As we came around the mountains towards Harlech it stopped raining, and the sun was trying to come out! Mummy and Daddy chose this spot on top of the hill (where Mummys Blue Mini is parked) and put the tent up, it was strange going into the tent and I wqas a bit unsure at first, but soon was ok with the tent, and we had the whole field to ourselves, with lots of long grass for me to run about in! There were some rocks in the field, and when I first saw one it made me nervous, I barked at it then cautiously approached it, but once I realised it wasnt going to jump n get me I was fine with them :)
This was the view looking south towards Barmouth, 8 miles away along sandy beaches, with the tide out, giving m,e lots of space to run atround!
And this was the view looking north back towards the rock pool beaches and Snowdonia!
And looking inland it was to see the Sand Dunes, some of the largest in Wales and a huuuuuge playground for me to go zoomies in!
At first I couldnt believe I had all this beach to run around on, so I stuck close to Mummy and Daddy.....
...... but as my confidence grew I started to go Zoomies, running around like the wind!
Stopping occassionally to check I hadnt gone too far from the folks......
..... and I wasnt sure about getting my paws wet, the water was cool and tasted funny, but I soon got used to it!
And then I was off, ears flapping, tongue lolling about, and running as fast as I could, it was great! I was going too fast for Mummy's camera to catch me, she took 300+ piccies on our holiday (mainly of me cos I is sooo pretty), but a lot of them werent good enough for her cos I was going too fast, so they is blurred or has bits of me out of shot!)
It was really great fun on the beach, my tail was wagging so hard Mummy thought it might wag itself off!
I was just sooooo excited I couldnt stop jumping around!
Then they toook me into the Sand Dunes........... OMG!!!!!!!!!! A playground deisgned just for me to go MEGA ZOOMIES IN!!!!!
I could run full speed, skimming across the tops of the dunes.....
........ I could charge about like a mad dog.........
.......... I could search for buried treasure (or even better, buried bones!!)......
.......... and I could run circles around Mum and Dad!
Going so fast that Mummy's camera couldnt keep up!
Mind you, cornering wasnt so easy on the sand!
But digging was!!!!
And it was definitely BIG FUN!
I got sand on my nose, and ran around looking like some Mad Dog, it was goood!
Stopping occassionally to have a good dig!
Before running some more!
I even got sand on my tongue!
Daddy was amazed at the size of my paw prints, he says they are huuuge, especially when measured against his size 8 boots!
I dont think they are all that big, but they were the biggest paw prints on the beach!
All too soon it was time for tea, so we walked back through the island, stopping at the water taps for me to have a drink!
When we got back to the tent Daddy lit the BBQ outside and the smoke came into the tent and frightened me, so I bolted ut of the tent and ran to the top of the hill and sat down, waiting for Mummy and Daddy. The moved the BBQ away from the tent and had to carry me back down the hill as I was tooo scared to go near it, I dont like the BBQ smells or fire! The brought me into the tent and let me lie down on their bed, with one of them staying with me whilst the other cooked tea on the BBQ, I got my fair share of BBQ food, which was nice.
But I was still scarred and shaking, so Dad let me lie on his belly to comfort me.
Once we had eaten and been for a walk to the toilets I didnt want to come back into the tent, so Mummy had to carry me, she put me in the middle of the airbed on top of the sleeping bags, and then Daddy and Mummy lay either side of me and I felt safer and relaxed a lot and went to sleep.
Mummy and Daddy also fell asleep, only waking up at 1am when they realised they were cold (as they couldnt get into the sleeping bag as I was on the zip) and that the airbed had deflated, so we were all lay on the floor! They had an uncomfy nights broken sleep, but I slept well and woke up with a waggly tail at 5am!
We all walked up to the toilets and then came back to the tent for breakfast, we all had weetabix, even me! I was fine in the tent until Daddy lit the gas stove to make a brew, which I didnt like, so I bolted out of the door and sat on the hill again, but after Daddy came and fetched me I did come back into the tent without being carried. I was a bit subdued with my tail between my legs in the tent, but as soon as I got outside I was back to normal, with my tails (and back end) waggling away like mad!
After we had breakfast we went to Barmouth to have a look around, we got there early and most of the shops were still shut, the sun was shining and I got to walk through the town without it being too busy, which I did really well, with lots of new things to smell and see, I pulled a bit on the lead, but it was only cos I was excited at all the new things I was seeing, afterall, I am still only a puppy! I saw lots of new dogs and wanted to rush over and say hello, but cos I was on my lead I couldnt, so I barked to say hello, some of the other dog owners thought this meant I was nasty, but Mummy explained I was still a puppy and they let me come over and say hi, which I did very nicely with a big waggly tail. As a trea (and cos it was getting hot) Mummy bought us all an Ice cream, I got one to myself, it was delicious!
