A springtime walk for Max and Juno

After months stuck in lockdown, Max and Juno took every opportunity they could to get out and enjoy the countryside.
May brought a welcome supply of sunshine, and with it, all the crisp scents and colours of spring.
They headed out towards the coast, stopping off at a National Trust for Scotland property which had beautiful gardens and woodland walks to enjoy.







They'd visited right in the middle of bluebell season and almost every patch of ground beneath the trees was carpeted in a sea of blue and the fresh green shoots of new life.









Baxter disappeared off into the undergrowth, his eternal quest for squirrels and rabbits hampered somewhat by the conflicting scents of freshly blooming flowers and the rich loamy soil beneath.







Aside from the woods, there were even a few interesting follies to explore...





...as well as the old walled garden and glasshouses which once provided food and cut flowers for the big house back in the day.






From the top of the hill they could see the river glistening in the sunshine as it joined the sea, and as ever, the inexorable pull of the ocean drew them towards it.

It wasn't much of a beach, more estuarine mudflats than coastal sands, and the view wasn't exactly thrilling, but the gulls were screeching and they could taste the salt-tang and seaweed on the air so that was good enough for them.







Seeing as the weather was nice, they found a good picnic spot and rushed back to the car for some supplies.
They'd taken a packed lunch just in case, and for once, actually got the chance to enjoy it outside and not in the car, parked in a layby somewhere while the rain drummed out a pattern on the roof.






While they ate, Baxter amused himself in the sand, digging and rolling and generally making a nuisance of himself.







Max had just started her second wrap when a cold nose was shoved against her leg, along with a piece of driftwood.

Baxter had found himself a stick.




Max chuckled and begrudgingly got to her feet. 'You aren't going to leave me alone until I throw it, are you?'

The dog didn't reply, but his tail wagged even more vigorously than before. She sighed.

'Alright, give it here...you ready?'

As she raised the stick, Baxter's collie ancestry kicked in and he lowered himself to the ground, tail wagging furiously as he let out a few excited barks.









'...alright, boy, go get it!'



Sand and pebbles flew everywhere as he raced to catch his quarry, and before she knew it, Max was being presented with it once again. The cycle never ended!



Ten minutes of fetch later, Baxter (and Max's arm) was well and truly worn out, and he flopped down on the picnic blanket and fell asleep.

Max did the same, leaning against Juno, who'd been watching them with amusement.

'Beach selfie before you fall asleep as well?'



'Ooof - rude!'



'You're lucky I love you'