Coast is partnering with the Ramblers each month to promote coastal walking. In this month’s column, the focus turns onto those with four legs as well as two, as they share their favourite dog-friendly walks along the coast…
Britain is a nation of dog-lovers. And as Britain’s walking charity, we know there are few things the British public love more than a great walk with their four-legged friends.
Whether deep in the countryside or strolling through your local park, it’s one of the most common reasons we get outdoors. In fact, according to a 2022 survey by Ordnance Survey, the average owner walks their dog 750 miles every year – that’s about the same as the distance between Plymouth to Jon O’Groats!
So we thought we’d bring together a selection of the very best Ramblers dog walks, from Cornwall in the south west to Ravensheugh Sands in the north east.
Firstly, for our main walk, head to The Gower, a paradise for both the intrepid walker and their canine companion. Back in 2008, the sweeping, sandy beach at Rhossili was voted the UK’s number-one dog-friendly beach by readers of The Times. But in truth, any of the beaches in this part of the world tend to be beautiful, largely empty and welcome dogs all year round.
So we’ve gone for a route with a little bit of everything, combining a wide estuary beach with woodland, dunes and rolling countryside.
Starting off at 13th century St Madoc’s Church in Llanmadoc, you’ll take the right fork and walk downhill to the hamlet of Cwm Ivy. Bear left at the first houses and pass through a gate with the National Trust sign next to the final house.
On a surfaced track, head downhill and turn right after 250m through a gate by a pine plantation, with a small cottage beyond. Follow the sandy track along the edge of the trees for 800m to the gate at the end of the plantation. Until 2014, the land on your right was an extensive freshwater marsh before an old dyke was breached. Tides now flood the area and conservationists are monitoring the revival of the original salt marsh.
Keep on the track for 2km, with dunes and further pine plantations on your left, until the edge of the salt marsh bends left. Pick up the sandy path beyond the last trees and walk along the dunes to the tip of the peninsula. Up ahead, you’ll see the cast-iron lighthouse beyond Whiteford Point, built in 1865.
Now turn south along the great sweep of Whiteford Sands, backed by marram-topped dunes. Officially, the Wales Coast Path runs along the rear of the beach but when the tide is out, the sands are more than 500m wide. Make your way down the beach for 2.5km and then veer left over sandy grassland and head towards the far right of the forestry plantation.
A sandy track cuts inland, with the limestone rocks of Cwm Ivy Tor ahead. Go through a gate at the end of the plantation and turn right by the western end of the tor. Pass through a kissing gate and follow the path ahead through a wide sandy basin called The Conygaer.
The path climbs through a small wood, passes a gate onto the cliffs and turns right to the top of Hill Tor, with good views over the sands to distant Pembrokeshire. Turn left to meet a walled bank and then veer right, downhill, to the dunes at the rear of Broughton Bay.
Turn left alongside the caravan site for 300m, go through a gate and turn right on the track, with caravans on right. Walk to a cattle grid and turn left on the lane to return to Llanmadoc in 800m.
For full route instructions, visit: org.uk/go-walking/routes/whiteford-burrows-gower-peninsula
THREE MORE TO TRY
Looking for something a little closer to home? Check out our alternate routes:
Ravensheugh Sands and Seacliff, East Lothian
Tyninghame Bay, south of North Berwick, is a brilliant place for a bracing seaside stroll. Dogs are welcome, if kept under close control, on the golden sand all sand year-round and you’ll have plenty to see too at the nearby bird-flocked Bass Rock. tinyurl.com/v84szvp8
Holkham, Norfolk
The Norfolk coast draws many dog-walkers. And rightly so. Huge stretches of sand such as Old Hunstanton, Holkham and dune-backed Winterton are perfect for pups, but keep an eye out for signs asking dogs to be on lead in certain areas or times of year. tinyurl.com/e2c93hsz
St Ives, Cornwall
Porthmeor Beach is the largest beach in St Ives, meaning there’s plenty of sand for your dog to stretch its legs on. A great bet for either winter or summer, this dog-friendly beach is the perfect place for you and your pup to paddle. tinyurl.com/3bb9hbaj
ROUTES TO RESPONSIBILITY
At the Ramblers, we don’t just have fantastic routes for your dog walks – we also have plenty of advice to make sure you can enjoy great dog walks responsibly.
On our website, we’ve pulled together a list of our ten best dog walks and if you’re looking for something a little closer to home, you can also search our entire library of over 4,000 tried-and-tested routes for a dog-friendly walk near you.
And when it comes to advice, we’ve got you covered too. From a downloadable Dog Walking Code, produced alongside Natural England, the Kennel Club and the National Farmers Union among others, to specific guidance on walking your dog on access land or through fields with animals or wildlife, we’ve got everything you need to make sure every dog day out a walk in the park.
From dog-friendly walk filters to advice and inspiration, the Ramblers website is the perfect place to plot your next adventure with your pooch. To find everything you’ll ever need visit: ramblers.org.uk/go-walking-hub/how-enjoy-great-dog-walks-responsibly
