A Trip to Suffolk

It may seem like we are always on holiday here at Redhound, but it just so happens that our long weekend in Devon was closely followed by a week in the lovely dog friendly county of Suffolk. In fact this was our first week away for over 3 years! So we were really ready for it! 

Suffolk is a beautiful county and we stayed in a lovely converted stable that we booked through a great website www.bestofsuffolk.co.uk All of their properties are of a high standard, and lots are dog friendly too. The Stable had underfloor heating which is heaven to the whippets! We loved the peace and quiet, the only sounds at night were foxes and owls, and no street lights so it was very dark at night, great for restful nights and restorative sleep, both of which we needed! 

We found some lovely shops, I loved this one, so traditional, and they sold a bit of everything, from rabbit food to wool!

We ate some fantastic food, fish featured on all menus, and I got my fix of fresh crab, Bruno has discovered at the age of 9 that he too likes crab!

We found some amazing churches and they all had these beautiful hand embroidered cushions on the pews 

We went to some beaches and had fish and chips! And lots of sea air! 

 More embroidered cushions on pews and we saw The House in The Clouds at Thorpeness!

Then the week was over! We were supposed to be resting, and relaxing, but this doesn't come easily to us, so we had fantastic days out, great dog walks and lots of exploring. We even met the man who discovered the Hoxne Hord, the biggest single find of Roman coins, jewellery and much more. Now in the British museum he is 89 and still going out with his metal detected! A really lovely gentleman, and a great character!

So back in the Garden of England now, and in the throws of moving our business to an old Kent Barn, we truly have outgrown the house!

These two are glad to be home and back in the usual routine which involves lots of sleeping during the day, and less exploring and walking! They have a holiday every day here!

Wealden Whippet Walk

Some of you know this, but for those who may be reading my little blog for the first time, we live in the Garden of England, otherwise known as Kent! We moved from Surrey, via Devon, to be nearer to our families late last year. When you have dogs, you get out and about and discover the countryside in a way that is probably only shared with Ramblers. So today I thought I would take you on an evenings walk on the beautiful Weald of Kent which is on our doorstep.

Having parked the car, mmm I hear you say, on the door step, well, not literally, we do have to drive to this walk! we pass the beautiful manor house in the village which could not look more 'Kent', and every time we pass this green door, I so want to go through it, as I am sure that beauty lies on the other side.

Then we are onto the footpath, and the whippets are released from their leads, freedom is a wonderful thing to a whippet, they can then chase the many rabbits that are basking in the evening sun, just beside the stinging nettles, a very good place for them, whippets won't venture into those pesky plants even for the love of bunny!

The open fields have just been harvested and the smell of the drying grass is so wonderfully evocative of the english summer, I take deep breaths. The whippets are now running ahead, looking around and sniffing the ground at the same time.

I won't deny that some chasing of rabbits did take place on this wonderful walk, but you will be pleased to know, all rabbits out ran the whippets, they are getting on in dog years.

We pass orchards, and fields, and woodland. The whippets are so happy, and so are we. The evening sun is  still shining and making us feel glad to be alive.

Some time later we find ourselves back where we started, Frankie and Bruno somewhat tired, and us ready for our evening tipple of sloe gin, or did we fancy a sherry?

All happy in our household.