Adventurous spaniels love hiking and wild camping with their owner

All dogs love their walkies. 

But very few have had the adventures that spaniels Hugo and Spencer enjoy with their owner Hollie Jenkins.

Hollie, 26, from Edinburgh, brings her beloved pups with her as she goes wild camping and hiking across Scotland, even giving them their own sleeping bags.

Taking in the sights: Faithful spaniels Hugo and Spencer, pictured, have ‘bagged’ 90 munros – mountains in Scotland over 3000 feet high – in the last year 

The faithful spaniels have ‘bagged’ 90 munros – mountains in Scotland over 3,000 feet high – in the last year. 

Hollie, who works in vet healthcare marketing, said: ‘For my 25th birthday I decided I wanted to climb Ben Nevis. At that point I didn’t even know what a munro was.

‘After that I thought “let’s do another one” and I just got the munro bagging bug and knew it was for me. It’s a different world when you are on top of a munro, I love it.

‘I have climbed 90 in total, 78 unique ones and 12 I have done more than once. During lockdown my eyes were opened to hiking and I got really into it.’

Action dogs! Hugo and Spencer also enjoy going paddle boarding with their active owner

Time to relax: The spaniels enjoy ‘running around’ while Hollie is hiking but know when it is time to calm down and rest

On top of the world! Hugo and Spaniel stop for breath at the top of one of the munros

Newfound passion: Hollie, who works in vet healthcare marketing, discovered the joys of hiking munros last year

The dogs wear a harness that is tied to Hollie’s waist, allowing her to keep her hands free to climb. She also takes other precautions to protect her pets.

‘They have black and orange coats and 80s Lycra suits that look like Spandex because the temperature can drop and it can get really cold,’ she said. 

‘In the winter the suits helps keep the snow off their fur. ‘They each have a doggy sleeping bag for in the tent when it’s cold.

‘They also have little booties that I take with me for when we are scrambling to protect their paw pads and they help keep the snow off their paws in the winter.

Safety first: Hollie makes sure her dogs are dressed in high vis jackets for their snowy walks

Ultimate relaxation: Hollie brings a hammock to string up at rest stops – and her dogs always want to jump in for a cuddle

Snuggled up: Hugo and Spencer have their own padded sleeping bags for when the temperature drops

‘They are really good and handle themselves so well. We have figured each other out now, I let them roam and run around themselves, but they know when I call them they have to come back.’

At the end of a long hike, the dogs love nothing more than snuggling up with Hollie in her sleeping bag. 

She continued: ‘Day-to-day now our normal half an hour to an hour walks are not really enough anymore. They know as soon as they see the camping gear coming out that we are off.’

Natural beauty: Hugo and Spencer snapped soaking up the sunshine during a break on one of the walks

Ready to walk! Spencer shows off the winter booties that Hollie puts on her dogs in the snow

Social media stars: Hollie has gained more than 100,000 followers on her Instagram page (@theedinburghspaniels) in just a year which documents their adventures and gives other people advice on hiking with dogs

Hollie has gained more than 100,000 followers on her Instagram page (@theedinburghspaniels) in just a year which documents their adventures and gives other people advice on hiking with dogs.

Hollie said: ‘I feel safe wild camping with the dogs, it’s not something I have ever really worried about.

‘Most of the time at the summit I am the only person around and when we camp at ground level they will bark when someone walks past the tent.

‘I like being out by myself and just having time to think – it’s never boring with the dogs they provide lots of entertainment.’

And relax! Spencer curls up in the tent at the end of a long day hiking with Hollie and Hugo