Blind man with a backpack - Chris and Guide Dog Chester

07/03/2026

Not every week is dramatic — sometimes the best ones are just full of small routines and muddy dogs.

So it’s the weekend again, and this week it almost feels like spring may be trying to make itself known — which is a welcome relief after the seemingly never-ending rain of the past few weeks.

I enjoy getting into the office to catch up with colleagues and friends, but I must admit the days are extremely draining with such a complicated journey and multiple trains. So it was actually a welcome relief not to have to travel this week. Instead, I contented myself with school drop-offs and pick-ups, early morning coffee runs, and even a cheeky lunchtime free run or two.

Of course, the nice weather was too good to last, so Chester and I got totally drenched as we went to the pool last night (and that was even before I got in the pool!).

Chester’s dog-distraction work has been ongoing with really positive results, so we’re now starting to bring some of the techniques we’ve been practising at home out onto our free runs and harness work. Chester’s guiding has never really been in question, and it feels like with this extra support he’s able to respond to difficult situations in a much more positive way.

Unfortunately, we do still have other dogs approaching us, and sometimes owners are not as aware as they could be about the impact these situations can have on an assistance dog and their handler.

I generally have my GoPro with me when we’re working, which is great for sharing feedback with the Guide Dogs trainers. And now (after being extremely sceptical!) I’ve also added a pair of Oakley Meta glasses to my toolkit. These glasses have built-in cameras so I can quickly capture any incidents and, more importantly, they have the Meta AI assistant which helps me read bus numbers, check what’s on the menu at a restaurant, and even tell me whether the T-shirt I’m about to put on has Ghostbusters, Ivor the Engine, or the Dead Kennedys on the front!

Anyway, that’s enough moaning.

As I say, we had a slightly damp trip out yesterday evening, but I will say that my swim was very much needed. I’m now up to 34 lengths (about 850 metres) once or twice a week and slowly making progress towards my target of 46 lengths — one length for every year, plus an extra one because I can’t do odd numbers!

The pool was empty when I got in, and there really is something quite therapeutic about swimming while the rain is pattering on the surface of the water.

While I swam, Chester had his usual spot behind reception with his Kong. The reception staff kindly offered me a towel to dry him off so he could be more comfortable. While we’re there he’s like an honorary member of the team, greeting guests as they sign in for their treatments by thumping his tail on his blanket before settling back down to rest.

All the staff at the pool are great. They always guide me out to the poolside and let others in my lane know that I’m there. I even now have a special sign letting people know I’ll be swimming along the side so they keep more towards the middle. I do still get the odd near miss, but after a quick explanation people understand the situation and adjust.

Sometimes, especially when the pool is busy, it can be quite unnerving with so many people around. But I have to say that if I do have any problems, both staff and other members are always there to help.

After my swim it was a quick pint before Kath picked us up, and then we grabbed a cheeky takeaway curry on the way home as, to be perfectly honest, neither of us had the energy to cook!

Not far from home there are some private hire dog-walking areas, so we booked their Woodland Walkies field for an hour this morning. Chester has never been there before, but Ozzy goes every week with our dog walkers so he knew exactly where we were going as we got close.

It’s so nice to be in a secure area and just open the boot to let the dogs run and blow off some energy without worrying about any negative interactions.

Chester especially was able to relax in the woods while Kath and I had a cuppa, and Ozzy made an immediate beeline for his favourite muddy puddle! Even when the dogs in the next field started barking, neither of ours reacted at all.

Both dogs ended up completely covered in mud (somehow Chester even managed to get it in his mouth!), so they both needed a good hosing down in the garden when we got home.

And that just about wraps it up for this week. I’ll leave you with a few snaps of our adventures this week (the image descriptions are in the captions) and wish you all a good week ahead.

Did anyone else manage to get out for a walk with their dogs this weekend? 🐾

As always, I’ve included image descriptions in the captions for anyone using screen readers or who enjoys a little extra detail.

28/02/2026

In a series I like to call “S!* # blind people come across on a daily basis” we watch Chester calmly navigate a blocked footpath thanks to Reading Council

Chester stops as we approach the obstruction and then edges forward to the kerb. Once we feel it is safe enough to move he keeps me as close to the kerb as possible and then straight back on to the footpath. Excellent job!

19/02/2026

It turns out that a few flecks of cod and breadcrumbs can reach combustion temperature surprisingly quickly.

Ask me how I know.

What began with a fish finger sandwich and a cuppa turned into a minor kitchen disaster — and then into something much bigger in my own mind.

In the blog I write:

“There’s this incessant need to ‘hack’ life as if it’s a game of Mortal Kombat on the SNES but life isn’t like that. Sometimes you have no choice but to go the long way round.”

This post isn’t really about appliances (although we did buy a new one). It’s about adapting, about pride, about changing abilities, and about the reality that most of us are just quietly bumbling through.

If that sounds familiar, you can read the full piece here:
👉 https://blindmanwithabackpack.uk/2026/02/12/smouldering-air-fryers-and-influencer-hacks/

Let me know if anything in it resonates.

After accidentally setting fire to my air fryer, I found myself replacing more than just a kitchen appliance — I was forced to confront my stubborn instinct to repair, restore, and carry on as if n…

14/02/2026

Guide Dogs UK Chester's eyes are set on a shiny new ride!

Chester, my sunburst amber Golden Retriever x Labrador, beams with pride in his working harness beside a sleek petrol blue 3 door John Cooper Works in a MINI showroom

08/02/2026

It’s hard to believe we’re already into the first week of February and as the days start to get longer hopefully with that we’ll see some dryer days!

