wombat’s walks
wombat’s walks
Welcome to Queensberry Bay!
This is my home and I am always delighted to welcome other dogs to my
world.
I was born at Queensberry Bay when my mum (a stray that someone
had abandoned on the beach) gave birth to 7 puppies 12 years ago.
I take after her and I'm a traveller at heart - a rolling stone - and the
other dogs in my family are woossie pedigrees who don’t like getting their
feet wet.
So if anyone knows this area it’s me. I not only know the best place to go
on and off the shore, I know where the quiet roads are and I know where
to go for a free meal.
So here’s a selection of my favourite walks. I’ve rated each one on a doggie
fun basis of 1 - 5 paws (5 paws is great
wombat’s walks awards (5 = great fun)
fun). Let me know what you think.
Finally a couple of do’s and dont’s while
you’re here:
Ÿ Do watch out for the tides. They come in fast. Your pet person will find
tide times on the shop window. Take them to it - you know what
they’re like.
Ÿ Do watch out for the dubs - the grassy hillocks on the shoreline.
They’re great to jump over but there’s some deep pools in them and
they can be slippery. Guide your pet person across them - you’ll see the
holes better than them.
Ÿ Don’t forget to make it look like you’re under control. That doesn’t mean
a lead - it means not chasing the ducks, cats, other dogs or other
animals and looking like you belong to your pet person.
Ÿ Don’t wander off on your own. They love dogs here and you’ll end up
getting adopted and then what’ll happen to your pet person??
Ÿ Don’t let your pet person forget your poo bags - they’re shit hot on that
here. (ha ha!)
Ÿ Do tell your pet owner that although they only have one designated
doggie walk here (see my first walk) that’s because they’re so relaxed
about dogs at Queensberry Bay not because they don’t like them!!
Ÿ Do respect the wildlife on and around the park. We’ve got the animals in
pets corner - and they’re all my friends, so don’t bother them! - and
then there’s sheep and cows in the fields and farmers are allowed to
shoot you if you bother their sheep! Shoot you!! It’s not worth it - just
steer clear and make sure your pet owner does the same.
Ÿ If you get lost, regroup at the shop. They’ll take you in and look after
you. And if your pet person has a spa, they’ll look after you then too.
Just let me know and I’ll pop over to see you.
And above all - enjoy yourself. It’s a great place to have a holiday. And
you’ll go home a new dog and ready to face the streets again!
See you around!
wombat xx
wombat’s walks
- The doggie walk
1
wombat’s walks awards
(5 = great fun)
Distance: 300m
10 mins
I know you’re tired - it’s been a long journey Time:
Footwear: any
& it’s probably raining (again). But my first
walk is a short one (I promise) & is designed to let you
stretch your legs, breathe in some good old fashioned sea air
& relieve that pressing bladder.
You set off with the sea on your pet owner’s left. Go right to
the far western end of the park (heading towards Criffel that mountain thing your pet owner will want to photograph
and you’ll want to run up) and then follow the road to the right
past the barns & you’re into the park’s only designated doggie
walk (they only have one because dogs are so welcome!)
It’s quiet - the only traffic will be the the park owners or the
postman - and there’s grass on either side.
Your pet owner can also see some of the pets’ corner animals
here - Seamus the bull tends to shoot the breeze around by
the fence & the ponies sometimes gather there too to shout at
the horse next door.
Don’t let your pet person forget your poo bags - it may be a
dog walk but you still need poo bags! I believe they sell them
in the shop if you run out.
Then it’s back to your unit for some dinner & a well earned
rest!
wombat’s walks
2 - the shore
You’ve had a rest now. Your pet owner will want to go shopping
- it’s what they do - and you’ll spend half the day in the car.
That means your pet owner will feel guilty and will want to walk
you a bit further when you get back. Happy days!
So my second walk takes you down to the shore and along the
coast. Make sure the tide is either out or on its way out.
Set off from the shop and go down the Queensberry Bay slip
way. You’ll want to run on the dubs of course but your pet
owner will stick to the walkway and will then have to wade
through the puddles where the sand meets the shore.
In summer my pet owner leaves her shoes on the dubs and
goes barefoot. In the winter she wears dirty old wellies and a
hat. This is very embarrassing - so if you don’t want to be
shown up like I am you might want to hide any dodgy
items of clothing before you set out. I tend to put them
under my blanket.
Our Molly’s into soil in a big way - she has quite a collection and she says to tell you that the brown colour you may see in
the shallow water and on the bottom of the pools on the shore
is from the huge amount of peat in the soil here, not from
sewage, blood, aliens, dead bodies or falling stars.
At the bottom of the slip way you can turn left or right, or
you can go straight on.
wombat’s walks awards
If you go left you can walk along
the shore and come back up
again either at:
(5 = great fun)
Distance: 500m
Time:
15 mins
Footwear:
Wellies/
boots
You then walk back through the park.
This walk is a complete cop out and I suggest you play up
afterwards for at least an hour.
The one saving grace is that, if you can persuade
your pet owner to come back to the shop and if
you pant enough, they may let you share an
ice cream.
