Some of our favourite dog walks around the Cheddar Valley!
In one of the most beautiful places in the country, we have some stunning choices of locations to walk our dogs. Here are some of our favourites.
Walk #1 Kings Wood
Walk #2 The Strawberry Line
Walk #3 Blackdown
Walk #4 Cheddar Reservoir
Walk #5 Draycott Sleights
Walk #6 Cheddar Gorge
Walk #7 Rowberrow Warren
Walk #8 Crooks Peak
Walk #9 Brean Down
Walk #10 Sidcot
With it’s own car parking this National Trust area offer some fanstastic walking all year round. From the gorgeous blue bells to the scent of wild garlic in the Spring this is one of the most beautiful places to let you dogs have a good run and sniff. A longer walk will take you up on to Wavering Down and Crooks Peak.
Ideally for winter walking if trying to keep doggies a bit cleaner! You can walk for miles through places such as Cheddar, Axbridge, Winscombe, Sandford, Thatcher’s Cider Apple Orchards and around Yatton. http://www.thestrawberryline.co.uk/
Complete with it’s own trigg point the views from here are spectacular on a clear day. You can see to Wales, Exmoor, Bristol and Glastonbury all from turning on the spot! Plenty of fun for dogs to have. Be careful of the Exmoor ponies if you are taking dogs with you. http://www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk/projects/discovering-black-down/
Lying between Axbridge and Cheddar, this great spot has a couple of car parking areas. It can get quite busy with dogs so great if your dog likes to socialise. Another great spot if trying to keep your dog a bit cleaner and dryer in wetter weather! http://www.bristolwater.co.uk/leisure/cheddar-reservoir/
A beautiful walk with incredible views! Please be aware this is a Nature Reserve rich with wildlife and wild flowers so please ensure dogs are kept under close control to enable to species already living there to thrive. http://www.somersetwildlife.org/draycott_sleights.html
With a walk either side of the gorge there is plenty of variety of walking to choose from. Either head up the steep steps behind the Gorge shops on to the top or take a short drive and park at the top of the gorge for a gentler walk to Black Rock, Long Wood, Velvet Bottom and even up to Charterhouse. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cheddar-gorge/
With the dog friendly Swan pub on the door step of this magnificent walk it is easy to make a day of it here. Plenty of different walks around the forest with pretty streams. Walks can lead to Burrington Coombe, Blackdown or Dolborrow. http://visitwoods.org.uk/en/visit-woods/pages/wood-details.aspx?wood=33597&site=rowberrow-warren
(Also known as the sleeping Giant’s nose! Take a look at it next time you are travelling North on the M5 heading towards it) Leading on from Kings Wood or from the car parking areas in Compton Bishop, Crooks Peak offer some great dog walks to wear the doggies out. http://www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk/gallery/crook-peak-and-kings-wood/
With stunning views across the Bristol Channel this is a walk not to be missed. With magnificent hillfort remains overlooking the beach dogs love it up here. For those that wish a flatter walk the beach is the perfect option. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/brean-down/things-to-see-and-do/
Heading from the small village of Sidcot there are numerous walks to take you up through Winterhead, over the Shipham or even over to Axbridge. With plenty of tracks and variety dogs will never get bored of the same routes over and over again!
Responsible Dog Walking
When visiting these beautiful places please remember to be respectful of others who are visiting and the environment. Our Top Tips for responsible dog walking are:-- Pick up dog mess in a bag and either take it home or to a dog mess bin.
- Only let your dog off lead if it can be effectively controlled around people and other dogs.
- Keep your dog on the lead and under control if livestock are close by.
- Keep your dog on the lead if there is signage or you are instructed to do so by a park warden.
