5 beautiful places to walk your dog in National Pet Month

April 2022 is National Pet Month in the UK – a great time to celebrate the animals you have in your life.

If you need another reason to love your pet, you might want to plan some extra-special activities, to strengthen the bond with your pets.

According to the PDSA, 56% of British adults have a pet, with 26% of those being dog owners. What’s more, the BBC reports that households bought 3.2 million new pets in 2020, with the Covid-19 lockdowns giving people the perfect opportunity to welcome a new addition to the family.

Whether you’ve had dogs all your life or are new to having a canine buddy in your home, read on to learn about five beautiful places around Gloucestershire and Worcestershire to take your dog for a walk in National Pet Month.

1. Symonds Yat Rock in the Forest of Dean

Symonds Yat Rock, located in the stunning Forest of Dean, is home to a diverse and beautiful set of trails that are ideal for a day out with your four-legged best friend.

There’s a stunning cliff-top viewpoint that originally served as a lookout for inhabitants of the Forest of Dean some 2,500 years ago.

Hikers often choose Symonds Yat Rock as a birdwatching spot, because of its abundance of kestrels, red kites, goshawks, and buzzards. Others enjoy walking the trails that run alongside the River Wye, especially in the spring and summer months. You and your dog can explore all the forest has to offer with both long and short trails that are clearly marked.

What’s more, there’s a dog-friendly log cabin café that gives you the perfect rest stop between walks.

In April, the Symonds Yat Rock walking trails are open until 8 pm. There is designated parking onsite.

2. Cranham Coopers and the Beechwoods trail on the Cotswolds Way

Known as one of the most accessible and beautiful walks on the 102-mile Cotswolds Way, Cranham Coopers and the Beechwoods is a four-mile circular walk that you and your dog can enjoy together.

In April and May, you and your dog can stroll through the magnificent bluebells that flower in the beech woodlands, and even climb Cooper’s Hill, home to Gloucestershire’s world-famous annual cheese-rolling competition.

Your pooch might enjoy sniffing out wildlife in the dense forest, while you take in the serenity of the woodlands in springtime.

You can access the Cranham Coopers and Beechwoods trail by parking in Cranham village, or on public transport.

3. The Selsley Circuit on the Cotswolds Way

If you enjoy walks with varied terrain and beautiful English countryside views, the Selsley Circuit should be on your list.

Just like the Cranham Coopers walk, the Selsley Circuit is one of the many trails on the Cotswolds Way, winding for five miles through beech woods and open farmland. You and your dog can get a mixture of all the English countryside has to offer on this gorgeous walk, passing old Victorian mills and an ancient waterway as you go.

Perfect for family walks with dogs in tow, the Selsley Circuit is accessible on public transport, or you can park in Selsley or King’s Stanley village if you prefer. You could even finish up your spring walk with a delicious meal at a King’s Stanley pub.

4. Eckington Wharf, Worcestershire

If you are searching for a shorter walk with a riverside view, the Eckington Wharf circular trail in Worcestershire could be the perfect find.

This three-and-a-half-kilometre circular trail runs alongside the River Avon, and you’ll pass through Strensham Lock, where you may find colourful boats mooring or passing through, especially in spring and summer.

What’s more, you and your family will have the opportunity to spot herons and kingfishers on the Eckington Wharf circular trail, and you’ll even pass an 800-year-old Holy Trinity church. Both cultural and natural, this walk has something for everyone – and your dog will be thrilled by the scents of riverside wildlife.

This trail starts and finishes in Eckington village, where you can enjoy a drink in the local pub or wander through town to visit independent stores.

5. Hollybush circular walks in the Malvern Hills

The incomparable Malvern Hills, located on the Herefordshire and Worcestershire border, are one of the UK’s most cherished sites of natural beauty.

Within the Malvern Hills are dozens of trails for cycling and walking, and the Hollybush circular walks could make the ideal dog walk spot for you in National Pet Month. Hollybush is a tiny hamlet that is home to the start and finish of two intertwining walking trails.

You might take the south loop trail and pass through the delightful village of White Leaved Oak, or opt for the north trail which leads you to the Iron Age hill fort.

If you want to celebrate your beloved dog by taking a fun walk together, any of these five trails would be an idyllic way to pass a day in National Pet Month.