. Guinness always gets excited when we come back to the rise. He grew up in this field, spending almost every day walking here from 12 weeks old (not to mention learning not to come back when called).

A short walk along the back roads and we returned home, a lovely 5 mile circular route just the two of us.