JUST HOW DISMAL CAN A SWAMP BE?

That’s what Bodie and I set out to discover when we arrived in Virginia. To our peril…

It started so well. Within minutes of exiting the I-64 freeway we felt like explorers in the Amazon – the pair of us enraptured by the excess of lush greenery reflecting the glossy river, not to mention the jubilant twittering of the birds…

We found a bench in an idyllic spot… Did you know that the native tree of Virginia is the Dogwood? It seemed like a good sign…

We watched a series of boats glide by, half expecting to see Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn waving to us from the African Queen…

A favourite sight was a man canoeing with his dog at the helm.

Stretching as far as the eye can see is a paved road, totally car-free and plenty broad enough to accommodate cyclists and dog-walkers alike.

 And then this:

I love bears. I think I would have gasped with joy if I had seen one. But after reading this sign I wasn’t so sure: IF ATTACKED, FIGHT BACK. DO NOT PLAY DEAD. Goodness. I would definitely adhere to the rule about keeping dogs on leash as A ROAMING DOG MAY BE PERCEIVED AS A THREAT. And then came the next sign…

Bobcats, snakes, foxes, possums, raccoons – the wildlife just keeps on coming! But the most deadly being we encountered was far, far smaller than any listed. Smaller and for the most part deadlier. TICKS! Having come from California I wasn’t even aware of  this arachnid and we both went home with quite a collection – I even had one in my ear. These are truly one of the nastiest parasites in existence (you can read more about the resulting LYME DISEASE below) so I want to warn you against letting your dog forage in the undergrowth, as I foolishly did, and to ensure that your flea medication covers ticks as well as the usual suspects. I spent hours twisting and unhooking dozens of black flecks from Bodie’s skin – some of which had swollen from their ‘blood meal’. Just as revolting as that sounds. Dear Bodie lost a clomp of skin as a result of this visit and it took a while for this big ole smile to return.

IN CONCLUSION: Ticks aside, the Great Dismal Swamp offers one of the most glorious walks in Virginia. But would you risk it with your dog?

HOW TO GET TO THERE: 3100 Desert Road, Suffolk, VA 23434 for the headquarters. For trail-heads, use 1325 White Marsh Road for Jericho Lane entrance, and 3100 White Marsh Road for Washington Ditch entrance. All are in Suffolk, VA 23434.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: Great Dismal Swamp

TIPS FOR TICK-REMOVAL: Humane Society/getting-ticks-off-dog 

EDUCATION & PREVENTION: American Lyme Disease Foundation

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