Sunday 25 August 2013

walking in Yarra Flats park

After our recent two- and three- hour walks along the Ninety Mile Beach when we holidayed at Best Friend Retreat, it seemed boring to do our usual walks near home, so yesterday I drove up to Yarra Flats park with Penny. After we set off, I had the bright idea of calling home and asking Human Number Two to pick us up at the other end of the walk, so we could explore and see where the path eventually ended.

She agreed. So Penny and I set off along the river. (I've just realised, in researching for this post, that dogs should be on lead in the park. I'm sort of glad we didn't know that. Next time I guess we'll have to abide by the law. Maybe we won't go there. It's boring having Penny on lead.)

Well, it was a rather long walk. Only an hour, but slippery, and steep in some places. Trees were down across the path in many places, which wasn't a problem for a dog, but was harder for a not-so-young human.



I guess the trees fell in the big storm while we were away on holiday, last week. Someone had made little tracks around the fallen trees, which was handy, but I wasn't too happy when I realised Penny and I were walking on flattened wandering trad (sometimes known as wandering jew). 



What a shocking weed! I've always disliked coming across it on our outings, because so many dogs are allergic to it,  but I hadn't realised why it is such a hated week in Australia, until I saw how it had smothered all the other plants. Kilometres of this plant, with only trees hardy enough to struggle up through it!


We enjoyed our walk, but I made sure to bath Penny as soon as we arrived home, to get any allergens from the wandering trad off her skin.


12 comments:

Jocee said...

I was thinking what a fun place for a dog to roam before you got to the bit about the weed. Its a shame when something like that takes over.

Kari in Alaska said...

What a beautiful place to walk!

Stop on by for a visit
Kari
http://dogisgodinreverse.com/

parlance said...

Jocee, that was how I felt. I was loving the walk, at first.

parlance said...

Kari, it was a great place, but the horrible weed was a wake-up call to me to make sure I rip up any piece I see in my own garden.

Molly the Airedale said...

That last picture is so serene and gorgeous! You are so lucky to be able to walk leash-free, Penny!

Love ya lots♥
Mitch and Molly

parlance said...

Yes, Mitch and Molly, we know how lucky we are and we appreciate it.

Unknown said...

Don't you just hate it when you find a great walk - and then discover later that it has to be on leash! That often happens to us and I'm like you - I want to follow the dog laws if I can,..although I admit to being naughty sometimes and if it's a very secluded, remote walk with no other people around, I'll let Honey off for a bit! :-)

Hsin-Yi

parlance said...

Hsin-Yi, I agree. If the place is not environmentally sensitive, and I believe the rules are designed to stop dogs bothering other humans, I sometimes bend the rules if it's very quiet.

Arran, Arthur and Mum said...

It looks a lovely place and it's such a shame that a quiet little 'doggy paradise' has leash laws like that. I have a little 'handle lead' which attaches to Ludo's harness so if I am somewhere where I am 'bending the rules' I can call him back and grab it and hold him for a while without him being 'off lead' but he's still not attached to me as such. But then, we don't have strict rules really.

Milo and Jet said...

HI Penny
Look like you went for a lovely walk at Yarra Flats Park
Milo & jet

parlance said...

Ludo. thanks for the info about the 'handle lead'. I'm going to pop over to your blog and ask you more about it.

parlance said...

Hi, Milo and Jet. Yes, it was a lovely walk.