Jairkingsly Labradors

Now, you might need a bit of a backstory. There was this TV show called ‘Wish You Were Here?’, all about travel and holidays. It seemed like in our household, holidays were being meticulously planned for the girls.

Poppy was undergoing hydrotherapy sessions to aid her recovery from her operations. It took some time to build her confidence, but eventually, she eagerly anticipated her sessions, thanks to a rather unusual motivator—a pig! To encourage dogs to swim, therapists typically use a toy or aid to lure them into the water. This toy is usually held just in front of them, and they swim to retrieve it. At the end of each lap, they rest and are rewarded with the toy. Poppy’s choice was a small, squeaky pig. As soon as she spotted it, she transformed into a canine Rebecca Adlington! The only hitch was her almost maternal attachment to it. If the pig filled with water and started to sink, off she went to ‘rescue’ it, diving under the water if necessary! On other occasions, if the therapist squeezed it, she’d start barking or moaning, as if she thought it was being hurt! Oh, how she adored that pig and swimming!

In addition to hydrotherapy, we planned two trips for the year—one to Newquay, Cornwall, of course, and another to the Lake District, another gem in the UK. As with our previous Cornwall trip, we chose the central Travel Lodge for accommodation. For the Lake District, we stayed at the charming Lordore  Falls Hotel & Spa.

Let’s kick things off with Cornwall. We spiced things up by spending a night in Devon first to break up the journey. It was a fantastic place to stay, incredibly dog-friendly in all areas except the restaurant. They even provided dog towels for after those muddy walks! Then, it was off to the next leg of our adventure. Our first stop was Lewinnick Lodge, where we settled in before heading out for a meal at Lusty Glaze. Our second day was a delightful walk along the coastal path, offering stunning views and good exercise for the girls. There were some muddy patches, but we managed to dodge them, keeping the dogs mud-free. Then, of course, Lottie found the biggest, muddiest spot she could, so close! To add to the drama, a couple strolled past in pristine white trousers 🙀. This could have been a disaster, but thankfully, she walked right past! Our next stop was Padstow, another favourite. Unfortunately, due to the time of year, parking was a nightmare, but they offer a free bus shuttle service into town, and dogs are welcome on the bus too! Both Poppy and Lottie eagerly hopped onto the bus. Lottie settled down immediately, looking quite at home, while Poppy seemed to question her decision. She stood in the middle of the bus, blowing from her cheeks, almost as if she was about to be sick. Thankfully, she didn’t! Let’s just say she was less keen to get on the bus on the way back!

A day trip took us to the Staffordshire Show Ground for a country show, featuring attractions like horse showing, birds of prey demonstrations, cookery demos, and more. Poppy made a couple of friends—first, a cute yellow Labrador puppy, whom she adored until it nipped her a bit too playfully. Then, there were these enormous tortoises that looked like stones, which left her mesmerised by their slow, deliberate movements. This trip concluded with a lunch out as a treat for their excellent behaviour.

After a couple of months of home and work, our next adventure took us to a new destination—the Lake District in Cumbria, Northwest England, known for its slightly wet reputation! When we arrived at the hotel and walked through the doors, we exchanged a look and said, “This can’t be right.” It was a beautiful hotel that, at first glance, didn’t seem dog-friendly. How wrong we were! After checking in, we went for a walk to get our bearings, and the landscape was breathtaking. We spent the next few days exploring walks and visiting other places around, including Keswick and Lake Windermere. Lunch by roaring open fires was the epitome of cosiness!

So, as you can see, along with numerous day trips, Poppy and Lottie had a jam-packed year, and that wasn’t the end of it!