Our top 15 dog-friendly Trails

If you’re looking for dog-friendly walks with a difference, look no further! Your four-legged companions are just the ticket for helping you out on your next Treasure Trail adventure!

Did you know that January is Walk your dog Month? To celebrate, we asked our local Trail Writers for their top picks for dog-friendly Trails in their area. Here’s what they recommend:

1. Box Hill (Surrey)

Enjoy a day out hiding from enemy agents with your four-legged friends on a spy mission Trail around Box Hill. Apart from a couple of open grass areas for a good run around, it’s completely in rural woodland. Plus, with so many interesting trees there’s plenty for your tracker dog to enjoy!

2. Preston Parks and Gardens (Lancashire)

Your furry agent won’t know what’s hit them when they see how much open space they have to explore! Get the lead ready, call ‘walkies’ and get going on the Preston Parks and Gardens Trail! They’ll even get the chance to sneak beside the River Ribble as they sniff out intel on this spy mission.

3. Amberley, Box and Minchinhampton (Gloucestershire)

Treat your pup to an extra-long walk on a four-mile Trail – one of the longest in our catalogue – through Amberley, Box and Minchinhampton! Trek across the wide-open spaces of the National Trust owned Minchinhampton Common and soak up the magnificent views over the Stroud Valley as you search for lost loot on this treasure hunt Trail.

4. Ampthill (Bedfordshire)

Image: By FinlayCox143, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54007044 - cropped

Your doggy will have to be patient as you crack the first half of the clues while weaving around the streets on the Ampthill Trail. However, the second half of your top-secret assignment will take you across Ampthill Common, a lovely wide open space where dogs can run off lead. Great views and a bracing walk!

5. Danes Dyke Woods (East Yorkshire)

Your scout dog will get the chance to do what it does best on the Dane’s Dyke Trail – dig up buried treasure in the sand! As dog-friendly walks go, this one is right up there! You’ll venture around this nature reserve and through a large wooded area before reaching a beach, halfway along, with the North Sea for adventurous pups to swim or paddle in. (Note: the buried treasure isn’t guaranteed… but the fun is!)

6. Duthie Park (Aberdeenshire)

Your four-legged friend will be sniffing away on this treasure hunt Trail through Duthie Park, home to a beautiful floral paradise all year round, with rare and exotic plants on show from all over the world. Plus, there are some stunning views overlooking the River Dee for human Explorers to enjoy.

7. Robin Hood’s Major Oak (Nottinghamshire)

Weave through Edwinstowe then into the legendary Sherwood Forest as you track down treasure on the Robin Hood’s Major Oak Trail. There’s plenty of stories and history for human treasure seekers to soak up, while scout dogs will love all of the green spaces and trees to zig-zag through.

8. Bude (Cornwall)

Your squad and sniffer dog will be tracking down a criminal mastermind in the heart of Bude on this case! Patrol along the canal, beside the castle and over to Summerleaze Downs as you hunt for the sneaky clues. Take your pooch down to Summerleaze Beach, where they're welcome all year (on leads between May and September) - they may even dig up some evidence!

9. Bowness – Down by the Lake (Cumbria)

Your Bowness - Down by the Lake mission, if you choose to accept it, includes some great stretches for pups to have a good run! There’s the chance of a dip in the lake, too, if your dog likes to get their paws wet, and lots of dog-friendly café options towards the end, including the Bluebird Café, which welcomes canine companions to their covered heated terrace.

10. Rouken Glen (Glasgow)

Image: By Thrissel - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19622792 - cropped

Your mission will have you tiptoeing through Rouken Glen, one of the largest public parks in Scotland! From grassy areas and woodland paths to a Highland Glen with crags and cliffs, as well as a boating pond, there will be so much for your doggy agent to take in and run around!

11. Southwold (Suffolk)

Put your clue-tracking pups to the test on this detective mystery Trail through Southwold. The route takes you along the seafront, with lots of evidence for your four-legged friends to track down. Dogs will need to be kept on leads during your investigation, but they're welcome on The Denes Beach, at the end of the route, all year round.

12. Holy Island Anglesey (North Wales)

Time to hop into your undercover vehicles! The Holy Island Anglesey Trail will give super spies and tracker dogs the chance to soak up some of the best sights in North Wales. Plus, this driving Trail takes you to two country parks AND two beaches as you search for the intel.

13. Chester-le-Street (Durham)

Image: By Path to the park by Robert Graham, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=115661701 - cropped

Take on a mystery in Chester-le-Street, where you'll get too see all the landmarks in the market town as well as exploring beside the River Wear and through Riverside as your conduct your inquiries. There's plenty of exciting things for your pup to discover. While they'll need to stay on leads throughout, there is a dedicated doggy exercise area in the park for them to do some zoomies.

14. Exmoor (Somerset)

Turn a boring dog walk into a full-blown adventure as you slip into your undercover vehicle and head out on a driving Trail across Exmoor. Beginning at Dulverton, “The gateway to the moors”, and concludes at Dunkery Beacon, the highest point on Exmoor, your fluffy friend will lap up the sights and sounds (and smells!) of the wilderness. This a full day out with a series of dog-friendly walks all rolled into one!

15. Antrim Castle Gardens (Northern Ireland)

Your furry companions will be baffled by all of the super smells around Antrim Castle Gardens on this treasure hunt Trail! Your expedition begins on the banks of Lough Neagh and travels along Six Mile Water towards the Castle gardens. You'll even finish your quest beside two dedicated parks for pooches - perfect for letting them run off any remaining steam!

Did you know that over 70% of our Trails are dog friendly?

That’s right! And, what’s more, we have an easy way for you to decide which Trail adventures to choose! The filter is super easy to use. Simply click on 'Buy a Trail' and select the region you'd like to explore. Then, click on 'Filter' just above the map. If you tick 'Dog Friendly', you'll be able to see all dog-friendly Trails in that region. You can even narrow it down to Trail theme, type and accessibility for wheelchairs and pushchairs too.

 

Not only will your beloved pooch enjoy their quality outdoor family time on their dog-friendly walk, but they can also be a great asset to your Trail-solving team. Whilst some Trails may have parks or other areas perfect for a run around, on the whole, dogs will need to be on a lead, so they can easily tug you in the right direction to keep you on track.

PLUS, we’ve got lots more doggy content to help you celebrate Walk your Dog Month! Take a peek into the amazing world of dogs and discover the five tell-tail signs that your dog is a top explorer. After this, you’ll be convinced the Treasure Trails make perfect dog-friendly walks!