Getting out and exploring the countryside with my dogs is one of the best ways to spend time and there’s no better time to do it than now, after all May is National Walking Month here in the UK. In England we are lucky to have so many beautiful places to explore by foot and paw but I know from the messages and emails I receive that some of you are unsure of where you are allowed to walk your pooch and what you should take with you for a days hiking. So here is my brief guide on where to walk and what to take!
Rights of Way In England there are four main types of public rights of way, Public footpaths,public bridleways, restricted byways and byways open to all traffic. Happily you can walk your dog on all of them, even if they cross private or farm land. Your dog must be under close control at all times. This does not necessarily mean they have to be on a lead but they should be disciplined enough to stick to the path and obviously around livestock it is only common sense to keep your pooch on a lead. We love to explore the countryside and for some reason I think it makes it a little more of an adventure if the path is overgrown and barely used!
Open Access Land One of the most exciting things about the millennium for me was The Countryside and Rights of Way Act which gave the public the right of access to land mapped as “open country”. Between 1 March – 31 July you must keep your dog on a lead no more that 2 metres long, this is to protect nesting birds and if there is livestock around a lead is compulsory all year round. You can check if there is any open access land near you here
Finding Walks
Well google is obviously one way to research walks but there are also quite a few apps that you can download onto your phone that have lots of ideas for walks and will prevent you getting lost too (as long as your phone doesn’t run out of battery charge!) We like iFootpath which you can access for free online and the app is £1.99.
What to Take
The number one thing to remember is water, both for yourself and your dogs. Collapsible bowls are a must too (you can drink from the bottle!)
Compass & Ordance Survey Map – I really recommend learning to read a map and use a compass. Yes these days you have GPS on your phone but your phones battery might die, or lose its signal, not only that, using a compass really adds to the sense of adventure!
Harness – My girls always wear a good quality harness (as well as a collar) such as this ruffwear front range one that Lucia has on when we go hiking. I am also looking into getting a back pack for Maya to carry her own snack pack! It’s also a good idea to take a spare collar and lead, just in case!
First Aid Kit – I always have a basic canine first aid kick in my rucksack. hopefully you won’t need it but, be prepared and all that …..
Fleece/Raincoat I always pack the girls equafleeces – you never know when they might take an impromptu dip and in England the weather can turn in an instant. If you are expecting it to be wet a rain coat for the human never goes amiss either!
Snacks – Snacks and food for your pooch (and you) are important too – something like a Guru Trip Bone is good, oh and some loose change in case you have to pay for parking can come in handy too.
I hope you all have a fabulous time exploring new walks with your dogs this summer. Let us know where you are planning to go in the comments below. We’d love to hear.
Love Sal, Maya and Lucia xxx
Comments
15 responses to “Where Can I Walk With My Dog In England?”
Great read, it’s always good to be prepared on a walk! The only thing I need to sort is the first aid kit, then we are ready to take on all the adventures!
Thanks so much for reading Beth, yes be prepared is my motto too! xxx
I think we’re going to take a leaf out of your book and get out exploring this summer. Such gorgeous snaps of Maya and Lucia xx
Oh yes Amanda, exploring is so much fun. xxx
Great post. Thank you ladies.
We love to go on nice long walks, although Dexter is slowing down now, so we have to pace ourselves a bit! When he’s had enough, he turns round and starts walking the opposite way!
Have fun.
Jane, Archie and Dexter
Aww Dexter is so cute! Thanks so much for reading and commenting Jane, I really appreciate it. xxx
I love the open access land link!!!Big thanks for that!Adore new walks-Fenty is so much more animated when he goes to a new place for the first time!Happy to see him happy!Great info as always Sal!xxxx
Oh yes we love going to the North Yorks Moors were there’s lots of open access land! Thanks so much for stopping by Fran. xxx
Great info, thanks Sal, especially the open access link! Samantha and Cassie x
Thanks so much for reading Samantha. I bet you and Cassie will have loads of adventures this summer. xxx
We are inspired to do a few proper walks now Sal. Thanks so much for all the hard work you put into your blog. We LOVE it xx
Oh I hope you do Michelle, it’s great to get out and about! Thanks so much for reading. xxx
Someday we want to visit England with Joy, so thanks for the tips Sal.
The girl’s photos are very beautiful as always!
xxx
Thanks for reading, it would be fabulous if you visit the UK with Joy! We are also planning to take the girls to Spain, either next year or in 2020, xxx
Great post!