Pets

It takes a stout heart to brave a cold winters day for a dog walk but once you get going it’s amazing how much better you feel with a lung full of fresh air and a few miles under your belt. This month’s walk was first featured 3 years back but ranked highly as a winter walk because of its length, varied terrain and good paths, although there are a few muddy bits but try and find a walk without some mud at the moment!

A moderate walk with a varied terrain. The route should take around 2 1/2 hours. There are some stretches along roads, so take care. And of course, as usual at this time of the year there are some uneven and muddy parts so a good pair of boots or wellies is highly recommended. 4 1/2-MILE CIRCULAR WALK FROM RINGWOOD

START: RINGWOOD PARK CAR PARK, HOLLINGWOOD. S43 2JH (CAR PARK ENTRANCE AT JUNCTION OF CHESTERFIELD ROAD & INKERSALL GREEN ROAD)

1. Standing with your back to the car park entrance continue straight ahead to the far end of the car park to bear left to climb some steps. Keep straight ahead, firstly with a fence on your right then a lake. 2. Continue ahead, staying close to the lake for some distance. Eventually you will continue with a tall metal fence on your left. After a very short distance and where a smaller metal fence on your right begins, pass through a gap on your left and continue ahead with a metal fence on your right. 3. Keep ahead, going through woodland and the footpath will begin to climb. As the path begins to level off you come out of the woodland, continue with trees on your right and pasture on your left. After some distance continue back into woodland. 4. Cross over a wooden footbridge, climb some steps and then continue straight ahead to climb a 2nd set of steps. At a major intersection of footpaths ignore the path on the left and straight on and instead bear slightly right to take the footpath going down some steps. Continue down a 2nd set of steps and cross over a wooden footbridge. 5. Climb some steps then continue straight ahead ignoring a path to the immediate left. Continue ahead

and keep left staying close to a chain link fence on your left. 6. Continue until reaching a split in the path. Then keep right and continue along the same level passing a marker post on your left. Continue straight ahead for some distance along the same level passing another maker posts on your left. 7. At a third marker post ignore the footpath going steep downhill to your right and continue straight ahead, then at a split in the path ignore the path to the left going uphill and keep right staying on a path that is relatively level. 8. Keep ahead for some distance to pass another marker post on your left and then a little further on, continue to pass another marker post on your left. After this marker post, ignore a path to the left and then continue for a short distance before dropping downhill to a cross a bridge. 9. Continue uphill through woodland. Eventually the footpath levels with a stream in the small gully on your left. The footpath begins to climb once more and you will pass a farm building on your right. Upon reaching a large metal gate directly in front of you, pass through a gap to pass by the gate, ignore a marked footpath on your left and continue straight ahead onto a road. 10. Continue along the road and then take the 1st road on the right called ‘Brooke Drive’. Continue along ‘Brooke Drive’ for some distance and then around to the left. At a T-junction turn right along the road for a very short distance and then take the 1st road on the left called ‘Recreation Road’. 11. Continue along Recreation Road as it becomes a lane. At the end of the lane bear slightly right of some double gates along a marked footpath with a hedge on your right and a wall on your left. 12. After a short distance pass through a metal chicane and to a T-junction. Turn right along the lane, ignore a marked footpath on the left and continue ahead. After some distance you will come to 2 houses one on each side of the lane. Immediately after passing the house on the right, turn right along a signposted footpath. 13. Continue to enter a field and keep ahead with a hedge on your left. At the far side of the field to pass through a gap in the trees. Continue straight ahead across the centre of another field to pass through a gap adjacent to a large metal gate. 14. Keep ahead to reach a main road. Cross over and turn right and continue for some distance until reaching house number ‘151’ on the left and immediately after turn left onto a lane and signposted footpath. 15. After some distance pass by a telegraph pole on your left keep ahead to head gently downhill. Immediately after passing beneath some power cables and just prior to entering some woodland turn left onto a footpath. 16. Keep on the footpath to pass a pylon on your left. Then pass a marker post on your left and enter the woodland. Follow the footpath and pass another marker posts on your right. After a short distance cross over a stile and into a field with open views to your right. 17. Continue ahead ignoring a marked footpath going uphill to your left. Keep ahead to drop steep downhill and cross over a footbridge. Climb some steps and continue along the edge of another field passing by an aerial/mast on your left.

