WHEN he read the 50 Years Ago section of Looking Back on January 16, Mr Albert Winstanley, of Bradshaw Brow, Bradshaw, Bolton, "basked for a spell in the warm inner glow of recaptured memories".

The story was about a dog called Mij, a sheepdog which did amazing tricks, owned by Mr Bob Gummerson of Yorkshire, and says Mr Winstanley, "I knew the dog very well and I am, perhaps, the last Bolton cyclist who patted and stroked the dog.

"Mij was the 'granddaughter' of Mr Gummerson's first dog (I think its name was Patch), and I first came to know Patch as Longsleddale Youth Hostel ('Swinklebank') in the dale below Shap, which runs up to Haweswater.

"In the late 1930s, Bob worked on the construction of the reservoir, and, on the reservoir's completion, he was out of work. By a coincidence, the Youth Hostels' Association had just opened 'Swinklebank', and Bob was appointed warden.

"The hostel became very popular with members of the Bolton DA of the Cyclists' Touring Club, and we were regular visitors on weekends throughout the year.

"Bob and his dog always made us welcome, and after the evening meal, there would be a performance. In addition to the tricks mentioned in the column, he would say 'How many people are here?' (we would be in a group around the Common Room fire), and the dog would bark the number.

"The next question was 'How many men'. We would be in shorts, and the dog would count with rubbing its paw on the ground. 'How many women?' would be the next command. Unfortunately the dog would sometimes be confused, as often the women were in shorts also, though most wore skirts then.

"After a performance, Bob would bring in the dog's dinner, which he would place just in front of its nose with the command . . . 'Stay', The dog would be in this position for several minutes, not touching the meal. Then Bob would say, 'Get at it', and within minutes the mean would be demolished.

"At Swinklebank', the rising bell was a most hilarious affair. Bob kept one of the old fashioned school brass bells, and he had trained the dog to carry it in its mouth, and to visit each dormitory at about 7am. There would be shouts of 'Gedorf of it' as vain efforts were made to grab the bell.

"In later years, Bob was appointed warden at several hostels, Aysgarth, Bishopdale, Kettlewell, and Stainforth, and it would be at the latter that Mij would be on the scene.

"I joined the YHA around 1932, when in its infancy, and I can look back on a lifetime of happy cycling memories. I can recall happy evenings sitting round cheery fires, making our own entertainment, and a wonderful spirit of friendliness and fellowship prevailing. There would be happy 'sing songs' around the piano (I have played on many hostel pianos) -- now the trend is for hostellers to seek out the village pub.

"When I look back on those pre-war cycling days and early post-war, I am amazed at the distances that passed below our wheels. I am sad, however, that all my companions of those days have 'passed on', and I am the last remaining. Still, I count my blessings that at 86 I am still actively cycling . . .

"I recently returned from tours on the Isle of Wight and North Wales.

"I volunteered for service on the outbreak of the Second World War and no matter where I was stationed I always managed to 'acquire' a bike to enjoy cycling adventures.

"As mentioned earlier, your mention of Bob Gummerson and Mij his dog certainly recaptured happy memories for me . . . again, many thanks."