Bringing the mutt for a walk

Culchie

OK, we lived in Dublin for best part of 10 years, and we had a public park right beside us, and every evening we brought our boisterous, bold, untrained, unresponsive and completely lovable Springer Spaniel out for his run. We could let him off the leash (after being pulled up to the park) and let him run around after birds, nose around in bushes and bring back hedgehogs in his mouth ( I wish I was kidding) ..... he was in heaven.......he didn't think he was in Dublin at all!!

So we moved down West for a better life (we live in Charlestown, and work in Sligo - soon to build in Sligo) and we have the following problem.


We don't get back from work until 7pm or so. We try to bring the dog for a swim or a run (we go to Curry river, or Urlaur Lake) as much as we can.... but we don't get the walk we used to.

You'd think we could just go walking in the countryside, but the dog runs after sheep (never catches them, he's harmless, but the farmers don't know that). He can't be trusted near traffic as he has no road sense, and if he sees a bird or pheasant, he's after it straight away, and won't heed a word we say/shout while he is pre-occupied with trying to catch his prey.... Trying:o

Up until 4 months ago we used to go on the new Charlestown bypass that was being built ....and then it went and opened!

So North West boardsies, within 10 or 15 mins of Charllestown/Tubbercurry is there a stretch where both the mad springer spaniel and Mrs and Mrs Culchie can we both get a decent walk where we won't be disturbing local livestock?

bandit197

Hi Culchies,
First of all welcome to the west and I hope ye found the better life ye were after.
Ive live near Charlestown so ill try and show ya a few spots to let the hound loose.
About 10 mins from tobercurry on the ballina road you will get to lough talt. http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=54.08316,-8.922272&spn=0.239661,0.631714&z=11 Lots of open space and here and its a lovely area. There can be some sheep about on the mountain but they move about so if you see them keep driving past the lake untill the coast is clear. There are some dirt tracks leading into the bogs to bring the dog to get off the road. btw bring a jacket, its not known as 'the windy gap' for nothing! There are some great trails into the woods here too, just keep an eye out.

Heres another good spot http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=54.08316,-8.922272&spn=0.239661,0.631714&z=11

Look for loughhanaboll on the map. Northwest from tobercurry. Very remote up here and a nice lake too. Same deal with the sheep. just avoid them.
Hope this helps

artieanna

My secret would be look for bogland and you'll find lovely narrow lanes where people got turf for years. These are always free from sheep and traffic on that map are two great places I know of one is in Glann east opposite an old school (which has been done up) there is a laneway which is superb for walks. Along the old railway line in charlestown is a good spot too...Near cloonfinish there is also bogland boreens.

The windy gap is a nice spot too
Happy days:)