Britain’s Best Dog Friendly Walks.
There’s nothing nicer than exploring the great outdoors with your four-legged pal – especially at this time of year. There are some fantastic destinations in the UK where you can explore stunning scenery. We’ve complied a list of some of Britain’s best dog friendly walks for you and your pooch to enjoy.
Whether you want to get away from it all, or enjoy pubs and cafes along the way, there are so many lovely places to journey to with your canine companion. Places that are sure to get those tails wagging. While all of these walks are dog friendly, there will be areas where dogs must be kept on the lead. This includes, around livestock, villages and historic properties.
The Cotswold Way.
The Cotswold Way encompasses many quintessentially English country towns and villages. The whole walking trail is 102 miles long and follows the Western edge of the Cotswold Hills from Chipping Campden to the vibrant city of Bath. The journey takes you through rolling countryside, beautiful woodland and yellow stone cottages with roses around the doors.
It’s a picture postcard area of outstanding natural beauty and you couldn’t fail to be blown away by its beauty. Of course, you don’t have to walk the whole 102 miles in one go – there are 15 separate walks ranging from 5 to 10 miles, each passing through stunning landscapes and historical properties like Horton Court belonging to the National Trust.
Gower Peninsula, Wales.
Gower is one of our personal favourites for fantastic dog walks. This area has some of the most stunning beaches in the whole of the UK and also, the area tends to be much quieter than other coastal areas. In Gower, you can really get off the beaten track and hardly see anyone – great for people who have nervous or, reactive dogs. One particularly beautiful spot is the area around Cym Ivy and Whiteford Sands.
Whitford Sands, Cym Ivy, Gower, Wales.
Cym Ivy is a wildlife-rich saltmarsh owned by the National Trust. Trails take you through ancient woodland to Whiteford Sands – a huge expanse of beach with barely anyone on it. You can walk along the beach all the way to Rhossili, where you will find refreshments overlooking Worms Head.
New Forest National Park.
This beautiful area in southern England is another stunning location for some wonderful dog walks. There are vast expanses of ancient forest, open common land and quaint villages to explore. The area is rich in flora and fauna and bird spotting is a popular pastime with a large population of wading birds.
Not to mention wild ponies and five different species of deer, this is a fantastic place for getting close to nature. Naturally, it is important to keep your dog on the lead in certain areas, particularly between March and August (nesting season). However, there are designated places where dogs can be off-lead as long as they have a good recall. Most of the New Forest Beaches are dog friendly including Hordle Cliffs and Barton beach.
South Downs Way.
The South Downs way runs 100 miles through the beautiful South Downs National Park. Between Winchester and Eastbourne there are hundreds of different walking trails to explore with your dog, through woodland, lush meadows and chalk grasslands.
A particularly stunning stretch called the Serpent’s Way stretches 65 miles, taking you through tranquil valleys, dramatic ridges and sites of historical importance. It begins in the market town of Halesmere in Surrey and snakes its way to Petersfield in Hampshire. You can walk the whole length, or explore shorter waymarked sections.
The West Highland Way.
This is another long distance walking trail stretching 96 miles from Glasgow to Fort William. The scenery is breath-taking and winds its away along the shores of Loch Lomond and across the great moor of Rannoch, one of last remaining areas of wilderness in the whole of Europe.
This can be a challenging environment, unless you are seasoned walker – especially when it comes to the more mountainous parts. However there are plenty of lower level walks around Rannoch station.
If our list has whetted your appetite – we hope you enjoy exploring some of these beautiful areas in the British countryside this summer.
Don’t forget – if you’re going away and can’t take your dog with you – he, or she, can have their very own holiday with one of our experienced, trusted carers. Give us a call and we will match you with a perfect home-from-home holiday for your pooch.
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