Dogs, Defenders, and Other Tools for English Country Living

One of our favorite house sits of the past few months was relatively unexpected. I would never have guessed that when we agreed to come to Herefordshire we would find one of the most beautiful parts of England. With the narrowest of winding roads, traditional hedges separating undulating fields, and the Black Mountains of Wales in the distance, we were truly impressed. Being able to look out the window at such beauty every day is enough to make a great stay, but it only got better from there...

The Mill House

Our joy intensified as we arrived at our home for the coming week, a beautiful mill house restored by our hosts over the last couple years. The view was stunning with sheep fields on one side and Dore Abbey visible from the other. The garden was immense and pleasantly arranged with all kinds of flowers. There was a chicken coop at the far end and a number of fruit and vegetable bearing plants -  apple trees, fresh tomatoes, zucchini, runner beans, it was like the produce aisle of Waitrose.
​
Inside the house was so comfortable, it really had everything. A nice wood burning stove for the colder nights. So much counter space in the kitchen we could have slept on it (but we didn’t need to because of the super comfortable bed). Even a great book and DVD collection although Blair got a little overzealous with how much of it he thought he would get through in one week (nice try on all 1000 pages of 1Q84 though).

​The Lurcher

Lola was an amazing animal to look after. As a rescue with a particular distaste for strange men, she was obviously hesitant with us at first. But in due time that wore off and her true colors showed. Now, having owned a dog of similar build in the past, I was aware of the energy that these otherwise gentle and quiet breeds exert when let outside in open countryside.  Lola was no exception, but each time she would take off from zero it was still thrilling.  She would charge back and forth up and down hills and not even be phased. She was so well trained too. I’ve never seen a dog completely ignore  sheep, cows, and even wild ponies the way she does. I should have figured this out when she showed no inclination to savor the chickens at the back of the house. Seeing her chase rabbits and squirrels but ignore other creatures is a true testimony to her training, or good character, or both.

Back home, happily exhausted by her extensive runs with her doggie friends on the Common, she would lie on her enormous cushion, legs in the air awaiting a tummy and neck rub. Her impeccable behavior in the fields extended into the home where not once did she jump on the furniture or even come up the stairs to jump on a bed. What an angel.

​The Chickens

Blair’s favorite task of the day was going to visit the chickens. We had not done a house sit yet with backyard chickens, so this was the most novel aspect of our time in Herefordshire. The best part were the fresh eggs they would produce every day in all color and sizes. It was like Christmas morning each time we lifted the lid to the nesting box and found breakfast. Who needs Waitrose anyway? The taste was like no other eggs we have had, and honestly, the only problem was that there were only 6 chickens. For our next chicken sit we think 20 will be sufficient, thank you.

​The Common

The Ewyas Harold Common was made for a dog like Lola. 125 acres of land to run free and explore and mostly get lost! It was only thanks to our GPS that we were ever able to make our way back to where we started.  In parts, it felt like the Hundred Acre Wood, in other areas it was more Forbidden Forest. There were long stretches full of ferns that had a distinct Jurassic Park feel. The whole place would change depending on the weather. Some days light misty rain left the ground slippery and muddy and really gave our new walking shoes a workout.  A late summer heat wave came on a couple of days and the temperature soared to around 30°C  leaving us sweaty after hours of chasing Lola around. It was a magnificent place.  

​The End

Just dog walks and chicken duties alone would have been criminal in this gorgeous area. We made sure to visit Hereford, the county town just 25 minutes away, and also charming Hay-on-Wye, a similar distance in the opposite direction. We would oft be called to cross the border into Wales to sample the cider, ale, and food at the very friendly local Angel Inn in Grosmont. Their fish night was well worth the five mile drive, interestingly it was not held on Fridays (a Welsh thing perhaps?). Speaking of Welsh things, we never did hear a Welsh accent in the place, let alone the language itself being spoken. Oh well.

Of course, all these good things had to come to an end. Probably for the best as we were pretty close to calling the estate agent, strapping on our wellies, buying a Land Rover Defender, and just staying forever.  But after two months of straight housesitting we needed a short break before resuming.

Goodbye Lola!

Share

Farewell Herefordshire!