It’s time for the dogs to kiss their city park cronies goodbye and take their place in the rabbit-sniffing country; a trip with your pack to the Lake District is perhaps Britain’s best holiday for dog-lovers.
If you’re set to spend some time in the south, central, or northern fells this year, and whether you fancy bagging a Wainwright or simply taking your "good dog" for a puppuccino, you’ll find a dog-friendly walk to suit you and your four-legged friend in our round-up of the top dog-friendly walks in the Lake District (and some ideas for where to stay!)
A southern stroll: Windermere
0-3 miles | 0m accent | 2-6 hours
Ah, Windermere; the training wheels of the Lake District (though no less jaw-dropping) due to its opportune travel links. Its train station is reachable from lively London, with only one change and a journey time of just over three hours, and it's only twenty minutes from the M6. While most visitors stay around the town of Bowness-on-Windermere, lured by its Champagne bars and wood-fired pizza houses, those in-the-know can opt for a dog-friendly day trip that's much more fulfilling; a jaunt on the water itself.
Make your way to the wooden huts on Bowness Beach, next to the Bowness Promenade, to take captaincy of your own traditional wooden rowboat. This dog-friendly, and rather romantic, activity is the ideal way to explore these pleasant waters at your own pace and have a unique Lake District story to tell. Alternatively, board a ferry at the dock in Bowness Nab for a half-hour sailing to characterful Ambleside; not only are the ferries dog-friendly, but your four-legged friend will also sail for free. Spend a few hours popping in and out of tempting gear shops (where there are always dog biscuits on the counter), before catching a later ferry back to Windermere. Larger groups can even opt to privately charter one of Windermere's iconic flag-flailing steamers!
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In the heart of the Lakes: Grasmere Circuit
3.7 miles | 95m accent | 3 hours
This is a circular route that takes in the best of both worlds. Start in Grasmere Village, the postcard-ready Lake District settlement known for its slate rock houses that often creep with ivy, with a perusing of the coffee shops, museums, and antiqueries that make this township so popular. Then follow footpath-less Red Bank road (dogs on leads for this part) for twenty minutes or so until you see a gate to a downhill path that leads away from the tarmac and down to the dazzling blue.
Now’s the time to spend as long as your heart (and their paws) desire on the southern banks of Grasmere. The adventurous might choose to walk this route with a stand-up paddleboard in tow; if you don’t mind the cold water temps, this spot is an ideal launching place. You’ll complete the loop by following the path up the hill and back onto Red Bank road, this time walking through forested Deerbolts Wood before descending on the earlier segment back to the village. Then it’s lunch at whichever dog-friendly café caught your eye earlier in the day, and enough time left to shop for souvenirs (or perhaps a smart Lakes wool lead and collar).
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In the northern fells: Rannerdale Knotts
7.5 miles | 374m accent | 4.5 hours
Park at the National Trust’s car park in Buttermere, then head west on foot on the Honister Pass; you'll see your route appear on your right, a steep-ish grass trail up the fell next to Crummock Water. After traversing some rough paths that the chihuahuas and terriers might consider somewhat of a scramble, you’ll have 'bagged' the Wainwright Rannerdale Knotts. After a moment of quietude to take in the 360-degree views of the Lake District's northern fells, you'll follow the trail east and take the obvious route that leads down to the pass below.
You’ll arrive back at your starting point, but there’s still more miles to meander. The second leg of the walk is a pleasant loop around the lake, passing dairy pastures and revelling in the club-and-crossbow history of the Buttermere Pines. With plenty of opportunities for lake-loving dogs to make friends along the way and follow sniffing trails into the surrounding forests, this remote Cumbrian route is one of the best dog-friendly walks in the Lake District, and a memorable family expedition for budding explorers.
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