18. Just just prior to reaching some houses turn right and head downhill along the edge of the field. Near the bottom of the hill and then upon reaching a stone structure on your left, turn left to exit the field. Turn left along the lane and then turn right along a main road.

19. Continue along the main road past a bus shelter and then downhill to reach a large metal gate on your right. Pass through a gap next the metal gate and follow a footpath going downhill. Pass by a BMX track on your left and continue until you have a lake directly in front of you. Follow the tarmac path to keep the lake on your right and cross over a bridge back into the car park.

This walk is for illustrative purposes only. Voice Magazines takes no responsibility for anyone who chooses to follow this route and encourages all walkers to obey all byelaws and signs and to respect the area they are walking in, ensuring they pick up all dog mess and obey the countryside code at all times.

Thinking about getting a new dog?

Introducing a new pet to the household is a big commitment, so follow these do’s and don’ts to make sure you get it right!

Please do: Please don’t:

1. Research your breed! The average dog lives for around 13 years, so making sure that you choose a breed that will fit in with your lifestyle is essential before you start looking at puppies that you read up on the breeds you are interested in to make sure you know what to expect. 2. Check out your local rescues. Rescue centres have dogs of all ages and breeds, including puppies occasionally. At any one time, there are over 110,000 dogs in rescue in the UK, with almost 8000 being euthanised each year. Good rescue centres, like good breeders, will want to make sure that any dog you are interested in is a good fit for you and your family and so you should expect them to carry out home checks and meet all household members prior to adoption. 3. If you decide to buy a puppy, find a reputable breeder. There are many breeders out there and many are not as trustworthy as they may lead you to believe. A good breeder should be as interested in you and your home life as you are in their puppy. You should ALWAYS be able to see the puppy with its mother, as this will give you some indication of what the puppy is likely to grow up like, both physically and in temperament. A good breeder will provide you with information about the breed, ensure that their puppies are healthy with at least their first vaccinations done before going home, and will be there to support you through puppyhood and the rest of your dog’s life. 4. Ensure that if you choose a breed with known health problems, that the breeder you go to makes use of the health testing schemes available e.g. testing for hip and eye problems. Certain hereditary health problems can cost thousands of pounds in vet bills and cannot necessarily be cured. 5. Ask lots of questions! The RSPCA have compiled an excellent list of questions to ask which can be found on their website: http://www.rspca.org.uk/ 6. Take out pet insurance. Get estimates for the breed you are thinking about buying before you buy to make sure that you can afford the insurance. Whilst it may not seem necessary whilst your puppy is still young, taking out lifelong health insurance ensures that your dog will be covered in later years should the worst happen, and may also help you cover the costs of any cost issues that may arise in their early years (although always check the policy for exclusions, particularly in breeds that are predisposed to problems! 1. Buy online without seeing the puppy or its mother! Whilst it may seem convenient to pick a puppy from a picture and order it for delivery once weaned, these puppies are usually very poorly bred (often abroad) and are most likely to have serious health concerns. 2. Buy from anywhere that are selling lots of different breeds of dogs. They are likely ‘puppy dealers’, who are selling for puppy farms or buying puppies from puppy farms to sell on. Puppy farm puppies may have a pedigree certificate but does not mean that they are well bred! These dogs are bred too often and purely for profit, with no regard for their health. 3. Buy from a pet shop. Good breeders will NOT sell their puppies via a shop. 4. Buy from anywhere that you cannot see the mother with the pups. This is usually a good indication that something is amiss! 5. Buy a puppy because it is cheap. Usually there is a reason for this – buyer beware! 6. Buy a puppy with a known health issue unless you know exactly what you are taking on and the costs involved. If you are considering doing this, get a history from the breeder’s vet and then discuss the implications with your own vet so that you can make an informed decision. Any health problems that have been noted prior to you buying the puppy are highly unlikely to be covered by insurance.

Don’t forget to book in with one of our Nurses for a new pet check and advice on looking after your new arrival.