Through my father, I found a new forest to hike – an area where he used to work and walk when he was younger. If you want to, you can follow me, Totti and Milo!
Looking at the weather forecast, I chose a glorious day. And it was, from the start.
Night fallen snow and no wind. Blue promising skies with a cold sun.
Some 5-6 kilometers into the hike, I found the ruins of what once had been a cottage of my father’s. He used to stay there during the summers in the late 1940’s.
The stones rested in an open space, where now only brambles and old cherry trees, birches and lonely beeches were left to themselves. A silent and beautiful place.
Store Damm – Big Pond. This vast pond was recreated as part of a wetlands project from 2002 to 2006 with the help of old maps. The pond was drained just before 1920, but prior to that, it supplied hydro power to small-scale industries in the area.
The draining was done so that spruces could be planted, but the majority of these were downed by Hurricane Carola in 1999. Today, dead trees are still rising from the water.
Somewhere on the path here, Milo happened to venture down into a snow covered mud pool… so we had to keep moving faster because of the cold.
We also encountered wild boar hunters with dogs running around us – not that pleasant, but we have far too many wild boars here, so I hope they got some of them.
A glorious hike anyway, from where some earlier posts, Wednesday and Sunday, have borrowed photos.
In the late evening, Milo ”dropped his tail” and suffered from something called ”wet tail”. This problem might occur if the dog gets too wet and cold. A Spaniel and Retriever phenomenon mostly. I understand it hurts a great deal and he did not want to do anything at all after dinner. I had to let him out several times during the night, but the next evening he was – Tail Up again!
Leya 
What lovely images on a beautiful walk! Thanks for sharing
So glad you enjoyed it too!
Oh my, you have boar too! 😮 I am more afraid of the hunters though, they keep shooting each other. Can’t wait for the hunting season to be over (end of January, if I’m not mistaken). I’m on the side of the boar, can you tell? 😉 I have never heard of this problem, wet tail. I used to have a retriever who went into every kind of water, no matter how cold, but I never noticed anything. But most of all I’m glad that you have a new forest and you even found your father’s old hut!
We have hundreds of thousands of boars by now…they were extinct only some 15 years ago, but some were kept behind fences. They escaped…somehow…and they get MANY new little ones every year. They are a great problem here, for farmers and for the traffic. I have had real water lovers too, but without getting such tail. I believe it was running several kilometers in several degrees below zero – wet and dirty – that did it. He is very young too. But overall it was a fantastic day!
A beautiful walk with lots of interesting history. Hope your dog is okay again.
Thank you, he is. You always suffer with animals and children hurting, don’t you?
Vackra vinterbilder! 🙂
Tack så mycket!
Poor Milo – I’m glad he proved so resilient. Your Father was prudent – at least he can enjoy seeing the pictures. The light is beautiful. Was the cottage ruined in the hurricane? It looks like it would have been a sturdy one.
I think so, and the area held more cottages – now all left to nature.
Excellent photos! Thanks for sharing!
A wonderful walk with you and your two companions. The pile of stones must have have brought back memories of how the cottage used to be.
Had my father been with me on the walk, he would have remembered. But, unfortunately he thought this long walk to strenuous for him, he is 85.
You are so blessed to still have your father. Treasure him. 😍
I do, I do. And we lost contact for many years, as he was not married to my mother. Always sent a call on our birthdays only. But, the last 4 years or so, I decided I could not wait any longer – I just had to see him. When his wife was taken to a home for elderly people, we connected again. I guess he felt free to meet me now, I am his only child. It is a story of its own…but we love and treasure the moments we get when I drive the long way down to see him. I have realized how many gifts I inherited from him – music, dancing, the love of nature and much more. Precious moments those we have left ♥ Thank you, dear friend for sending your thoughts. It made me cry again.
Oh, what a lovely story, Ann-Christine. Now I also have tears in my eyes. What I wouldn’t give to have my dad back even for just one day.
♥
You had a beautiful walk!!
Thank you – I did!
Thank you for the fabulous walk, Ann-Christine! Beautiful trail, it does look cold. 🙂
Thank you, Amy, for walking with me! It was 4 degrees below zero C.
Enjoyed this walk following with you!
I am glad!
Thank you for taking us on this beautiful walk Ann-Christine, walking past your father’s old cottage makes it extra special and we hope Milo makes a full recovery from his wet tail. Please give him and Totti a big pat from us all 🙂💖🐕 xxx
Thank you so much! And the pat surely worked wonders!
😁💕🐕 xxx
You might never know that pile of stones was once a cottage… What a wonderful walk, A C
It was – I will return in spring!
Ooh, and more of the pile of old stones! I don’t suppose there are any images of it from the past?
I don’t think there are, my father never had a camera.
Ah