Dog-Friendly Destinations in Greensand Country

Dog walking is a popular past-time in Greensand Country, and a steep increase in dog ownership over the last few years has resulted in greater demand for information about dog-friendly walking routes.

Greensand Country is a ‘green oasis’ of peace and quiet, rolling countryside and breath-taking views. We’ve put together a list of some of our favourite dog walking destinations to make it even easier for you to get out and explore it for yourself!

Best locations for off-lead dog walks

• Rushmere Country Park – Rushmere is a great place to discover nature and enjoy the outdoors. It has areas where dogs can be walked on and off the lead including a dog fun area specifically for our canine friends.
• Ampthill Great Park – Ampthill Park is a pleasant place to walk dogs – its varied landscape is accessible all year round and offers dogs the freedom to get plenty of exercise – and not surprisingly is a popular activity at the park.
• Chicksands Woods – Chicksands is a great place to visit for all ages, with defined paths and muddy trails. It is a really good place to take the dog for a walk, with ample parking.
• Maulden Wood – With an abundance of wildlife and rich woodland, which contains one of the largest and most important remnants of ancient woodland in Bedfordshire, there is so much for you to see and explore on a dog walk at Maulden Wood.

Best locations for on-lead dog walks

• Clophill Eco Lodges – Set half way along the Greensand Ridge walking route, Clophill is a beautiful area to explore. With livestock grazing the fields within this area, the routes around Clophill Eco Lodges and Old St Mary’s Church are ideal for on-lead walks.
• The Skylark Trail at RSPB The Lodge Nature Reserve & Gardens – This 3-mile-long route takes you through farmland and around a quarry managed for wildlife, linking up with woodland and a bridleway that brings you back to The Lodge. Dogs can be walked on a lead around the Skylark Trail.
• Gamlingay Cinques – A popular spot for dog walkers, this small reserve is dotted with harebells and filled with the scent of gorse bloom in the spring. This site occasionally benefits from grazing by rare breed sheep. Dogs must be kept on the lead.

Greensand Country provides a beautiful, accessible and diverse landscape to enjoy with your dog. Learn about the many routes we have been working on to help you explore with your four-legged friends. Explore routes, facilities, points of interest and much more using the interactive map on the Greensand Country website at www.greensandcountry.com/explore/interactive-map/.

Responsible Countryside Access

Please help us protect this landscape and keep everyone safe by:

– keeping your dog close enough to have under control and using a lead when required, not everyone loves our pooches and disturbing ground nesting birds reduces our wildlife numbers.

– keeping your dog on a lead around any livestock and giving them plenty of space to avoid injury to any animals (or humans!). If threatened, exit the area calmly releasing your dog to make it easier for you both to reach safety.

– keeping your dog on a lead around any horse riders, cyclists or other dogs to avoid accidents.

– keeping your dog close so you can see when they have left a present to pick up… no one wants their cereal polluted in the field or their children stepping in it. Dog waste is toxic, it carries viruses, parasites and bacteria.