October began with a return to Sulgrave and a reunion with Biddy, a wonderfully calm and well-behaved black Labrador whom we last looked after three years ago. She remains an absolute dream to walk. Nothing fazes her; squirrels, cats, dogs, sheep, horses and cows were all encountered on our daily outings, and she ignored every one of them. Even the village’s rather famous albino squirrel failed to earn more than a passing glance.
Leaving Sulgrave, we stopped briefly in Marlborough and finally had the chance to explore Avebury Henge and Stone Circles, somewhere we had often passed but never had time to visit properly. Recognised as a World Heritage Site for its outstanding Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments, Avebury’s outer stone circle is the largest prehistoric stone circle in the world. Within it lie the remains of two smaller circles, creating a fascinating glimpse into Britain’s ancient past.
After the excitement and busyness of the previous couple of months, we decided it was time for a short break of our own. Foreign shores beckoned, and before long we were heading to Bristol Airport for a flight to Split in Croatia. Our days were divided fairly equally between exploring and sleeping, recharging our batteries while sampling the local beer, cuisine and beautiful surroundings.
Returning to the UK, we spent a couple of days in Winscombe so we could tick another destination off our ever-growing list: the magnificent Cheddar Gorge. A wonderful day’s walk around the gorge and its spectacular caves, combined with some excellent food and drink, set us up perfectly for our next sit.
That next adventure took us back to Somerset, where some friends had both a new home and a new puppy waiting for us. Their four-month-old chocolate Labrador Izzy was wonderfully cute, endlessly entertaining and, as all puppy owners know, delightfully angelic when asleep and considerably more demanding the rest of the time. We accompanied her to puppy classes and took her on a couple of day trips, enjoying the constant energy and enthusiasm that only a young Labrador can bring.
At the time of writing, we are still looking after her, with her owners due home soon. Once they return, we are hoping to spend some time catching up with our other friends in Sparkford. It will be wonderful to see everyone again and hear what they have all been up to since our last visit.