- if you can get your
wombat’s walks awards (5 = great fun)
pet owner to go a bit further (1/4
mile there - and the same back,
Distance: 2 km
funnily enough). They have seats outside
Time:
40 mins
and your pet owner will be able to have a
Wellies /
Footwear:
boots
drink & watch the world go by.
You may even get a biscuit . . .
While you’re sitting there you may see the remains of the
Victorian swimming pool out on the shore. It looks like a
huge frisbee ring.
Don’t try and dig it up though. I’ve been working on it for
12 years now and I’m
almost there.
You can then walk back
along the shore road (watch
out for traffic) or shore and
onto the park.
wombat’s walks awards
I love going right. I run on & off
the dubs & my pet owner paddles in
the shallow water. If I run fast enough I
can usually make it look like I’m not with
her.
(5 = great fun)
Distance: ??
Time:
??
Footwear:
Wellies /
boots
Going right means you walk as far as you want. But you then
have to walk back along the shore. That’s great unless your
pet owner actually wants to walk on a road. You never know some pet owners are weird. There isn’t a public road coming
off the shore between
here and Dumfries.
Don’t let your pet owner
walk up someone else’s
road - they can get a
bit funny about it.
So this is a shore walk.
But it’s still great and the distances are deceiving. You can
set off thinking you’ll go to Big John - the big rock you’ll see
on the rocky outcrop - and get nowhere near!
If you do get to Big John though, make sure you pee on it.
I always do.
And the best bit? You’ll come back on shore by the shop so
you may get to share that ice cream.
3.
wombat’s walks awards
(5 = great fun)
unless you’ve
got a ball or a frisbee and even
Distance: ??
Time:
??
then it’s boring after about 10 minutes but on a nice day it’s great when you finally Footwear: Wellies /
boots
get to the sea as you can paddle. Whatever
you do - make sure of the tide times as it can be along way
out and you don’t want to get caught out when the tide
turns.
You can come back whichever way you like - via the slip way
and shop (ice cream), the car park (boring) or the hotel
(maybe a biscuit).
wombat’s walks 3
wombat’s walks awards
- The Powfoot Lakes
OK - so you’ve done the shore in all directions.
And you know where the doggie walk is.
(5 = great fun)
Distance: 4 km
Time:
1.5 hours
Footwear:
High heels
ha ha!
This is a chance to see a bit more of the area without your
pet owner being distracted by shops again.
Our Millie’s into history and she says I’m to tell you that
Powfoot, the metal frisbee swimming pool, the nearby
Queensberry Terrace (big fancy houses) and the Powfoot
Lakes were all part of a Victorian tourism initiative. Yeah,
right.
So my last walk takes you
along the doggie walk and
into Cummertrees, through
the Powfoot Lakes, via the
golf course and back along
the shore or the shore road.
You can reverse it if you want - but bear in mind that it’s
tiring walking backwards all that way.
Set off as in walk 1 along the Queensberry Bay dog walk to
the end. Turn right onto the Moss Road to Cummertrees (it’s
not signposted - this is the country!). Watch out for traffic
on this road. It’s used by locals who do seem to drive too fast
sometimes - but what do I know?
After a bend in the road you’ll pass through what looks like a
farmyard - keep going straight on, up the hill (& it’s a steep
one).
At the end, you’ll find yourself opposite
the Cummertrees Village Hall. Now here’s
an odd thing. Our Maddie is into
grammar and she says there shouldn’t
be a full stop on the end of “Village Hall.”
She says there’s no verb in it so it isn’t
a proper sentence.
Whatever.
Turn right. This is the road from Annan to Dumfries that
you must have driven along. The bit you’re standing in is
Cummertrees. No - there’s no hidden bit anywhere. This is
Cummertrees. This road. Walk past the little cottages and
you’ll come to Cummertrees Church. It’s privately owned now.
Apparently no-one ever went.
Carry on down the hill. At
the bottom of the hill is the
road leading to the golf
club. We’re turning right
before that along the
signposted footpath. The
one at the lay by there.
Now this is like the Amazon. Except it’s usually cold here and
there aren’t any poisonous spiders or snakes. Or at least I
haven’t seen any. And I haven’t seen any alligators or
crocodiles either - in case they bother you.
There are a couple of ways through the Powfoot Lakes - all are
signposted.
One is back to the shore across
boring as
the golf course (which is
they say you have to be on a lead) and the other is to
Powfoot. Both are then back to the park along the shore or the
shore road (as under walk no 2).
At least that’s less boring as you can have another go at the
the metal frisbee thing . . .
Maddie’s property rules
Maddie has asked me to point out the following in relation to
your toys, bowls, leads & anything else you may have brought
with you or been given while you’re here with us*:
If I like it, it’s mine
If it’s in my mouth, it’s mine
If you’ve put it down, it’s mine
If I can take it from you, it’s mine
If I’ve had it at any time in the past 7 days, it’s mine
If it looks like it might be mine, it’s mine
If I saw it first, it’s mine
If I’ve chewed it up, all the pieces
are mine
Ÿ If it’s broken, it’s yours
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* if you’re missing anything tell them in
the shop and I’ll check Maddie’s den
wombat xx