After a bit of a break from speaking duties, it was fun to get back out and visit the children and staff at Trinity Christian School who had invited Berkshire Vision in to talk to them about sight loss and communication.

We talked about the different ways people with sight loss communicate, in particular talking about Braille. The children were able to point out where they had seen Braille both in the house on medicine boxes and when they are out and about on lift buttons and so forth. We talked about the history of Braille and how it was created over 200 years ago byFrenchman Louis Braille after losing his sight to an accident. I showed the group some examples of Braille so they could feel the bumps and we used an egg carton and some bottle tops to show how the different letters are formed. Braille is a fascinating tool and there are over 100 different word signs and contractions (I’m sure there are many more than that!) which makes it much easier to read a book. We talked about the different ways to write Braille with either a frame and pin or a Perkins typewriter and how there are digital keyboards which constantly refresh to read out text from a screen. It was lovely to have the children so engaged and asking so many interesting questions about the language and sight loss in general.

Of course, we couldn’t do a talk about sight loss without mentioning my furry companion who, of course, stole the show with his constantly wagging tail. All the children were very careful not to distract Chester as he guided me to a seat and then he (briefly) tucked himself under my legs before then hopping up again when he spotted the fish tank!
We talked about how Guide Dogs like Chester help people with sight loss and how we find our way around. I explained that, no matter how clever Chester is, I can’t just tell him to take me to the shops, we work together, him finding the waypoints and me telling him when to turn left and right. I explained that I will navigate my way using maps on my phone which tells me directions via my headphones and Chester will make sure we avoid obstacles and will find crossing points, even taking me to the call box. We talked about tactile paving near crossing points and how I can tell it is safe to cross the road by feeling for the spinning cone beneath the call box. I explained that sometimes Chester will stay at home and how I use my long cane to guide me instead.

Finally, we discussed that if they see a visually impaired person out and about and they look like they may need assistance, the best thing to do is to ask pointedly if they need help and if they say “yes, please” then it is important to ask how they can help and not assume.

Afterwards, the kids went back to class and we had an eventful walk back into town where we almost collided with a delivery cyclist and then stumbled into a closed footpath which forced us to walk on a busy dual carriageway! Chester handled both cases in his usual calm and confident manner and we made it to meet Kath who had a tasty treat for Ches whilst I had a quick swim.

All that in the space of a couple of hours! I’d love to know if you got up to anything exciting this weekend – let me know in the comments.

Image descriptions are in captions

22/01/2026

I think Guide Dogs UK Chester is telling me he is a highly trained professional and wearing a stupid birthday rosette is way beneath his status. Especially considering he got absolutely soaked on the school run this afternoon.

Hardly the most appropriate way to celebrate a birthday. But all was forgivenn with his new hippo teddy from IKEA.

Anyway, Happy 4th birthday Chester!

Close up photo of Chester, a sunburst amber golden retriever x lab wearing a blue “it’s my birthday’ rosette and looking haughtily at the camera

15/01/2026

Happy 5th birthday to our big old gentle giant, Oswald

Image descriptions
1 Oswald, our light yellow golden retriever is laid on his be by the fire wearing a birthday rosette
2 As a puppy, Oswald has squished himself into a tiny cat bed
3 Oswald in his natural habitat - a huge muddy puddle
4 A closeup of Oswald with his chin rested on my knee as he looks at the camera with deep, soulful eyes as if he hasn’t eaten in weeks

13/01/2026

Check out Guide Dogs UK Chester skillfully navigating the troublesome ice.

Video filmed using GoPro with hand grip showing my sunburst amber gr x lab Chester walking along icy footpaths. I slip on some ice and then it shows us returning home on the same route and Chester picking a wider route to make sure we don’t slip and then we carry on our way.

11/01/2026

Exceptional customer service, or business as usual?

This type of support when trying to checkout really isn’t the usual experience and more often than I’d like, the behaviour of others pushing in front of us and assistants not being available are sadly the norm.

Massive thanks to the team at but such a shame that this is the exception rather than the rule

Video description: Starts with other customers pushing in front of Chester and I as we wait patiently for support at the self-checkout and then the assistant comes across to support, leading us to a free till and then supporting as we pay for our groceries. Finishes with Chester leading me out of the shop

07/01/2026

Chester absolutely adores the snow so rather than doing any work we decided to take advantage while it lasts and head over the woods for a free run.

He was so excited as we got closer to the field that we had to stop a few times to get him centred (and to remind him that, even though he was only on lead, I still had hold of the other end of the lead and was in danger of slipping on the snowy road). Once we got there though, his lead was off and he had a whale of a time rolling in the snow and then trotting through the woods.

It can be tricky to know whether it is safe to take the dog out in such cold temperatures but Chester is perfectly built for these conditions with his thick retriever top coat and waterproof Labrador undercoat but even so, as soon as we got home he had a thorough dry-off and his paws cleaned just in case of any residual snow or salt from the roads.

As suspected, the snow has completely gone but we still need to be careful because anything remaining may well have turned to ice overnight so Chester will most definitely have to concentrate when we go out later.


Image descriptions
1. Chester, my sunburst amber GR x Lab is stood in a snowy woodland path looking back at the camera with mouth open wide in a cheeky grin
2.My long cane with hooked tip, almost invisible against the snow
3. A long snaking trail along a footpath from my cane, tracing the path we have been
4. Chester stood in a field flanked by trees with the winter sun poking through wispy clouds