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!

A Trip to Devon

After a very busy summer and a hectic 5 days up at the Burghley Horse Trials, we needed a break! So off to Devon we went where we are lucky enough to have some very good friends who live on the wonderful Dartington Estate. Oh it was good to be back and we slipped into the slower pace of life like we had never left

Some pics of Burghley don't be fooled by that blue sky, it was very cold in that tent at night

and then to Devon

So, after an early mooch around the weekly vintage market in Totnes, the first place I visit is Redhouse Gifts our old shop, where I meet Maggie the new owner and we head for the nearest coffee shop for breakfast and to talk shop! Maggie has really carried the shop forward and has lots of lovely goodies, mainly British and I did have to make a few purchases!

The window looked pretty good I thought

Then it was straight down to my second favourite shop in Totnes, Inspired Buys on the Plains, I would give you a link to a website, if Beverly the owner had one! No, Beverly is wonderfully eccentric and old fashioned, traits that are illustrated well in her little shop that has a mix of new, but nostalgic products, up cycled products that she makes and some vintage finds from car boots and markets. Beverly has a wonderful eye for pleasing products, and I came out of the shop with a clock made from a tiddlywinks box, some scrabble letters, and a wonderful dog on wheels, oh and a whippet tea towel by Poppy Treffry. She knows me so well!

I have named her Elsie

Then it was Saturday lunchtime, and we had a picnic planned with four humans and four whippets, on Dartmoor by the river. The weather was kind and the dogs were mostly well behaved apart from the chicken stealing incident, but Bailey is only ten months old, and I forgive him. We all laughed alot.

In the evening we had a bbq and some more friends joined us, and after some Pimms and wine it seemed like a good idea to go on a river trip and take dinner the next night. MMmmmm

Sunday was spent eating, walking dogs, and more eating. Then the river trip. John and Debbie were keen, they had cooked and packed the picnic, we were not so keen, the weather looked a bit bleak!

We were not put off, the boats, some sort of canoe if you are wondering, were put on the water and we all climbed on, two in each boat, I froze for fear of capsizing in the cold River Dart, and loosing my precious Aigle Wellies in the deep water!

We reached our destination just in daylight when the rain went from drizzle to proper rain. A glass of wine was consumed under the trees and it was decided that getting back and eating in the comfort of their home would be safer! How relieved was I, this meant only having to get out of the boat once! I have no photos of this trip as I felt that the iPhone was just too precious to be lost in the river in case of a capsizing!

On Monday it rained heavily and I went to visit John in his studio to pick up some beautiful dog collars he had made for me. Oh the smell of his workroom is heavenly, a mix of leather, wax and machinery.

I took some pictures

Then we left Devon behind

After a short week we are off to Suffolk for a weeks holiday, yes it seems it is all play and no work for us at Redhound for the next 10 days. 

Hooray

Mad Dogs & Englishman

The country fair, village fetes and charity dog shows, are they quintessentially british?  

When I arrived at the Rye Dog Show early on Saturday morning, I thought to myself, "how very British". The rings were all laid out for the dogs to parade around, the stall holders were setting up, as were we, in the Pimms tent they were cutting up cucumber and mint leaves, the band were tuning up on the band stand and the vintage cars were arriving and parking in neat lines waiting to be judged.

Oh How I Love It!! 

So just a few images of my day so you too can share in this lovely British tradition.

The Cars made me think what a lovely time it was when the police only had Morris Minors.

Remember when you could buy this stuff for 35p/gallon?

And Best in Show went to this beautiful lurcher!

Very well deserved I say.

but Nancy won three rosettes!

I left feeling so proud of the country I live in, loving it's quirky traditions, and just a little bit sunburnt.

Essential Kit for Dog Walking

It occurs to me everyday at around 7.30 in the morning when I take the somewhat sleepy whippets out, how did I ever manage before I set up Redhound? No Hold it All bag, no stylish rain coat, and no decent coats for the whippets! So I thought I would share with you the items I believe are essential kit for dog walking. Especially in this country where it seems to rain - a lot.

Firstly you need a waterproof coat. Preferably one that is cut to flatter your body, not a straight up and down thing that you got at Millets! I know that there is a shortage of stylish raincoats out there, and this is why I designed a small range of four coats to flatter all shapes and heights. 20 years of making wedding dresses taught me loads about great style and how to make the best of what you have. So, no excuse to walk the dog looking drab!

So that's the coat. Now you need a bag. 

We make this lovely bag in two sizes, Treat Bag, which is great if you only have one dog. And Hold it All, which is bigger and great for multiple dogs, and they now come with a pocket for your mobile. Keep the treats, your keys, the ball, the leads......All in the Hold it All

If it's raining and you have hounds like me who hate the rain, then you will also need one of these.

We do these in various breed specific sizes, but I have blogged about that before, so I won't go on about it again.

There you have it, all that you need for walking out in style! 

Oh and one last thing, a really decent pair of Wellies! Don't scrimp on these, I have learnt that you really do get what you pay for, and my current ones are Aigles, and I love them. 

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.