Exploring new countryside with your dog can be great fun, especially without the fear of getting lost!
Heading out for a solo walk with your dog can be a peaceful, relaxing experience, but there are occasions when it’s fun to be sociable and meet up with other people and their dogs. Guided walks can be a great way to explore new areas, make new friends, and enjoy the scenery without worrying about your navigational skills and the need to get home before dark!
Credit: Jake Baggaley
The Ramblers is a well-known charity that is popular with people of all ages and walking abilities. Many of the walks are also suitable for dogs, as Programmes Manager Heather Thompson explains.
“The Ramblers is dedicated to promoting walking for health, leisure, and enjoyment,” says Heather. “With over 500 local groups across England, Scotland, and Wales, they offer a variety of group walks, path maintenance activities, and local campaigns to protect and expand walking routes.
“You can join up to three free walks before becoming a member. Once you join, you get access to the Ramblers Routes Library of walking routes and can join other guided walks. The membership fees support the charity's efforts in maintaining footpaths and promoting walking across Great Britain. You can join as an individual for as little as £3.58 monthly.
“Many Ramblers walks are dog-friendly, but policies can vary by group and specific walks. It's essential to check with the walk leader beforehand to ensure dogs are permitted. Assistance dogs are always welcome.
“When walking with dogs on the UK path network, it’s important to keep dogs on a lead if advised to do so, especially between March and July, during the ground-nesting bird breeding season. Dogs must be on a lead no more than two metres long on open access land and wherever there is livestock. If bringing your dog on a group walk, he should be well-behaved, non-reactive, and kept under control. Walks can vary in length, so it is important to consider the terrain as some walks may include stiles, steep inclines, or other obstacles that could be challenging for some dogs, so check the walk details or consult the walk leader for suitability.
“To discover dog-friendly walks and local groups, check out the Ramblers' group search tool on our website. Simply enter your postcode or location and explore upcoming walks in your area, filtering by distance, difficulty, and other preferences. You can also contact walk leaders directly.”
For more information, visit ramblers.org.uk
Julie, Bella, and Mabel are regulars in their walking group
Julie Whiting lives in north Notts with her dogs, Bella and Mabel. For the past year, Julie has been enjoying weekly guided group walks that she discovered online, which has resulted in her making lots of new friends.
“It is quite nice to walk on my own, and I’m more than happy to walk my dogs in familiar places, even if they are a bit more remote,” says Julie. “The Peak District is only an hour away from me, but I didn’t feel confident enough to walk on my own as I was worried there might not be a good mobile signal, and nobody to help me if I slipped or something. I started researching and joining Facebook walking groups to see if I could go with other people.
“The first group walk I did was with Blackdog Outdoors, which is a mental health charity that encourages people to get out and about and try different things. You walk with qualified mountain walk leaders, and there is an option to contribute towards the charity’s costs. I felt really daunted meeting up with a group of new people, but it was brilliant, and everyone was very friendly. We started at Ladybower Reservoir and did about 15 miles!
“After that, I began looking for and joining several walking groups on Facebook, including one that was specifically for over 50s. I’ve made some great friends in that group and walk with them almost every weekend.
“The Facebook group is run by volunteers, and if someone has enjoyed a particular route, they post details and organise a group walk, sharing details about the terrain, distance, and other useful information. Everyone is responsible for their own safety, and I’m responsible for my dogs. In the Peak District, you need to keep your dogs on lead in places, especially where there is livestock, although if I know there will be cows and deer, I won’t take my dogs.
“Bella is my retired agility dog who is a 10-year-old Collie X Bedlington, and Mabel is a two-year-old Collie X Poodle. They both enjoy the walks and have been made really welcome. The walks vary from seven to 12 miles, and now the nights are longer, we often meet up mid-week for shorter walks.
“There is usually an optional coffee stop at the end or we go to the pub for a drink, which is nice. At weekends, we take a pack up and find somewhere to sit and have lunch. There are plenty of opportunities to stop and take photos and enjoy the scenery. I take water for the dogs, and sometimes find a little stream for them to splash about in. I also take treats and chews to keep them happy while I’m having a drink at the pub. These guided group walks are really good for humans and dogs!”
For more information, search Facebook for local walking groups or visit blackdogoutdoors.co.uk
Moors to Mountains
Colin Liptrot, owner of Moors to Mountains (moorstomountains.co.uk), had been voluntarily leading group walks for about 14 years before he decided to turn professional.
“I’m now a qualified and insured mountain leader with extensive experience leading walks in the Lake District, Peak District ,and West Pennine Moors,” he says.
“The safety of the group is always paramount to me, and I do a lot of research beforehand to check out the terrain and any potential hazards. Some of the walks that I do would not in my opinion be suitable for dogs. I tend to keep groups to about six to eight people so that I can properly supervise everyone and share my knowledge of the area, the history, and the wildlife.
“I love dogs, but I’d advise anyone thinking of going on a guided group walk to check beforehand to ensure that the walk will be safe and enjoyable for dogs. People must also be willing to follow advice and keep dogs on lead around livestock.”
“It’s great to get out and experience new places and chat with likeminded people”
Kelly Jordan is the owner of Fur and Fables Photography and has a very busy life. She lives in Cumbria with her two whippets, Bertie and Shadow, and enjoys group walks whenever she gets an opportunity.
“I walk the fells a lot on my own but my navigation skills are not the best so I really enjoy guided walks where I don’t have to worry about navigation and I can relax, take in the scenery, and not stress,” she says. “Last year, I did a day’s walking with a company called Moors to Mountains, with several other people, plus quite a few dogs, which was fun.
“The Moors to Mountains group walk was very informative, as well as being reasonably priced; although I’ve also found lots of free guided walks. When I look for guided group walks, I’ve found several on Eventbrite (eventbrite.co.uk) and sometimes spotted them advertised in outdoor shops or cafés. It’s great to get out and experience new places and chat with likeminded people. I am a bit of an introvert and not particularly confident in large groups, but I find when I’m in the great outdoors it’s so much easier to talk to people, especially when we’ve got our dogs with us!”
Cotswold Farm Park
If the idea of exploring the Cotswold countryside appeals, then you might like to book onto a monthly guided morning walk at Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park in the village of Guiting Power in Gloucestershire.
This summer, on the first Sunday of every month, Cotswold Farm Park is hosting one hour guided dog walks. The walk starts at 8.30am, and costs £2 to join, which includes a free drink from the Cotswold Farm Park’s delightful Ox Shed coffee shop. Once you have booked your ticket, simply arrive at the Farm Park, park your car, and check in at the coffee bar. You will then meet the walk leader and set off on a walk with other dog owners, which will include breathtaking views of the rolling Cotswold Hills.
While on the walk you can also enjoy the thriving biodiversity of Barton Bushes, which is a designated Site of Specific Interest (SSSI), and discover how the Cotswold Farm Park’s environmentally friendly farming practices contribute to wildlife preservation.
If you prefer to walk alone, you can simply follow a free marked route with information boards, and a shorter one-mile walk option is also available. The path passes through farmland with grazing animals, so dogs must be kept on lead.
For further information, visit cotswoldfarmpark.co.uk