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Having had your fill of mince pies and chocolate you will certainly benefit from some dog walks with your dog! More importantly your dog will thank you for the effort. If you are in Somerset we have selected some of our favourite festive dog walks. All are dog and family friendly (depending how far your family likes walking of course…).
For us here at Oscar & Hooch HQ we have certain requirements that make a dog walk fulfilling for both dog and owner. The top ones are listed below:
Hopefully our favourite walks tick most of the boxes, of course cannot always guarantee parking will be easy at the busier places….
On the outskirts of the lovely town of Bruton you will find King Alfreds Tower. Built in 1772 the Tower was to commemorate the end of the 7 year war and the accession of George III. Also built in memory of King Alfred who in AD 879 raised his standard here against the Danes.
Parking is at the top of the hill opposite the tower. There is limited parking in the car park (although we have always managed to get a space). If you do struggle there is roadside parking as you go down the hill. Walking across the road from the car park you will pass (if open) a lovely coffee hut that makes great coffee and lovely cakes. This is part one of our refreshments!
Once by the tower the are lots of directions you can head. Our favourite walk is to take in the woods where you can take a direct line to Stourhead which is a beautiful National Trust property (dog friendly-dogs must be on a lead). You don’t have to go into Stourhead to access the Cafe or the Spread Eagle Inn pub. The pub is dog friendly in the bar area, however you cannot book a table in the bar. If the weather is good and you are wrapped up warm there is plenty of seating outside.
Whether you visit Stourhead or not you can circle around the edge by following the road (the roads are very quiet). We took the road away from Stourhead and turn right at Gasper where you will see a beautiful lake. From there your dog walk can follow the road all the way back to King Alfreds Tower. There are lots of options to duck back into the woods should you desire. The whole walk is approx 7 miles and be aware there are some fields with sheep. Once you have finished your walk we would highly recommend stopping for further refreshments in Bruton. At the Chapel is dog friendly downstairs and serves good food and has an onsite bakery.
Stockhill Wood is located between Cheddar and Wells on the top of the Mendip Hills. A lovely forest that can be easy to get lost in if you go off the path. Exploring the woods is Henrys favourite pastime! The woods themselves can be quite mystical with heavily moss covered floors. Be aware if you to go off the footpaths it can be very muddy!
There are picnic benches at the woods but if you fancy stopping somewhere warm for a coffee we would highly recommend The dog friendly Wookey Hub Cafe which is a short drive just outside Wells in the heart of Wookey.
Brean Down is just down the road from Burnham and is well signed. You won’t miss it as the road by the Down is a dead end. Parking is a National Trust Car Park at the end, alternatively you can park on the beach by following signs before you reach the Down.
There are two options at the Down, you can walk up the steps directly ahead of the Car Park up to the top of Brean Down. Turning left you will follow the Down all the way to the end and take in great views of the sea. You will pass a disused fort where if need to you can take shelter from the wind! At the end you can circle back on the opposite site of the down. Be aware there are sharp drops on either side so ensure your dog is under control.
Alternatively if you don’t fancy the hill you can jump straight onto the beach. You have 7 miles of beach and dunes to explore! There usually lots of other dogs, great if your dog is social. There are poo bins dotted along the way as well. Check tide times and keep inland as the beach can be very boggy and like sinking sand the further out you go!
Refreshments can be purchased at the National Trust Cafe where you’ll find traditional national Trust fare. There is seating inside and outside and loos also.
If you want to experience the Gorge there is an alternative way than following the busy tourist route. Head up Cheddar Gorge and take first left hand turn at the top and then left again towards Charterhouse. You will eventually reach a couple of sharp bends with parking to the right. You can cross the road and follow a long path downhill into Velvet Bottom, at the bottom you head left to bring you to the top of Cheddar Gorge.
This is a great route as there are so many options you can take, dogs should be ok off the lead most of the time. Be aware there are cows in some of the fields to the left of Velvet bottom. For refreshments you can either drop back into Cheddar where there is a selection of cafes and bars, alternatively head to the pretty village of Wedmore, there is a lovely pub The Swan (same owners as At the Chapel in Bruton) which is very dog friendly (you dog will get its own water bowl if you ask).
For more walks in Somerset see our article here.