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Durham is a beautiful area of the UK and there are some fantastic dog walks in Durham. Remember that the weather is unpredictable in the North of England and so it’s probably a good idea to take a raincoat.
Most people are familiar with the hour and a half long Riverside walk in Durham, which is a beautiful scenic town route with several Churches along the way. But there are more beautiful dog walks in Durham and the surrounding areas.
Hamsterley Forest
Hamsterley Forest offers interesting forest trails that are great for exploring with your dog. It is a popular place to go amongst families and everyone enjoys the Gruffalo sculptures and people often take pictures with them. If you do not like crowds then you and your dog can go to Spurlswood Valley which offers great views of waterfalls! You will see tonnes of wildlife here and people have even seen salmon leaping upstream.
Cow Green Reservoir
About an hour West out of Durham is the beautiful Cow Green reservoir. This walk is relatively easy, and the reservoir reaches for about 2 miles. So, it is a reasonable length to walk your dog. The area lies at the centre of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, where you can explore Mother Nature’s stunning scenery.
This route starts at Wheelhead Sike car park which then leads you onto a short 3-mile stroll or a longer more active 7.5-mile walk. The length is up to you. If you are feeling active and want to combine walks, the Cow Green Reservoir can be reached from a selection of the Teesdale Way routes.
Coatham Wood
This walk has an incline but can also be flat. The parking is free and there are areas you will need to put your dog on a lead. These areas will be signposted. Coatham Wood is near Stockton. It is a great woodland walk with an abundance of trees. There are also ponds nearby and meadows to explore and spot all sorts of wildlife. All 5 species of owl have been spotted here. There are 2 main routes, but you are unlikely to get lost. The woods have the countries first ever dog activity course so you may want to have some fun with your dog here. Maybe try and teach them new tricks!
Chopwell Woods
This walk is quite hilly, and the area is surrounded by forest. You have to pay for parking and there are of lead areas available. There are 4 trails available in Chopwell and both are marked throughout the forest. The walks are colour coded and the purple route (0.5km) and blue (2.2km) are the easier walks. Great for older dogs. The red route (5.3km) takes you near the river Derwent and has small inclines. The green route is also challenging and is the longest walk available at Chopwell. It is 7.5km in total. Along the way, there are beautiful sculptures to spot. The type of walk you go on with your dog depends on how challenging you want it to be. There is a walk suited for everybody here.
Low Burnhall
This walk has inclines but is also flat. The parking is free and there are off-lead areas. It is a perfect length walk and is near Durham city centre. It is part of the Woodland Trust and has the River Wear to the east and river Browney to the south. There is an open meadow where your dog can run around and there are areas where your dog can have a splash around. There are some willow sculptures nearby and you are bound to see some beautiful butterflies. Overall, this walk is a great length and quite relaxing as not many people crowd here.
If you enjoyed this article on the best dog walks in Durham you might also like to read about the best dog walks in Sheffield.
