Walks — how a day with Fell & Fetch runs

Two kinds of walk. Your dog picks which.

Every dog I take out goes one of two ways: in a small group of up to six on the fells and round Derwentwater, or on its own with me.

Which one suits is down to the dog, not what's convenient. If I think yours would be happier on a solo walk, I'll say so before we start, and the same the other way round.

Group walks: up to six dogs, the fells and the lake

Six is the most I'll take at once. It's the number I can keep an eye on in bracken, call back on a shore path, and fit in the van with everyone crated. I don't go over it to squeeze another dog in.

A group morning starts with the pick-ups around Keswick, Portinscale and Braithwaite, then out to the fell or round Derwentwater, depending on the weather and the dogs that day. They come home wet, muddy and tired, and you get the photos and a short video or two the same afternoon.

The groups are mixed: different sizes, different ages, different coats. What they have in common is that they like other dogs and come back when called.

Sociable dogs that are better for company.
Young dogs with more energy than a lead walk round town uses up.
Puppies that are old enough for the fells and have had a steady start with other dogs.

See recent group walks in the diary

Six dogs of different sizes strung along a wet ridge path in bracken, cloud low on the fell behind and a grey lake below — Ridge path above Derwentwater — six out, one checking I'm still coming

Muddy dogs pushing through tall wet bracken, photographed at their own height — Bracken, head height for the small ones

A group of dogs wading in the shallows of a grey lake, one shaking off, with a wooded fell on the far shore — Derwentwater — the paddle before the van

One dog alone on a quiet stony lakeshore path with a slack lead, flat silver water beside it and nobody else about — Shore path, early — one dog, slack lead, nobody else about

Solo walks: one dog, one lead, the path to themselves

Some dogs don't get on with others. Some are fine with people and not with dogs, some are nervous, some have had a bad start. None of that rules them out. It just means they go out on their own with me.

A solo walk is the same fells and the same shore paths as the group gets, timed for when they're quietest. Your dog isn't asked to cope with a pack, and I can give the whole walk to them.

If you've been turned down elsewhere because your dog doesn't mix, ask. The answer is usually yes.

See solo outings in the diary

A work van in a lay-by under a grey fell with its rear doors open, dogs looking out from travel crates and a muddy boot on the step — Lay-by below the fell — doors open, everyone crated, boots already muddy

Pick-up, drop-off and the van

How the dogs travel is the third thing everyone asks. The picture answers most of it; the rest is below.

Where I collect: Keswick, Portinscale and Braithwaite. That's the round the van does, and I keep it to those three so the dogs aren't sat in the back for long.
Which days: Weekdays only, Monday to Friday. No weekends.
How they ride: Each dog in its own crate in the back of the van, there and back. Nobody loose, nobody sharing.
Collection and return: I collect from your door, do the walk, and bring your dog back to the same door afterwards. We agree how I get in and where the towel lives before the first walk. If you're a holiday-let guest, the one-off note explains how that works for a stay.

Prices

Price is the first thing most people ask, so it belongs on the page rather than in a message. These are the walks I charge for; Tom sets the figures and keeps them current here.

Per dog, per walk. Weekdays only.
Group walk, up to six dogs	Ask Tom and you'll have the figure in his first reply. Fells or round Derwentwater, van pick-up and drop-off included, photos and video the same day.
Solo walk, one to one	Ask Tom and you'll have the figure in his first reply. Just your dog, the same paths at their quietest, van pick-up and drop-off included.
One-off walk for holiday-let guests	Quoted when there's space on the day. Weekdays only, availability permitting. Regular dogs come first.

Ask about space on your days

Say which weekdays and where you are, and the price comes back with the yes or no.