And I soon demolished it! We also had fish n chips from the Harbour chippy, I dont much care for chips, but I do like the fish!
While we were in one of the shops in Barmouth Daddy bought me a tennis ball thrower, and we went into the field at Shell Island to play with it!
I love chasing after the ball, but Im not too keen on giving the ball back!
I would much rather go and lie with it in the long grass........
......... where I can play with it and have a lovely roll!
And then run off with the ball across the field! :)
But I do sometimes bring it back!
Mind you, the best place to sit is on Dad! He is really comfy :)
This was out tent, it is a new one for Mum and Dad, their friends Mark and Craig gave it to them recently to try out (they have another big tent, but this one has a bigger living area and is taller), which is really good!
Yes, Im a Daddy's girl, although Dad says I am a Mummys girl, I think really I am both their girl :)
But Daddy is the comfiest one to sit on!
But he does need a good wash every now and then, which is good cos I like giving washes and slobbery kisses!
As it was such a lovely day and we were back from Barmouth for early afternoon Mum and Dad decided to take me back to the beach with the tennis ball thrower for some more fun!
Because it was out of season, it was really quiet on the beach, so I had lots of room to run around in the sunshine!
Dad threw the ball a long way for me to run and chase.........
Which I would, although my brakes dont seem to work too well, as I often run right over the ball and have to turn around n come back for it!
Getting the ball is easy, but its not so easy to get it back from me!!
But eventually I will bring it back for Dad to throw again!
Mummy took some lovely silhouette piccies of me near the sea, take a look at these......
I wasnt too sure about the sea, I went in up to my knees, but that was about as far as I wanted to go!
Then we went back into the Sand Dunes for some more Zoomies fun!
I like sliding down the sand dunes!
And I like sitting with my ball, then letting it go and chasing it down the side of a dune!
After all this fun I was tired out, so we went back to the tent and although I was a little timid I came on ok, then slept the night on the bed between Mummy and Daddy, on the fixed airbed, which was lovely and comfy, I even let them get into their sleeping bag that night too!
Tuesday morning it was raining, so we went to Porthmadoc for the day, walking around the town was fun, but it was very wet, Daddy bought some Toffoc (toffee vodka) and some Penderyn Welsh Whiskey to take home, but he wouldnt share it with me! On the way back we stopped in Harlech for a walk, and a lovely lady in the Art Gallery drew a pen and ink piccy of me, then we went into a cafe and sat down to have something to eat, I was very good, got lots of fusses and even got some bacon, egg and sausage to eat :)
We then went back to Shell Island and as it had stopped raining we went straight to the Beach for a walk!
It was a bit grey when we got there, but the sun soon came out as the clouds cleared!
I had plenty of chances to get my ball and have a good run, as you can see from all the piccies Mummy took of me! Cos we had come straight from walking round Porthmadoc and Harlech I still had my seatbelt harness on, which is lovely and comfy, a nice red colour and keeps me safe in the car!
I had a run back into the Dunes again, running up n down from the Dunes to the beach!
I like running with my ball in my mouth!
I also like running and jumping, Mummy says I have built in springs on my feet!
And I love rolling around.........
...... even if it means I get sand everywhere, including on my tongue!
Sometimes I can even take off, Mummy says I look like Superdog on here!
As the sun started to come out Daddy threw my ball into the Sand Dunes.....
..... but instead of rolling down the big dune for me to chase it got stuck............
....... Dad came down the dune and pointed it out for me, but I couldnt see it.......
.......... so he started to climb up the big dune to get it, and I followed!
He kept pointing to the ball, but I was more interested in trying to make him slip on the dune!
Finally Daddy got the ball......
..... after climbing halfway up the biggest Sand Dune!
So then I got my ball n ran up the opposite side n sat down!
Then waited for him to get down!
Then, as it was getting hot, we went for a paddle on the beach........
....... I wasnt sure of the sea at first.........
......... it smelt different............
......... and kept trying to get me!
But after a while I took a paddle!
When we got back to the tent Dad said I smelled of the sea and wet dog, so had to have a bath when we got home!
On Wednesday it was really raining hard in the motning, so we went for a drive, then in the afternoon it dried up, so we played on the field and went to the Queen Victoria Pub in Llanbedr for our tea! I was allowed in the settle bar and was really good, then we went into the beer garden where I got lots of fusses, then back to Shell Island and a walk at the harbour!
The tide was all the way out, leaving all the deep soft squishy sand exposed, which was great for me to go Zoomies on!
This was our last night on Shell Island, next morning in the pouring rain Mummy n Daddy got wet taking down the tent and packing up to come home. I travelled in Mummy's Mini, with my head in her lap all the way home!
It was a good holiday, lots of new things for me to experience, and some scarey ones, but I think we all enjoyed it, especially the zoomies, sand dunes, beaches and ICE CREAM!
I hope we can go again next year!
