The Best Dog Walks In The North East
Mansons
The North East boasts an array of stunning locations, offering everything from endless coastlines to verdant woodland and historical landmarks. We know dog walkers are always looking for somewhere new to take their pup, which is why we’ve rounded up eight of our favourite routes.
1. Hadrians Wall – Sycamore Gap
An unbeatable, bucket list-worthy walk that had to make the list was Hadrian’s Wall to Sycamore Gap.
Starting from Housesteads Visitor Centre, this five-mile circular route will make sure your dog does nothing but sleep for the rest of the day! Follow the wall to Milecastle 38 and the famous Sycamore Gap, taking in the amazing sights with your pooch along the way.
Keep an eye out for the Robin Hood Tree, a little way to the east of Steelrigg. Made famous through a scene in the Kevin Costner film, it’s a fantastic photo opportunity – if you can get your pup to sit still long enough!
2. Beadnell Bay
This golden sand beach is part of the Northumberland Heritage Coast and makes for a lovely day trip with your dog.
While your pet stretches their legs along two miles of beach, you can take in the beautiful surroundings, with the North Sea to one side and sand dunes to the other.
3. Rothley Castle Ruins
Another Northumberland favourite is the Rothley Castle walk, following a circular route around the hill upon which the castle itself is planted.
A quiet area to enjoy time with your dog, the walk can be taken in any direction. Soak yourself in the fantastic views north west towards Harwood Forest and Simonside, as well as impressive scenes to the east towards Longwhitton.
While you’re here, enjoy a visit to Rothley Craggs or Scots Gap – this is a moderate walk so make sure both you and your dog are up to it before setting off.
4. Chopwell Woods
Discover this magnificent stretch of forestry. With plenty of flora and fauna calling this place home, your dog will have countless scents to pick up and follow, keeping them entertained for the duration of the walk. There’s even a river route if your pup likes the water.
There are four main routes to choose from, varying in length and difficulty. Given the size of the woods, it could be worth taking a packed lunch so you can spend as much time as possible enjoying the scenery. You can take your pick of picnic benches through the forest, each offering their own unique view.
If your dog is prone to running off or doesn’t return to your whistle, you may want to keep them on a lead as it can be easy to get lost.
5. Herrington Country Park
Offering a lovely circular walk, this park is just a stone’s throw from one of the North East’s best loved landmarks: Penshaw Monument. In fact, the monument creates a lovely backdrop for the route.
The wide open stretches of field give your pup space to stretch their legs off the lead and there’s plenty of onsite parking.
6. Saltwell Park
Just on the southern side of the Tyne is Saltwell Park, a 55-acre expanse of both wild and landscaped nature, as well as a lake.
You can take your dog round the full park on the lead, or use the dedicated dog areas to let them run around off-lead. If you’re bringing the little ones, there’s a play area too.
There’s also a monthly food festival with a £1 entry charge – dogs are welcome!
7. Seaburn Promenade
Sunderland’s lengthy coastline makes the ideal dog walk as you can tailor the distance to suit you and your four-legged friend.
You can begin as far down as Roker, with a car park just off the promenade. From here, wander the beach and the length of the pier. At low tide you can often walk directly from one end of Roker Beach to the other, joining Seaburn promenade from the Cat and Dog Steps. If the tide is in, cut through Roker Park to get to the next stretch of beach. Once you’re on the promenade at Seaburn, you can walk all the way to Whitburn.
The views along the promenade are stunning and there’s no end to the cafés you can stop at for a brew or an ice cream.
8. Penshaw Monument
Penshaw Monument has a host of routes you can take, all centred around this National Trust landmark and the surrounding countryside.
You can take the short, but steep, route up the steps to the monument and back down, or cut into the woodland for longer ambles that stretch 10km and more. Many of the paths will lead you down to a picturesque section of the River Wear where you’ll find charming pubs like the Oddfellows Arms.
On a sunny day, this is one of the best days out in the North East.
We hope you’ve found some new spots to take your dog. If you’re looking for routes specific to Tyneside, check out our roundup of dog walks in Newcastle.
