8. Hawes and Hardraw circular dog walk
Location: Hawes, Yorks and Humber
Distance: 4.5 miles / Time: 1.5 hours
Difficulty: Leisurely
Parking: Hawes car park, DL8 3RQ - Charges apply
Dog walking route
This is a lovely walk through the Yorkshire Dales that your pooch will adore. Park in the village of Hawes, the birthplace of Wensleydale Cheese, and head north on the well-trodden footpath to the idyllic village of Sedbusk. On this section of the route you'll go over a packhorse bridge where your four-legged friend may want a dip. Dry them off and continue west to Hardraw, a charming hamlet with a nice pub called the Green Dragon. I'd recommend taking the short de-tour to the impressive Hardraw Falls - the highest single drop waterfall in England. The falls are over 100m high and you can access them through the visitor centre at the back of the pub (a small fee may apply). Well-behaved dogs are welcome.
Recommended by Helen Newman from the OS team. Follow Helen on Instagram.
9. Chopwell Wood circular dog walk
Location: Gateshed, North East England
Distance: 1.5 miles / Time: 30 minutes - can easily be extended
Difficulty: Leisurely
Parking: Chopwell Wood car park, NE39 1LT
This is a gentle stroll on a good-surfaced trail around Chopwell Wood, a popular place for dog walking. This leisurely route can easily be extended as Chopwell Wood boasts a number of footpaths which, if you wanted, you could spend all day exploring. Many of the walking trails offer a glimpse of the area’s industrial past including restored railway tracks that would have carried coal from the nearby collieries. There's even a chance to walk beside the River Derwent and a couple of smaller burns that weave through the woodland. Dogs do love getting wet!
Recommended by Helen Newman from the OS team. Follow Helen on Instagram.
10. Usk Reservoir circular dog walk
Location: Usk Reservoir, Wales
Distance: 8 miles / Time: 3.5 hours - can easily be extended
Difficulty: Moderate
Parking: Usk Reservoir car park, LD3 8YF - free
Tracy and her dogs on the Usk Reservoir circular walk
Usk Reservoir is a great dog walk as there are no livestock around the forestry tracks surrounding the reservoir. Only a few sheep can be found grazing on the open moorland of Mynydd Myddfai near the trigpoint. Usk Reservoir is located to the west of the Brecon Beacons National Park and can be reached just off the minor road between Trecastle and Llandeusant. The surrounding woodland is owned by Natural Resources Wales and is open to walkers and cyclists to explore the forestry tracks. The reservoir is owned by Welsh Water and it can be fished with the appropriate licence.
The reservoir is situated below the Black Mountain Range and boasts some fantastic views of the mountains to the south. There is access onto Mynydd Myddfai where the views at the trig pillar are well worth the short climb over the open moorland. Once on the open moorland a short walk to the north east will take you to Mynydd Bach and Y Pigwyn which are sites of a Roman fort and Roman camps. My dogs love a swim at the shore of the reservoir. My favourite spot is the view from the Ordnance Survey trigpoint.
Recommended by OS GetOutside Champion Tracy Purnell. Follow Tracy on Instagram.
So there you have it – our top 10 dog walks across Great Britain. If you think we’ve missed any, or want to share some of your own, join the GetOutside Facebook Community.
Remember to take care of the great outdoors and follow the Countryside Code at all times.