2:30pm Tuesday 15th December 2009
By Natalie Stewart
A COLLIE famous for sneaking out to join strangers on long walks along the Three Peaks trail near Ingleton has been honoured for his love of the fells.
Last month, The Westmorland Gazette reported how Morris, a 13-year-old border collie-springer spaniel cross, has escaped from his home at the Hill Inn, Chapel-le-Dale, more than 30 times in the past seven months.
For two years, Morris has taken to joining walkers on their Three Peaks climb and now, in recognition of his love of exploring the fells, he has been made an honourary friend of the Three Peaks, a project set up by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) as part of its Three Peaks Project.
The pooch, whose favourite hill seems to be Ingleborough, also received a medal from the project to celebrate reaching the summit 32 times since Easter.
Steve Hastie, project manager, said: “We saw the story about Morris and wanted to reward him for his enthusiasm. "There are medals for climbing each of the Three Peaks so we might yet be back to celebrate Morris’s further achievements.”
Morris’s owners Colin and Sabena Martin, who have run the inn for nine years, sometimes have to call Bentham Taxis to bring him home when they are too busy.
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