Stranded in the Berwyns
By Teddy & Buddy (with wet paws and full hearts)
We knew something was up when the backpack came out.
Not the daypack. The Big One. The one that means we’re not just going for a walk, we’re going on an adventure. At first, we wagged our tails. Adventure means open hills, new smells, snacks in zippy bags, and snuggles in the tent.
But then… we saw the coat go in.
The coat means it’s going to be wet.
Teddy gave Dad the side-eye. Buddy did an excited spin. We were not in agreement.
🥾 The Climb
The walk started well. Green hills, soft trails, a tarn sparkling below. Buddy led the way with his nose to the ground. Teddy, ever the watchful one, paced carefully behind. We climbed high and then higher. The views stretched for miles. The wind started to nip at our ears, but we were brave.
We got to camp, and Dad did his usual magic with the tent. Up it went. Blankets. Sleeping mats. Dog snacks. We climbed in, shook the mud off, and settled into our little den.
Buddy claimed the sleeping bag.
Teddy curled up in his dry spot.
All was well.
🌧️ The Night
Rain.
Wind.
More rain.
But we were warm. We were dry. We had our coats on, our bellies were full, and Dad was right there between us.
Teddy dreamed about being the king of the mountain.
Buddy snored and dreamed about sheep.
🌫️ The Morning
The day started with wet paws and mist that swallowed the trail. Dad tried to pack up as the wind tried to carry our tent off the hillside. We sat, leashed and layered, watching the chaos unfold like two soggy little mountaineers.
Then came the climb. We were meant to go back over the mountain to where the car was parked. But the weather had other ideas. The wind roared. The fog thickened. The rain did not stop.
Dad pushed on. We tried. We slipped. We stopped.
Then Dad made a big decision.
He turned us around.
🚶 The Other Way Down
We didn’t go back over the mountain. We came down the other side. Not the side with the car. But the side with a road. A café. Familiar smells.
We had been to that café once before, a long time ago, near a big waterfall. This time, we arrived cold and tired, but we knew where we were. And so did Dad.
We sat on the warm floor. The staff were kind. We got a little treat. Dad got a tea and wrapped us in blankets to warm us up.
And though we were a long way from the car, we were safe.
🚗 The Hero of the Hour: Uncle Matt
Just when we thought we might be living at the café forever (not the worst idea, to be honest), Uncle Matt showed up.
We don’t know how he does it, but he always knows when we’re in a pickle. One call, one drive, and there he was, smiling, calm, and ready to rescue us. He didn’t even complain about how muddy we were (which is good, because we were very muddy).
He drove us all the way back to the other side of the mountain range, to our car, waiting patiently where we’d left it. Honestly, we were so tired we didn’t even pretend not to fall asleep in the back seat.
Teddy:
“I gave him a grateful lean and a silent thank you. He’s one of the good ones.”
Buddy:
“I licked his ear. He didn’t even flinch. That’s love.”
Uncle Matt, if you’re reading this, you’re now officially part of the adventure team. We’ll try not to get stranded again… but it’s nice knowing you’ll come if we do.
🐾 Final Thoughts from the Trail
Teddy:
"I didn’t love the rain. Or the wind. Or the mud. But I loved being with Dad. I’m not sure about the next trip just yet. I’ll think about it once I’m dry."
Buddy:
"That. Was. EPIC. I got muddy. I got snacks. I slept in a tent. 10/10 would adventure again. Can we go now?"
Even though things didn’t go to plan, we’re proud of our pack leader. He made the hard call to keep us safe. He carried our food, our coats, our little world on his back.
So we’ll forgive him for the rain.
Eventually.
🐾 Teddy & Buddy
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